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Chapter 2
Water Chemistry Field Sampling
2.1 BACKGROUND
Water quality studies are much more complex than they first appear. There are
so many decisions to make before setting foot in the field. Where will you sample? What will you measure at your sample locations? How will those measurements be made? When will samples be collected? Each of these decision points
involves trade-offs that collectively determine what is logistically feasible and
what it will cost. Unless you have unlimited time and resources, you will want
to think these things through carefully. Your decisions can make or break
your study. The notion that you just go out and grab some water samples and
then measure what is in them not only is illogical, but also is hugely wasteful
of somebody’s money and your time. Careful project planning is essential and
will reap enormous benefits. We have seen expensive water quality studies that
were embarrassingly wasteful and insufficient for addressing the questions at
hand. We have also seen modest, clearly targeted studies that yielded useful
information. Think about what your questions are, how to best answer them,
and how to do that in a way that does not break the bank. The ability to carefully shepherd someone else’s resources is a virtue that others will recognize.
This is a trait worth cultivating.
In this section, we first address where, what, and when to sample. Decisions
are clearly linked to project objectives and research questions. These are issues
that you absolutely must master. It is extremely difficult, in conducting your
data analyses, to fix a badly designed water quality study. Do it right from
the outset.
We then describe field methods, including steps that must be taken before
heading into the field, the actual sample collection itself, how to take on-site
measurements, and what to do after returning from the sampling sites. This
includes measurements of stream flow, various water-sampling approaches,
and postsampling processes and sample documentation. Operating principles
Chapter 2
Water Chemistry Field Sampling
2.1 BACKGROUND
Water quality studies are much more complex than they first appear. There are
so many decisions to make before setting foot in the field. Where will you sample? What will you measure at your sample locations? How will those measurements be made? When will samples be collected? Each of these decision points
involves trade-offs that collectively determine what is logistically feasible and
what it will cost. Unless you have unlimited time and resources, you will want
to think these things through carefully. Your decisions can make or break
your study. The notion that you just go out and grab some water samples and
then measure what is in them not only is illogical, but also is hugely wasteful
of somebody’s money and your time. Careful project planning is essential and
will reap enormous benefits. We have seen expensive water quality studies that
were embarrassingly wasteful and insufficient for addressing the questions at
hand. We have also seen modest, clearly targeted studies that yielded useful
information. Think about what your questions are, how to best answer them,
and how to do that in a way that does not break the bank. The ability to carefully shepherd someone else’s resources is a virtue that others will recognize.
This is a trait worth cultivating.
In this section, we first address where, what, and when to sample. Decisions
are clearly linked to project objectives and research questions. These are issues
that you absolutely must master. It is extremely difficult, in conducting your
data analyses, to fix a badly designed water quality study. Do it right from
the outset.
We then describe field methods, including steps that must be taken before
heading into the field, the actual sample collection itself, how to take on-site
measurements, and what to do after returning from the sampling sites. This
includes measurements of stream flow, various water-sampling approaches,
and postsampling processes and sample documentation. Operating principles