Quality Assurance Officer: Skip Kramb (804) 435-0697
If you are interested
in becoming a member of this environmental group please contact either
Jesse or Skip for further details.
For information on how to view the results
of the groups monitoring activities on the Commonwealth of Virginia,
Department of Environmental Quality Database in Richmond, Virginia contact
Skip Kramb
at cepkjr@nnwifi.com.
******
Certified Water Monitoring Services
Is Now Available to
Residents of the
Dividing, Prentice, and Jarvis Creek and
Bluff Point
Water Community
Do you have concerns and questions about what is in the
water at your pier?
How about the areas where you fish, crab, raise oysters
or swim?
We can tell you if it is safe to swim and eat the
seafood taken from your dock. We can also give you an explanation of why the
fishing or crabbing was so good last week but this week there is nothing to
be had. Why the crabs in your floats are suddenly dying or if you should be
taking extra precautions in preparing any seafood taken from your dock or
shoreline. We can also tell you if there is a possible pollution problem
from yours or your neighbors septic system or some other form of bacterial
pollution.
Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of
Environmental Quality Certified Monitors
Each of our Dividing Creek Association, Water Quality
Monitoring Members are Trained and Certified by the Commonwealth of
Virginia, Department of Environmental Quality to monitor any and all water
bodies within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Water Quality Monitors of
the Dividing Creek Association can supply you with the answer to the above
questions.
This does not include swimming pools, small fish pools
or well/drinking water.
Provided Monitoring Services
The Water Quality Monitoring Group will provide our
customers with a Spreadsheet Report containing the following information for
each requested monitoring session.
1.)
Location Certification
a.
Location Description and GPS Coordinates of the Location.
b.
Date and Time the monitoring took place.
c.
Names of the Certified Members conducting the monitoring activity.
2.)
Visual Observation of Conditions at the time of Monitoring.
a.
Atmospheric and Tidal Conditions (Monitoring is normally done on a
falling Tide).
b.
The Amount of Rain in the past 24 hours.
c.
Wind and Wave Conditions
d.
Color of the Water and any Particular Odors associated with the
water.
e.
Anything visible in the water such as pollen, leaves, dead fish,
jellyfish concentrations, oil, algae blooms.
3.)
Physical/Chemical/Biological Properties Measured at the location
(using VA-DEQ
Tested and Certified Monitoring
Instruments and Tools)
a.
Air Temperature and Water Temperature.
b.
Dissolved Oxygen Content of the water.
c.
pH Reading
d.
Salinity
e.
Turbidity (Water Clarity)
f.
Bacteria (e. Coli) Count
The Dividing Creek Association, Water Quality
Monitoring Group while not charging for these monitoring services does
accept donations to help defray the cost of our Monitoring Supplies,
Equipment Maintenance and Personnel Transportation to and from each
location. This amounts to approximately $35.00 per trip to your location or
$150.00 for the 8 month monitoring season (April through November)
consisting of one visit to your location per month.
A monitoring request call by a member to their location
will; result in Two Monitors and their Monitoring Equipment being dispatched
to the requested location. We will attempt to respond within two working
days dependent on our work load and the weather conditions. At times
depending on case load this timeframe may not be practical. During these
times of heavy demand we will strive to provide service in not more than 7
working days, again the weather conditions may cause delays beyond our
control.
An EXCEL Spreadsheet Report detailing the water
conditions found at the location will be sent directly to the requesters
mailing address within 7 working days following the time the monitoring took
place. If desired a detailed analysis of this Spreadsheet Report and the
water condition found at the location can be arranged.
All Donations for this service should be sent to the
Dividing Creek Association, Attn: Treasurer, P.O. Box 1234, Kilmarnock, VA
22482. Please make any donations via Check or Cash, Credit Card Donations
cannot be accepted. The treasurer will in turn provide you a receipt for
your donation for tax purposes
If you desire a monthly monitoring the timeframe will
be worked out by mutual agreement between the requestor and the analyst.
All of our Dividing
Creek Association, Water Quality Monitors are Commonwealth of Virginia,
Department of Environmental Quality Trained and Certified.
All of the Water
Quality Monitors are currently performing Citizen Volunteer Water Quality
Monitoring for and in conjunction with the Commonwealth of Virginia,
Department of Environmental Quality.
All of the
Instruments and Equipment used by the Monitoring Personnel is Tested and
Certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Environmental
Quality.
********
DIVIDING CREEK ASSOCIATION
CITIZEN VOLUNTEER WATER QUALITY MONITORING
GROUP
2010 END OF YEAR REPORT
AS SUBMITTED
TO THE
VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ON
JANUARY 12, 2011
DIVIDING CREEK
ASSOCIATION
CITIZEN VOLUNTEER
WATER QUALITY MONITORING GROUP
2010 END OF YEAR
REPORT
January 12, 2011
Area Monitored:
Dividing Creek, Prentice Creek, Jarvis Creek, Kent Cove, Barnes
Creek and
Henry’s Creek
Equipment utilized
for monitoring:
Dissolved Oxygen: Oakton Model DO-300
pH: Oakton Model pHTestr 30
Air/Water Temperature: Oakton Model DO-300
Salinity: RHSN-10ATC Handheld Refractometer
Turbidity: Globe 0171-CL Secchi Disk
E. coli: Micrology Laboratories CPK-10 EasyGel +
Calibration Chemicals: Oakton Premixed pH Buffers
& Probe Storage Solution
Oakton Premixed DO Probe
Electrolyte Solution
Oakton Premixed DO Probe 0%
Oxygen Calibration Solution
Equipment
Calibration:
Monitoring Equipment and Calibration/Storage
Media Solutions are
stored under controlled Temperature and Humidity conditions at all
times at the central Quality Assurance location.
Monitoring Equipment is
bench checked twice monthly minimum.
Monitoring
Equipment is Checked and Calibrated within 24hours of use
By the QA Officer prior to being released from the QA location.
Monitoring Equipment Calibration is checked by the QA Officer at the
EOD Checking to the QA Location (Within 24 hours of the sampling
run).
All Checks and Calibrations are recorded on hardcopy on the VA-DEQ
Provided Calibration Form as well as being Safe Stored on a Thumb
Drive
at the QA Location by the QA Officer.
Total number of
Sites Monitored FY 2010: 35 Sites
Frequency of
Monitoring: Monthly from April 1 through December
31 (Weather
Permitting)
Total Sample Trips
taken: 315 samplings were scheduled for FY 2010.
310
samplings were actually taken.
20 samplings were cancelled from the December Schedule
due to ice conditions at the sampling sites.
15 additional rerun samples were required due to
equipment
failures.
Sampling Breakdown:
By Watercraft
180 watercraft samples were scheduled for FY 2010.
181 watercraft samples actually taken by watercraft.
7 additional watercraft rerun samples required due to
equipment failure.
6 watercraft samplings were not taken due to inclement
weather (monitoring sites iced in with > 1.5” of
ice.)
From DCA Member Docks
126 samplings were scheduled from DCA Member docks for
FY 2010.
119 samplings were actually performed.
7 additional rerun samples were required due to
equipment
failure.
14 scheduled samplings not performed due to inclement
weather (ice in excess of 1.5 inches) or deicing
bubblers
running at the DCA Member docks.
From Road Culverts
9 samplings were scheduled to be performed at the road
culvert where Dividing Creek passes under Shiloh
School
Road (headwaters of Dividing Creek) for FY 2010.
1 of the 9 scheduled samplings was discarded due to
equipment failure.
1 additional sampling was required as the result of the
above equipment failure.
10 samplings were actually performed overall.
Data Rejected Due
to Equipment Failure: Team #1 All data rejected
due to failure
(Resulted
in Sampling Rerun) of a Membrane Cap on DO
300 # 476281
on 06-14-2010.
Membrane
Cap was replaced and DO 300
recalibrated on 06-15-2010.
The
Team #1 June monitoring trip was
rerun on 06-15-2010.
Data Rejected Due
to Equipment Failure: Team #4 All pH Data rejected
due to
(Resulted
in Sampling Rerun) the failure of the Probe
Body on
pHTestr 30 # 1441565 on 10-18-2010
New pH Data was obtained by Team #4 on
10-21-2010 using pHTestr 30 # 1583879.
Equipment Removed
from Service: pHtestr 30 # 1441565 Body was
removed from
(No Data Impact)
service and replaced on 11-04-2010 by new
pHTestr
30 # 592978.
Equipment Removed
from Service: pHTestr 30 #1441586 would not
calibrate during
(No Data
Impact) a Routine Bench
Check.
Probe Tip #358/04 was determined to be faulty
and was removed from service.
Tip # 358/04 was replaced by new spare probe tip
#050/09. No Monitoring Data was lost due to this
failure.
Observations:
E. coli:
Levels were slightly elevated on Jarvis Creek, Kent Cove and
Prentice
Creek in early April.
It is suspected that a still significant waterfowl population
caused this
because the E. coli count diminished noticeably after the birds
departed.
Also it was noted that when the waterfowl returned in late
October/early
November the E. coli counts returned to the approximate April
levels.
The E. coli level in Jarvis and Prentice Creek maintained the
fairly
consistent level of 20 to 60 CFU/100ml with the upper end of
Prentice Creek maintaining 80 to 140 CFU/100 ml through the
warmer
summer months.
Dissolved Oxygen:
DO Levels went from 9 and 10 mg/L in the early spring and late
fall
down to 3 and 4 mg/L in the hot summer months. The shift in DO
was most noticeable in the shallower headwaters of the estuaries.
It is
suspected to be due to aggressive algae growth in these areas
during the
exceptionally hot weather and the decrease in the ability of the
warmer
water to absorb oxygen as the water warmed. As the water
temperature
increased over 20 C the oxygen level was noticed to diminish
drastically. As the water temperature dropped below 17 C the
oxygen
levels began to increase and the algae count visibly decreased.
This heating/cooling phenomenon also coincided with the reported
Changing mortality rate of crabs in our local crab traps and a
decrease/increase of fish and crabs caught in the shallower
areas of
the estuary.
pH:
pH Levels remained relatively stable at 7.5 Std Units through the
Summer and 8.5 Std. Units in the Spring and Fall.
Salinity:
Salinity Levels ranged from 21 ppt in the dry drought months of
June,
July and August.
During the months of April, May and November a low of 11 ppt was
recorded.
A notable decrease in salinity was noted following several heavy
rainfalls especially a heavy 3 day rainfall of 17 inches at the
end of
September.
Turbidity:
Turbidity Level was probably the most noticeable parameter we
monitored.
As the water temperature increased in the spring and summer the
clarity of the water visually decreased.
In April and December the creek bottom was clearly visible at
most monitoring locations.
As the temperature began to rise in late May the bottom
disappeared
and algae became clearly visible in the water.
By mid summer large algae blooms became a normal sight and it was
difficult to see down in the water more than .8 meter.
As the water cooled in late November and early December the creek
bottoms again became quite visible.
Training:
February 20, 2010: Training and Equipment/Monitor
Certification Session
with James Beckley, VA-DEQ. This was followed
by an Organizational Meeting.
March 20, 2010:
Training meeting with James Beckley, VA-DEQ. Review
of proper instrument calibration and operating
procedures, sample gathering and reporting procedures.
James also conducted an introduction to the VA-DEQ
GIS Map
April 14, 2010:
Training session for Paul Rockefeller, a new Monitoring
Leader from Ashley
Cove area off Dymer Creek.
Paul is starting a new monitoring group which plans to
monitor the Indian Creek, Dymer Creek, Tabbs Creek
and Antipoison Creek Estuaries to the south of our
monitoring area.
May 12, 2010:
Training review with Team #4 on pHTestr 30 operation/
Calibration Procedures.
June 10, 2010: Training and QA Session with Team #1 on
DO 300 Calibration
and Operational Procedures.
July 7, 2010:
Training, Certification and Real Time Monitoring Session with
Paul Rockefeller Monitoring Leader from New Dymer Creek
Monitoring Group.
September 8, 2010:
Assist James Beckley and Stuart Torbeck in Training
New Dymer Creek Group in E. coli Sampling
Procedures.
Data Handling and
Storage:
The results of the DCA, Citizen
Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program are
available on the Virginia Department
of Environmental Quality Web Site.
All of the DCA collected data is
directly inputted on the Web Site by DCA
Personnel.
Hardcopy of Field Data Sheets are
retained on file at the DCA Data Entry Location.
Records of all Data collected by DCA
is retained in safe storage on Thumb Drives
at the DCA Data Entry Location. Data
stored is in both EXCEL.xls and .csv format.
The results of all Monitoring
Equipment Calibration and verification records are
Retained on hardcopy and on Thumb
Drives in safe storage at this DCA Location.
All records are available for
verification upon request.
Attached is the Dividing Creek
Association, Citizen Volunteer Water Quality
Monitoring Group’s Balance Sheet for
FY 2010.
Regards,
Charles ‘Skip” E. P. Kramb, Jr.
Dividing Creek Association
QA Officer, Citizen Volunteer Water
Quality Monitoring Group
|
2010 DCA |
|
|
|
|
|
CITIZEN VOLUNTEER WATER QUALITY MONITORING
GROUP |
|
|
BALANCE SHEET |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNIT |
SUB-TOTAL |
TOTAL |
ACCOUNT |
|
|
DESCRIPTION |
QUANTITY |
COST |
COST |
COST |
BALANCE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INCOME |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010
VA-DEQ Grant Contract #14735 |
|
|
|
2,000.00 |
$2,000.00 |
|
|
Proceeds from 2009 Oyster Roast 50/50 Raffle |
|
|
|
150.00 |
150.00 |
|
|
Budgeted by DCA Board at 2.20.2010 Meeting |
|
|
|
338.55 |
338.55 |
|
|
Total Funds Allocated for FY
2010 |
|
|
2,488.55 |
2,488.55 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Equipment Purchases |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OAKTON |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oakton
WD-35634-30 pHTestr 30 pH Meter |
2 |
$94.78 |
$189.56 |
|
|
|
|
Oaktor
WD-35641-00, DO 300 D O Meter w 10' Cable |
1 |
$597.55 |
$597.55 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$787.11 |
$787.11 |
|
|
|
Micrology Laboratories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coliscan CPK10 Kit |
24 |
$25.70 |
$616.80 |
|
|
|
|
Shipping |
1 |
63.O5 |
$63.05 |
|
|
|
|
SubTotal |
|
|
$679.85 |
$679.85 |
|
|
|
Balance |
|
|
|
$1,466.96 |
1,021.59 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Replacement/Spare Parts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oakton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WD-00653-00 0% Probe calibration Solution |
4 |
$10.75 |
$43.00 |
|
|
|
|
WD-35640-71 Probe Electrolyte Solution 500mL bottle |
2 |
$18.73 |
$37.46 |
|
|
|
|
WD-35640-80 Probe Maintenance Kit |
6 |
$57.78 |
$346.68 |
|
|
|
|
WD-05942-22 4.01 pH Buffer 1L Bottle |
1 |
$19.25 |
$19.25 |
|
|
|
|
WD-05942-42 7.00 pH Buffer 1L Bottle |
1 |
$19.25 |
$19.25 |
|
|
|
|
WD-05942-62 10.01 pH Buffer 1L Bottle |
1 |
$19.25 |
$19.25 |
|
|
|
|
WD-35624-38 pHTestr 30 sensor module |
1 |
$67.00 |
$67.00 |
|
|
|
|
2010 DCA |
|
|
|
|
|
CITIZEN VOLUNTEER WATER QUALITY MONITORING
GROUP |
|
|
BALANCE
SHEET |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNIT |
SUB-TOTAL |
TOTAL |
ACCOUNT |
|
|
DESCRIPTION |
QUANTITY |
COST |
COST |
COST |
BALANCE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Replacement/Spare Parts
(Cont'd) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oakton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WD-00653-00 0% Probe calibration Solution |
1 |
$10.95 |
$10.95 |
|
|
|
|
WD-05942-42 7.00 pH Buffer 1L Bottle |
1 |
$19.25 |
$19.25 |
|
|
|
|
WD-05942-62 10.01 pH Buffer 1L Bottle |
1 |
$19.25 |
$19.25 |
|
|
|
|
Oakton
WD-35634-30 pHTestr 30 pH Meter |
1 |
$112.00 |
$112.00 |
|
|
|
|
SubTotal |
|
|
$713.34 |
$713.34 |
|
|
|
Balance |
|
|
|
|
308.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Administrative Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Postage to
VA-DEQ |
1 |
$15.70 |
$15.70 |
|
|
|
|
Postage to
VA-DEQ |
1 |
$6.32 |
$6.32 |
|
|
|
|
Cotton
Balls and Paper |
1 |
$15.26 |
$15.26 |
|
|
|
|
Computer
Keyboard, pencils and Manila Envelopes |
1 |
$86.77 |
$86.77 |
|
|
|
|
SubTotal |
|
|
$124.05 |
$124.05 |
|
|
|
Balance |
|
|
|
|
184.20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
02/20/2010 Meeting Expenses |
|
|
$24.95 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Meeting
01/28/2010 |
|
$4.95 |
$4.95 |
|
|
|
|
Meeting
02/15/2010 |
|
$8.45 |
$8.45 |
|
|
|
|
Training/Certification Meeting |
|
$6.50 |
$6.50 |
|
|
|
|
Organizational/Planning Meeting |
|
$5.05 |
$5.05 |
|
|
|
|
SubTotal |
|
|
$24.95 |
$24.95 |
|
|
|
Total Expenses to date 12-31-2010 |
|
|
$2,329.30 |
$2,329.30 |
|
|
|
Account Balance to date 12-31-2010 |
|
|
|
|
159.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010 DCA |
|
|
|
|
|
CITIZEN VOLUNTEER WATER QUALITY MONITORING
GROUP |
|
|
BALANCE SHEET |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNIT |
SUB-TOTAL |
TOTAL |
ACCOUNT |
|
|
DESCRIPTION |
QUANTITY |
COST |
COST |
COST |
BALANCE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Expenses to date 12-31-2010 |
|
|
$2,329.30 |
$2,329.30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current Balance EFF 12-31-2010 |
|
|
|
|
$159.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance Forwarded to FY 2011 |
|
|
|
|
159.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
**********
CITIZEN VOLUNTEER WATER QUALITY MONITORING GROUP
Organizational Meeting
Minutes
The meeting was held on
Thursday, December 16, 2010
at 9:00AM at Skip Kramb's Home.
In attendance were:
DCA Citizen Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Personnel
Quality Analyst ; Skip Kramb Monitoring
Monitoring Team #1 George McMahon
Monitoring Team #2 Leader; Richard Hinch,
Monitoring Team #3 Leader; Skip Kramb
Monitoring Team #4 Leader; Nan
Flynn
Also in Attendance were:
Monitoring Team #1 Members; Ran Marshall and
Bill Whitney
Monitoring Team #3 Member; Barry Anderson
The Meeting was opened at 09:00 AM by Skip Kramb
All members were
welcomed and thanked for their dedicated work
this past monitoring season.
2010 Budget was reviewed.
2011 Virginia Department of Environmental
Quality Grant
was discussed.
Helen Kelley was thanked (in abstianentia) for her
tireless work on drawing up the 2011 Grant RFP.
Members were informed that:
The 2011 Grant has been submitted and was approved.
The 2011 Contract has been approved and signed
by all parties.
Treasurer Will Garvey has received the VA-DEQ
Invoice requesting the DCA Citizen
Volunteer Water
Quality Monitoring Group perform monitoring
work
as described in the VA-DEQ Contract #
15070.
The 2011 Grant amount is $4000.00.
2011 Proposed Budget was presented.
Current Water Quality Balance is $159.25
A Check from VA-DEQ may be expected before
January 1, 2011.
To date there is no money allocated by DCA toward
the 2011 Water Quality Monitoring Budget.
There is no DCA Board Meeting scheduled for FY 2011
at this time. Consequently we cannot count on any
support forthcoming.
At this time expense income from a possible 50/50
Raffle at the Spring Picnic and Fall Oyster Roast is
uncertain as we have had no input from the DCA
Board.
At this time our sole source of funding for FY 2011
is the VA-DEQ 2011 Grant.
Planned Expenses for the 2011 monitoring season
$2660.20 for 2 Orion 4 Plus pH/RDO Instruments
$588.75 for Micrology Labs Coliscan
monitoring
supplies.
$260.96 Instrument Calibration Supplies.
$700.00 Operational Expenses.
Discussed need for two new
monitoring instruments.
After a lively discussion it was recommended that
if at all possible we should purchase not two but
four of the new Orion 4 Plus Instruments to
replace our entire inventory of our current
instruments. This purchase being contingent on the
proposed Orion Instruments actually perform as
advertised and as reported by James Beckley of the
VA-DEQ. It was recommended that the current
instrument inventory be sold to help defray the cost
of new Instruments.
Also recommended was a proposal that the Water
Quality Monitoring Group explore the feasibility of
offering our certified monitoring services to the
waterfront residents in the area.This service would
be done on a scheduled plan and for a nominal fee.
The proposed fee would be for all residents with a
reduced rate for DCA Members and would be used
to provide funds to absorb some of the costs of the
above purchased equipment.
Skip Kramb was given the task of determining if
anyone might be interested in purchasing the
current instruments and what the asking price for
these instruments might be.
The meeting was closed at 12:00 after Skip Kramb
demonstrated the procedure needed to access the
VA-DEQ Database where all Data collected by all of
the Citizen Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring
Groups resides.
***********
What We Do As A
Citizen Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Group
We are an all
volunteer group of Association Members composed of four teams. Each Team
Member is Certified as a Commonwealth of Virginia Water Monitor by the
Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA-DEQ). Our
four teams sample the quality of our waters monthly from April 1st through
December 31st at 35 individual locations on Dividing, Prentice and Jarvis
Creeks. The testing by our teams is performed under a VA-DEQ Grant Contract
and the scrutiny of (VA-DEQ).
Water samples are drawn and the clarity (turbidity), pH, dissolved oxygen
and E. coli bacteria content and salinity is determined and recorded. The climatological
attributes of the sample location (air and water temperature, visual data
such as water color and odors, rainfall in the last 24 hours, tidal
conditions at the time of sampling, as well as any debris noted in the
water) are recorded as well. All of these parameters are monitored and
recorded within strict parameters set forth by the VA-DEQ, US Environmental
Protection Agency and various other Commonwealth and Federal Agencies.
The data collected by our group and other citizen volunteer groups, Virginia
Commonwealth Agency Groups and like groups from surrounding States is then
entered on the VA-DEQ Non-Agency Database in Richmond. This data is used by
the Commonwealth of Virginia, Agencies of other States, the US Government
and various other agencies, universities and colleges in the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed to aid in the determination as to what actions are needed to
correct the many problems with the Chesapeake Bay.
Project
Manager: Jesse Dize (804) 435-1815
Quality
Assurance Officer: Skip Kramb (804) 435-0697
If you are interested in
becoming a member of this environmental group please contact either Jesse or
Skip for further details.
The Citizen Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Group
is offering a Service to
Everyone in the Dividing Creek Area
The Dividing Creek Association, Citizen Volunteer
Water Quality Monitoring Teams are offering a service to all
residents in the Dividing Creek Estuary.
Our Monitoring Teams are all Commonwealth of Virginia,
Department of Environmental Quality Certified Water Quality Monitors.
Our Monitoring Teams use the latest, most up to date
Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Certified Testing
Equipment.
Our Teams have been monitoring the waters of Dividing Creek,
Prentice Creek, Jarvis Creek, and Kent Cove for the Commonwealth of Virginia
since 2007.
If you are concerned with what might be harmful to you, your
children or grandchildren at the end of your dock or immediately off your
property we can provide that information.
For a small fee one of our teams will come to your location and
test the water and provide you
with a report on what is in your water.
We are flexible and can set up a Monitoring Plan to suit your needs.
If you are interested please give us a call.
Skip Kramb, Quality Assurance Officer
Citizen Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Group
Dividing Creek Association
Telephone: (804) 435-0697
Cell Phone: (804) 761-1226
Email: cepkjr@nnwifi.com
FY2009 Annual Report
DIVIDING CREEK ASSOCIATION
Citizen Volunteer
WATER QUALITY MONITORING GROUP
FY 2009 END
OF YEAR REPORT
(as submitted to VA-DEQ on 01/10/2010)
Monitoring Trip Summary (See
the Attached EXCEL Spreadsheet for
Sites Monitored)
Site Monitoring Period:
April 1, 2009 – December 31, 2009.
Total Number of sites monitored: 31.
Number of sites monitored on a reoccurring monthly basis: 24.
Total number of individual site reports: 217.
See the listing of Monitored Sites in the Attachment above (Dec.09.2009
REV A.xls)
Teams Monitoring: 4 Teams consisting of 2 members/team minimum.
Monitoring Time per monthly trip including equipment calibration checks: 5
hours,
10 Man Hours/trip.
Laboratory Time processing E. coli Samples per monitoring cycle: 6 Man
Hours.
Administration time per monthly cycle: 20 Man Hours.
Man Hours expended per monitoring cycle: 36 Man Hours.
Man Hours expended by DCA WQM Members for FY 2009: 324 Man Hours.
Number of Failed Monitoring Trips due to Equipment Failures or Inclement
Weather:
2 trips due to Failed Equipment, 1 trip due to Weather.
Sites not reported due to the above Equipment Failures or Inclement
Weather: Equipment Failure 16, Inclement Weather 5.
Training
Training and work
sessions have been ongoing throughout the year. Three formal
sessions were conducted in with VA DEQ’s James Beckley providing
instruction,
advice and refresher information on proper Water Quality Monitoring
Procedures.
Formal Training Sessions with James Beckley were held on the following
dates:
February 28, Training and Certification on the DO 300 and pHTstr 30
Digital Meters. Meters were checked and certified by James.
A total of 14 DCA Members were in attendance and
certified.
A review of required Water Quality Monitoring procedures
was also conducted at this session.
March 14, A makeup Training, Certification and Procedures session for
Members unable to attend the February 28th session.
Team Leaders also attended this session in which James Beckley
recertified the DO 300 and pHTstr 30 monitoring instruments.
All 4 Team Leaders and 6 DCA Members attended this session.
April 4, A Team Leader session with James Beckley to discuss some
inconsistency problems noted in the calibration of the DO 300 Meters
and DO deviation problems over several hours between the two
instruments. It was determined the QA Officer should investigate this
issue further with the Manufacturers engineering staff on this issue.
Of primary importance in these training sessions was the time James Beckley
spent
working individually with each member instructing them in the
proper methods of using,
caring for and calibrating our newly acquired DO 300 and pHTstr 30
Digital Meters.
James also provided the group with a step by step set if instructions for
the Calibration of
the DO 300 and pHTstr 30 instruments. The calibration instruction
procedures that James
provided have proven most helpful to our monitoring teams.
The calibration procedures provided by James became the basis for our
current DCA,
Water Quality Monitoring, Manual of DO 300 and pHTstr 30 Standard
Operating
Procedures (SOP). written by the DCA Water Quality Monitoring QA
Officer.
A copy of this SOP is included as an attachment above (Current
Oakton DO 300 Calibration SOP,
Current Oakton pH30 Calibration SOP).
In addition to formal Classes the DCA, Water Quality Monitoring, QA
Officer has
conducted 3 procedural verification meetings and has provided
formal and informal
meetings and assistance to the monitoring teams with problems they
have encountered
throughout the year.
Monitoring
Problems/Activities encountered
1.) The QA Officer also
determined shortly after the April 4 training session with James
Beckley that the Probes on the DO 300 Instruments were
defective ( see the 4 DO
Probe
Image Attachments DO 300 Probe Anode on Probe of new DO
300 Meters, DO 300 Probes that came on
new Meters, New DO 300 Replacement Probe, New DO 300
Replacement Probe(2) ).
These probes were replaced at no charge by the manufacturer and the
probe stability
problems we had been experiencing were significantly reduced.
2.) Dissolved Oxygen
Data on 6/17/2009, Team 1’s, DO 300 s/n 476281 was flagged
bad by the QA Officer for the End of Day Check being out
of VA DEQ Specifications.
No re-monitoring was done by Team 1 and the June
Dissolved Oxygen Data was lost.
3.) On the June 29th
Monitoring Trip Team 3 affected rescue involving an small overturned
sailboat in the vicinity of Sampling Station ST 15-3 at the
mouth of Jarvis Creek. Both
sailboat and sailor were being carried out of Jarvis Creek
into the main body of the
Chesapeake Bay by a strong tide and 10 to 15 kt SW
Winds. Team 3 was able to tow
the boat and sailor back to their home dock back inside the
North Cove of Jarvis Creek.
4.) Dissolved Oxygen
Data on 6/24 Team 3’s D300 s/n 476280 was flagged bad by the
QA Officer for the End of Day Check being out of VA DEQ
Specifications. A
second successful DO Monitoring by Team 3 was made on
6/29/2009.
5.) Team 2 Had two
problems on their 10/01 monitoring trip.
A.) The Digital Instrument Calibration Sheets, Field
Monitoring Data Sheets and
Monitoring Manual were blown overboard while returning
from the last
sampling of the day. The recalled data turned in to
the QA Officer was
determined to be unsupported and was rejected.
B.) The E. coli samples turned into the Sampling
Processor was determined to be
unreadable after the 36 hour incubation interval and
was flagged as bad.
Team 3 included re-monitoring on the Team 1 sampling sites
as part of their
10/07 monitoring trip. The new Team 3 samples of the Team 1
sampling
area were all within the parameters set forth by VA DEQ. No
data was lost
for the month of October
Observed
Water Conditions Of Dividing, Prentice and Jarvis Creeks
Overall these Estuary
Areas of the Chesapeake Bay are low to completely free of Bacterial
Pollutants on the main portion of the creeks. Several areas appear to have a
real possibility
of potentially serious problems. The only pollutants discussed here are of a
bacterial nature
since this is the only pollution monitored for.
Dividing
Creek
The Upper End of
Dividing Creek appears to be free of any pollution. The Headwaters
(marshy swamp) shows a slight amount of Bacterial Pollution but only after
an extended
period of heavy rains ( over 3 inches per day, May, June and November).
The Middle and Lower Body of the Main Stream is clean and free of pollution.
The
Coves along these areas show definite signs of pollution, especially during
times of heavy
rains( May and November).
Prentice
Creek
The upper end and coves
in this area of Prentice Creek show signs of medium to severe
pollution. This pollution was observed after the heavy rains of May and
November. Adding
to the November pollution issue is an extremely large Canada Goose
population.
The lower end of Prentice Creek shows low pollution levels except during
period of heavy
rain. One Station in particular ST 15-7A exhibited a noticeable rise in
pollution during the
exceptionally heavy November rains. The Photo Images in the above
Attachments show
E. coli samples taken at the head area of Prentice Creek in March of 2009.
Jarvis Creek
The Main Body of Jarvis
Creek shows only Mild to low amounts of pollution even after
heavy rain.
The extreme North, South and Kent Cove show mild to heavy pollution. As on
the other
Creeks in the area this pollution appears to be related to the amount of
heavy rainfall.
In summary, the amount of observed E. coli varies in all areas in direct
proportion to
rainfall and water temperature. Heavy rainfall and higher temperature were
observed to
have a direct effect on the E. coli population. These same conditions were
observed to
have a decided effect on both the Dissolved Oxygen Levels and Algae present
in the
water. In the Spring and Fall the Turbidity on the waters in all three
creeks is down to
the point that in most cases the creek bottom is visible. As soon as the
water temperature
stabilizes over 25 C the Turbidity increases, the DO decreases and the E
.coli increases.
2009 Water Quality Monitoring Budget
DATE DESCRIPTION
INCOME EXPENSE
1/15/2009
USPS Certified Postage to VA DEQ
$ 9.70 1/20/2009 VA DEQ 2009
Grant $1500.00
2/26/2009 Micrology Labs 12 ea CPK 1 ColiScan
EasyGel + Kits
310.60
3/01/2009 Anonymous Gift toward 2ea pHTstr 30
pH Probes
200.00
3/09/2009 Purchase 2ea Oakton DO 300
Meters
1131.90
3/09/2009 Purchase 2ea Oakton pHTstr 30 Probes
230.00
3/12/2009 Micrology Labs 3ea Black Light
EasyGel + Readers
40.00
3/14/2009 Dividing Creek
Association 30.44
3/17/2009 HACH Company pHTstr Cal.
Buffer
31.25
5/14/2009 HACH Company
pHTstr Cal. Buffer
44.63
7/28/2009 Micrology Labs 12ea CPK 1 ColiScan
EasyGel + Kits
310.60
8/01/2009 Dividing Creek
Association 44.63
8/20/2009 Purchase 2ea Oakton WD-35640-80
DO 300 Membrane
Caps 58.00
8/20/2009 USPS Certified
Postage to VA DEQ
7.68
9/11/2009 Dividing Creek
Association 388.55
11/04/2009 Purchase 2ea Oakton WD-35640-80
DO 300 Membrane
Caps
58.00
12/31/2009 Vessel Operating Expenses, 3 Teams
To perform 26 water access samplings
Fuel only(5 gal avg./trip @
$3.50/Gal)
455.00
Total Reimbursements vs Expenses
$2363.53 $2687.36
History
of the
Dividing Creek Association
Citizen Volunteer Water Quality
Monitoring
Program
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS IN YOUR WATER
WHY NOT ASK
WE CAN TELL YOU
In June 2006 five members of the Dividing Creek Association
Rea Hinch, Ran Marshall, Mike Egerer, Pat Hammick and Skip Kramb decided to investigate the
quality of our local waters.
DIVIDING CREEK
The initial five members canvassed association members in an attempt to determine if any additional members might be
interested in the quality of the waters of Dividing, Prentice and Jarvis
Creeks.
PRENTICE
CREEK
As a result of this query it was found that 22
association members were indeed interested in our water quality. In July 2006
the Dividing Creek Association, Water Quality Monitoring Group came into
being.
JARVIS CREEK/KENT COVE
WATER QUALITY MONITORING ACTIVITIES
2006
With
the help of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ), the
initial group of five members begin
monitoring our local creeks by participating in the World Water Day Project
using four LaMotte, World Water Monitoring Day Test Kits, provided by VA DEQ to determine the quality of our waters.
2006
THE WORLD WATER MONITORING DAY KIT
Our First Water Monitoring Tools
Four of the members participated in the WWMD Activities by taking water samples from a total of 29
locations on Dividing, Prentice and Jarvis Creeks. Tests for Dissolved
Oxygen, pH (acidity), Turbidity (Water Clarity) and Water Temperature on the
three creeks were taken a total of four times over the 30 day program period
of September 18, 2006 through October 18, 2006. The fifth member of our
initial group, Pat Hammick processed our sampling results and entered
them on the World Water Monitoring Data Base.
This data base has been used by a multitude of environmental organizations in
assessing and comparing water quality around the world. The sampling results were forwarded to VADEQ
as well for
analysis and evaluation. With the experience gained taking these samples and
the positive results of these
initial tests the association hoped to advise and help additional monitors do
further testing in 2007.
Prentice Creek
Water Monitoring
October 2006
Skip Kramb Ran Marshall
WATER QUALITY MONITORING ACTIVITIES
2007
The year 2007 was primarily a planning year. While some actual
monitoring
was accomplished with what was left of the old WWMD Kits, the
principal
focus was putting together a grant request for a $1000.00 VA DEQ Mini Grant.
The the intended use of the proposed grant was to purchase the required monitoring
equipment to enable the 22 member group to monitor the area
waters in
compliance with the Department of Environmental Quality's
Standards. Association members Helen and John Kelley prepared the grant
request which was submitted and about to be approved when the 2007 state budgetary problems
were announced. The budget shortfalls in effect cancelled all
VA DEQ Mini Grants requests for fiscal year 2008. With no
mini-grant money and no monitoring tools or supplies the 2008 monitoring plans were all but terminated.
All monitoring activities were put on hold and the group planned to sit out
any monitoring activities for Fiscal Year 2008.
WATER QUALITY MONITORING ACTIVITIES
2008
In late January, 2008 the association received word from
VA DEQ and The Alliance for Chesapeake Bay that some surplus test kits and
chemicals might be available.
Thanks to the generosity of VA DEQ and the Alliance for
Chesapeake Bay the Dividing Creek Association's Water Quality Monitoring
Group now has four complete testing kits valued at approximately $400.00
each. With these four kits we have been able to established four teams of
two to four members each. In
addition to the kits we have been provided with the monitoring chemicals and materials to
hopefully enable us to monitor at least until mid July, 2008. You mat
observe the Water Quality Monitoring Volunteers out on the waters of
Dividing, Prentice and Jarvis Creeks twice a month beginning April 14th.
2008
VA DEQ AND THE ALLIANCE FOR CHESAPEAKE BAY
PROVIDED
DIVIDING CREEK ASSOCIATION'S
WATER QUALITY MONITORING KIT
VA DEQ AND ALLIANCE FOR CHESAPEAKE BAY
TRAINING
On March 28, 2008 VA DEQ Liaison Director James Beckley, and
Alliance for Chesapeake Bay Program Coordinator Laurel Woodworth, with help from Fay Andrashko from the Northern
Neck Soil and Water Conservation District conducted our first training
session.
James Beckley,
VA DEQ
&
Fay Andrashko
Northern Neck Soil & Water
Conservation Dist,
Education Coordinator
pH Sample Reading
Training
Nan
John Lloyd
Ben
Flynn
Kelley Smith
Burton
Thirteen association members are now trained and
qualified to take and process
water samples for E.coli bacteria (coli form), pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Turbidity
(Water Clarity), Salinity
and Temperature. Thanks to the generosity of VA DEQ and the Alliance for
Chesapeake Bay the Dividing Creek Association's Water Quality Monitoring
Group now has the testing equipment to monitor for Fiscal Year 2008. In
addition we were provided the monitoring chemicals and materials to
hopefully be able to monitor until mid July.
James Beckley
VA DEQ
&
Laurel Woodworth
Alliance for Chesapeake
Bay
Dissolved Oxygen Sample
Processing Training
James Beckley, VA DEQ
Laurel Woodworth,
Alliance for Chesapeake Bay
Calibrating the Refractometer
(Measures Water Salinity)
On April 9, 2008 the Dividing Creek Association, Water
Quality Monitoring Group conducted their first formal organizational meeting. Four
Teams of five monitors each were created and team leaders were selected.
Each team was assigned a monitoring area with specific monitoring sites
assigned. The sites will be monitored every two weeks throughout the
monitoring season and only on the outgoing tide.
Monitoring was begun the
week of April 14, 2008 and hopefully will be able to continue on a twice
monthly schedule until the end of
the monitoring season in early December. The sample results of the
association's monitoring are being inputted to the VA DEQ Data Base for study
by VA DEQ, EPA and other agencies to evaluate the quality of our waters and
make recommendations on what can be done to correct any problem areas that
might be found.
COLIFORM SAMPLE
THREE BLUE GREEN DOTS ARE E. COLI COLIFORM
SAMPLE TAKEN IN THE MAIN STREAM OF
PRENTICE CREEK AT WOLFGANG COVE
These forms of bacterial
contamination in sufficient quantities would indicate a probable health
problem in your creek water. In this case these e.coli colonies are
likely caused by wildlife (ducks, geese, heron, osprey, deer, raccoon,
muskrat and pets) in the area.
COMMON COLIFORM SAMPLE
NOTE
FOUR SMALL WHITE NON E.COLI
COLONIES
ACTUAL SAMPLE
TAKEN AT
SAMPLE POINT
ST 15-6
JUST OFF
KENT POINT
AT THE
ENTRANCE TO
PRENTICE CREEK
In our first monitoring test at 14 locations on our
creeks no serious problems of any kind were noted. Overall the three creeks
we monitor Dividing, Prentice and Jarvis Creeks appear to be relatively
clean. We are having an interesting year as we compare the cooler
early spring waters with the hot mid-summer conditions and now as the water
cools. We have seen the E.coli cont increase as the water warmed and now
with the water cooling the E. coli has shown a marked decrease. Likewise the
Dissolved Oxygen content decreased as the water warmed and the Water
Temperature increased raising the Algae Count and Turbidity. It was observed
that the decreased Blue Crab population directly followed the decrease in
the Dissolved Oxygen Count of our waters. The fish population also followed
this phenomenon but to a lesser degree. With the water now cooling we have
observed the E. coli Count decrease, the Dissolved Oxygen Count increase and
the Turbidity decrease as the suspended algae in the water dies off.
Our monitoring efforts were made quite interesting due to Hurricane Hanna,
several unnamed coastal storms and finally exceptional tidal extremes.
If you see one of our monitoring teams on the water and
are interested in what they are doing you are invited to stop by and
observe.
We will continue to monitor thru Mid December weather
permitting. We plan to resume or monitoring activities in Early April.
With the completion of the 2008 Water Monitoring Season
we have established a Baseline that will be available for use by Water
Monitoring Groups, (US EPA, VA DEQ, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Alliance for
Chesapeake Bay, DCA Water Quality Monitoring Group) on these waters for
years to come.
Our monitoring plans for 2009 include the upgrading of
our monitoring procedures from the Chemical/Visual Comparison Methods of
determining water quality to new more accurate Digital Monitoring Meters.
These meters will speed up our monitoring times, enable us to monitor more
areas, give us more accurate data, and in the long run reduce our monitoring
costs.
If you are interested in
what is in your water or your neighbors water and wish to do some monitoring yourself as part of
one of our teams please call either of the Water Quality Monitoring
Chairmen.
Jesse Dize, Project
Manager
at
804-435-1815
or
Skip Kramb, Quality
Analyst
at
804-435-0697.
To view our Dividing
Creek Association, Water Quality Monitoring Group data for 2008 and 2009 it is
located on the Official Virginia Departnent of Environmental Quality Web
Site. To view the DCA Data follow the instructions below.
Browser. (Opens VA-DEQ Home
Page)
. HINT: Use the
ZOOM BAR to view the exact location of
the Monitoring Point.
Good for comparing
Month to Month and Year to Year
changes in the water quality parameters.
Use the ZOOM BAR to
better view the entire DCA
Monitoring Area.
The remaining Selections are a work
in progress by VA-DEQ and may or
may not work. Try them, sometimes they work and sometimes
they do not.
Environmental engineers, scientists, analysts from
various Federal, State and Private agencies college and university study
groups along with numerous advocacy groups are all utilizing the data that
we along with over 40 other citizen volunteers across the state collect and
enter into the VA-DEQ Database. The data from this database along with data
from many like groups within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is being utilized
in an effort to determine the most effective means to prevent further
degradation to the Chesapeake Bay waters and in the long run what it will
require to clean up the bay.
