QUALITY ASSURANCE TRAINING April, May & June 2012
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 6:14 pm
QUALITY ASSURANCE TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region (BOR), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX (EPA), will provide a series of quality assurance and environmental monitoring training sessions in April, May and June, 2012. The objective of this training program is to familiarize tribal environmental professionals (directors and staff) involved in ambient water quality (CWA 106) and Non-point Source (CWA 319) monitoring programs, and other types of environmental investigations, with proper planning, quality assurance, and sample collection protocol.
Participants will learn the importance of quality assurance as it relates to environmental monitoring design, sample collection methods, laboratory analyses, and data management. The format of the training will consist of three separate courses, each building on the previous class. Although not imperative that all three courses be attended, it is strongly recommended that attendees participate in all three training sessions; Environmental Monitoring Program Design (April, 2012), Quality Assurance Project Plan/Data Validation (May, 2012), and Sample Collection Protocol (June, 2011), NOTE: All dates and locations are tentative at this time. Proposed training sessions will include the following elements:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Session 1: Establishing an Environmental Monitoring Program Design
This training course provides tribal environmental staff guidance on how to develop an ambient or non-point source water quality monitoring program, and will consist of the following elements:
o Developing a monitoring strategy plan
o Natural resource evaluation
o Data Quality Objectives (DQO’s)
o Monitoring design
o Sampling protocol
Skills in this training can be used for developing sampling plans for single and multiple issues of concern, while assisting tribal staff to answer questions like:
• Why do I need DQOs and how do I establish them?
• How do I establish parameters of concern (Temperature, DO, pH, nitrate, EColi, etc.)?
• How many samples are needed?
• Where should I establish my sampling locations?
• What natural resources are present?
Instructors: John Fields and Robert Hall
Session 2: Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), and Data Validation
This training course provides tribal environmental staff guidance on how to develop a QAPP as required for CWA 106 and 319 monitoring programs. The course will also provide tribal environmental staff guidance on the relationship between monitoring objectives, DQOs, data quality acceptance criteria instruction, and how to manage their data and meet EPA data management requirements. Course elements will include:
o Introduction and site history
o Data quality indicators (DQI)
o Data quality objectives (DQO)
o Sample collection protocol
o Laboratory selection
o Analytical methods
o QA/QC checks
o Data validation
o Data management and reporting
o Laboratory selection
o Data quality evaluation
o Data analysis (i.e., water quality criteria/standards, spatial, temporal)
Following training, course attendees will possess the knowledge and skills to:
• Recognize the importance of a QAPP
• Understand the various elements of a QAPP and how they relate to data quality
• Write a QAPP
• Manage environmental data
• Establish data quality acceptance criteria
• Validate and/or qualify data
• Assess data quality and level of completeness as it relates to project requirements
• Determine overall laboratory performance and which samples require reanalysis
Instructors: John Fields, Julie Eldredge, Victor Stokmanis, Satpal Kalsi, and Robert Hall
Session 3: Environmental Sampling Protocol and Data Assessment
This training is designed to familiarize tribal environmental staff with instrumentation used to measure ambient water quality parameters, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, and flow, ground water, soil, and sediment. Proper instrument calibration and associated documentation will also be covered, and the training will demonstrate the relationship between sampling protocol and the QAPP. Training will also include methods, identification and analysis of aquatic organisms. Both spatial and temporal trend analyses, and how they relate to assessing impacts to beneficial uses, will be addressed. Course elements will include:
o Surface water/Ground water
o Soil/Sediment
o Benthic macroinvertebrates
o Fish tissue
o Toxicity bioassays (acute and chronic)
Participants will be trained in:
• Sample collection techniques for surface and ground water, soil, sediment, and biota
• Protocol for the collection and identification of macroinvertebrate organisms
• Field notebook
• Qualitative and quantitative measurement of physical habitat parameters
• Biological and physical habitat metrics development;
• Preliminary human health and ecological risk assessments
• Fish collection techniques (optional)
Instructors: John Fields, Stuart Angerer, Fannie Ely/Dan Mosley/Jim Harrington and Robert Hall
Training Dates and Locations:
Establishing an Environmental Monitoring Effort
April, 2012, Susanville, CA
Quality Assurance Project Plan & Data Validation and Assessment
May, 2012, Susanville, CA
Sample Collection Protocol
June, 2012, Susanville, CA
Registration
Fee: Free
Accommodations: No accommodations have been arranged for this training.
Deadline: All applications must be submitted by March 23, 2012
Class Size: Space is Limited. Reservations will be limited to two attendees per tribe. There will be a waiting list for cancellations.
Cancellations: If you are unable to attend the workshop, please notify Patricia Rivera so that others can attend in your place, no later than one week prior to the training date.
Point of Contact: To reserve a seat, contact Patricia Rivera, Mid-Pacific Regional Native American Affairs Coordinator, privera@usbr.gov
Registration Form: All applicants must submit the registration form below, via email, to the point of contact by COB March 23, 2011.
QUALITY ASSURANCE TRAINING
REGISTRATION FORM
(one per applicant)
NAME/POSITION
TRIBE
ADDRESS
PHONE/FAX/EMAIL
SELECT SESSION (X)
SESSION 1 ( ) April
Establishing an Environmental Monitoring Effort
Susanville, CA SESSION 2 ( ) May
Quality Assurance Project Plan & Data Validation and Assessment
Susanville, CA SESSION 3 ( ) June
Sample Collection Protocol
Susanville, CA
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region (BOR), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX (EPA), will provide a series of quality assurance and environmental monitoring training sessions in April, May and June, 2012. The objective of this training program is to familiarize tribal environmental professionals (directors and staff) involved in ambient water quality (CWA 106) and Non-point Source (CWA 319) monitoring programs, and other types of environmental investigations, with proper planning, quality assurance, and sample collection protocol.
Participants will learn the importance of quality assurance as it relates to environmental monitoring design, sample collection methods, laboratory analyses, and data management. The format of the training will consist of three separate courses, each building on the previous class. Although not imperative that all three courses be attended, it is strongly recommended that attendees participate in all three training sessions; Environmental Monitoring Program Design (April, 2012), Quality Assurance Project Plan/Data Validation (May, 2012), and Sample Collection Protocol (June, 2011), NOTE: All dates and locations are tentative at this time. Proposed training sessions will include the following elements:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Session 1: Establishing an Environmental Monitoring Program Design
This training course provides tribal environmental staff guidance on how to develop an ambient or non-point source water quality monitoring program, and will consist of the following elements:
o Developing a monitoring strategy plan
o Natural resource evaluation
o Data Quality Objectives (DQO’s)
o Monitoring design
o Sampling protocol
Skills in this training can be used for developing sampling plans for single and multiple issues of concern, while assisting tribal staff to answer questions like:
• Why do I need DQOs and how do I establish them?
• How do I establish parameters of concern (Temperature, DO, pH, nitrate, EColi, etc.)?
• How many samples are needed?
• Where should I establish my sampling locations?
• What natural resources are present?
Instructors: John Fields and Robert Hall
Session 2: Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), and Data Validation
This training course provides tribal environmental staff guidance on how to develop a QAPP as required for CWA 106 and 319 monitoring programs. The course will also provide tribal environmental staff guidance on the relationship between monitoring objectives, DQOs, data quality acceptance criteria instruction, and how to manage their data and meet EPA data management requirements. Course elements will include:
o Introduction and site history
o Data quality indicators (DQI)
o Data quality objectives (DQO)
o Sample collection protocol
o Laboratory selection
o Analytical methods
o QA/QC checks
o Data validation
o Data management and reporting
o Laboratory selection
o Data quality evaluation
o Data analysis (i.e., water quality criteria/standards, spatial, temporal)
Following training, course attendees will possess the knowledge and skills to:
• Recognize the importance of a QAPP
• Understand the various elements of a QAPP and how they relate to data quality
• Write a QAPP
• Manage environmental data
• Establish data quality acceptance criteria
• Validate and/or qualify data
• Assess data quality and level of completeness as it relates to project requirements
• Determine overall laboratory performance and which samples require reanalysis
Instructors: John Fields, Julie Eldredge, Victor Stokmanis, Satpal Kalsi, and Robert Hall
Session 3: Environmental Sampling Protocol and Data Assessment
This training is designed to familiarize tribal environmental staff with instrumentation used to measure ambient water quality parameters, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, and flow, ground water, soil, and sediment. Proper instrument calibration and associated documentation will also be covered, and the training will demonstrate the relationship between sampling protocol and the QAPP. Training will also include methods, identification and analysis of aquatic organisms. Both spatial and temporal trend analyses, and how they relate to assessing impacts to beneficial uses, will be addressed. Course elements will include:
o Surface water/Ground water
o Soil/Sediment
o Benthic macroinvertebrates
o Fish tissue
o Toxicity bioassays (acute and chronic)
Participants will be trained in:
• Sample collection techniques for surface and ground water, soil, sediment, and biota
• Protocol for the collection and identification of macroinvertebrate organisms
• Field notebook
• Qualitative and quantitative measurement of physical habitat parameters
• Biological and physical habitat metrics development;
• Preliminary human health and ecological risk assessments
• Fish collection techniques (optional)
Instructors: John Fields, Stuart Angerer, Fannie Ely/Dan Mosley/Jim Harrington and Robert Hall
Training Dates and Locations:
Establishing an Environmental Monitoring Effort
April, 2012, Susanville, CA
Quality Assurance Project Plan & Data Validation and Assessment
May, 2012, Susanville, CA
Sample Collection Protocol
June, 2012, Susanville, CA
Registration
Fee: Free
Accommodations: No accommodations have been arranged for this training.
Deadline: All applications must be submitted by March 23, 2012
Class Size: Space is Limited. Reservations will be limited to two attendees per tribe. There will be a waiting list for cancellations.
Cancellations: If you are unable to attend the workshop, please notify Patricia Rivera so that others can attend in your place, no later than one week prior to the training date.
Point of Contact: To reserve a seat, contact Patricia Rivera, Mid-Pacific Regional Native American Affairs Coordinator, privera@usbr.gov
Registration Form: All applicants must submit the registration form below, via email, to the point of contact by COB March 23, 2011.
QUALITY ASSURANCE TRAINING
REGISTRATION FORM
(one per applicant)
NAME/POSITION
TRIBE
ADDRESS
PHONE/FAX/EMAIL
SELECT SESSION (X)
SESSION 1 ( ) April
Establishing an Environmental Monitoring Effort
Susanville, CA SESSION 2 ( ) May
Quality Assurance Project Plan & Data Validation and Assessment
Susanville, CA SESSION 3 ( ) June
Sample Collection Protocol
Susanville, CA