FLOOD10356

• County: Delta
• Title: North Fork Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Project - April 2001-April 2002 Data Report
• Date: 9/30/2002
• Prepared For: North Fork River Improvement Association
• Prepared By: CSU Cooperative Extension and North Fork River Improvement Association
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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2.0 The North Fork of the Gunnison Volunteer Water

Quality Monitoring Project

2.1 Introduction

Since April 2001, the dedicated volunteers of the North Fork Volunteer Water Quality
Monitoring Project have been collecting water samples up and down the North Fork
Valley. As part of this joint project coordinated by
North Fork River Improvement Association
(NFRIA), the Western Slope Environmental
Resource Council (WSERC) and Colorado State
University (CSU) Cooperative Extension, local
volunteers receive lab and field training on EP A-
approved water sampling proct:;:dures. Twice a
month during the summer, and once a month
during the winter, volunteers travel to seven
different sites throughout the watershed, and
collect samples. The sample stations start as high
up as Muddy Creek, and extend as far as the
Pleasure Park on the North Fork of the Gunnison.

Samples are collected for analysis of metals (such
as selenium, arsenic, and aluminum), nutrients
(including nitrates, phosphates, and sulfates), and
bacteria (E. coli). River samples are analyzed by
laboratories at the CSU Roger's Mesa Research
Station in Hotchkiss, EP A Region 8 lab in Golden,
CD OW labs in Fort Collins, and CDPHE
laboratories in Denver.

Volunteer crosses the river; a
dissolved oxygen bottle awaits
transport back to the lab

The following sections explain the specifics of the North Fork water sampling program
including: the location of the water quality monitoring stations, parameters analyzed, and
the volunteer training program.

2.2 Water Quality Monitoring Stations

The North Fork Volunteer Monitoring Network is composed of seven water quality
monitoring sites. A map of these sites is provided below in Figure 2.0, Location of Water
Quality Monitoring Stations, April 2001 - April 2002. These sites provide good baseline
coverage of the watershed, from near the headwaters to the mouth. Surface water
samples, are analyzed for total and dissolved metals, nutrients, bacteria, and field
parameters.

Table 2.1 outlines the names and locations of the sample stations. Sample sites are
identified by both a station name (e.g., EM-I) and a designated sample number (e.g.,
649.000). The extension after the sample number changes to reflect the number of water
samples collected.

2-1