HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 2004-04-09 3/9/04
Description of Proposed Project
As the project is initiated , significant efforts in the first year of the project will include recruitment and
training of volunteers . The timeline depicted below is separated by the first-year project components and
annual project components .
YEAR 1
Phase 1 : March 2004 — May 2004
Municipalities and agency staff recruit volunteers in the Six Mile Creek watershed . Sampling locations
will be determined during recruitment and training sessions .
Phase 2 : May 2004 - June 2004
With input from project staff, volunteers explore and discuss monitoring priorities in their watersheds .
Priority areas will provide guidance towards monitoring efforts , including ( i ) Chemical Analyses (e .g . ,
alkalinity, ammonia, chloride, dissolved oxygen , hardness , organic nitrogen , pH , phosphorus , specific
conductivity , total dissolved solids , total coliform, turbidity) , ( ii ) Benthic Macro invertebrate Sampling,
and ( iii ) Physical Characteristic Measurements (e . g. , channel height, aggregation/degradation , channel
movement) . Project staff provide information and guidance to orient volunteers regarding training and
equipment requirements , data outputs, and logistical considerations of each of the various monitoring
options .
Phase 3 : June 2004 - August 2004
Project staff offer workshops to train volunteers in monitoring techniques and data quality
assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures and to produce workshop-based water quality " snapshots "
in each watershed .
Phase 4 : August 2004 - November 2004
Volunteer groups conduct monitoring events on their own and in collaboration with project staff.
Additional monitoring events during high-flow conditions are coordinated by project staff. Project staff
attend meetings of monitoring groups and offer input on monitoring issues that arise . Project staff review
volunteer data for QA/QC consistency and recommend strategies for improving data credibility , as
appropriate .
Phase 5 : December 2004
All local volunteer monitoring groups meet for a half-day monitoring symposium to share their results
and discuss next year' s volunteer water quality monitoring program with each other and with project staff.
The event will be open to the public to provide valuable education and outreach opportunities .
SUBSEQUENT YEARS (Subject to municipal approval for continued program operation)
Phase 2b : January
With input from project staff, volunteer groups explore monitoring priorities and potential changes in
monitoring parameters in their watershed .
Phase 3b : January - February
Project staff offer supplemental workshops , if necessary , to train volunteers in monitoring techniques and
data quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures and to produce workshop-based water quality
" snapshots " in each watershed .
Phase 4b : January - December
Volunteer groups conduct monitoring events largely on their own , with informational input, assistance
with event coordination , and QA/QC support from project staff, as needed . Additional monitoring events
during high -flow conditions will also be scheduled . Project staff attend meetings of volunteer groups and
address monitoring issues as they arise .
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Phase 5b : December
All local volunteer monitoring groups meet for a half-day monitoring symposium to share their results
and discuss next year' s volunteer water quality monitoring program with each other and with project staff.
The event will be open to the public to provide valuable education and outreach opportunities .
The five phases of the proposed project are described below .
Phase I : Recruitment
CCETC will provide leadership in identifying and recruiting volunteers . Recruitment efforts will include
mailings targeted to streamside residents , flyers posted in public places , ads in local newspapers , and
presentations to community groups . The Environmental Issues Educator, in cooperation with CSI staff,
will coordinate the initial meeting of each group and will assist in organization of training sessions . The
Environmental Issues Educator will also be available to aid volunteer leaders as needed with group
organization and communication .
Phase 2 : Exploration of monitoring priorities
Before they begin monitoring, volunteer groups need to consider core issues in the water quality field and
how they relate to their own particular monitoring goals and objectives . CSI and SWCD staff will
introduce volunteers to a range of information , including water quality parameters and their significance
to stream health ; factors that influence where and when groups collect samples ; the importance of QA/QC
procedures for documenting data credibility ; and the potential uses of credible volunteer data by
municipal , county and state agencies for environmental management purposes . The initial introduction to
water quality issues is intended to help groups begin the process of making decisions about their goals
and objectives . It is anticipated that groups will discuss water quality concerns common to the Cayuga
Lake watershed , such as nutrients (particularly phosphorus) , suspended sediment , and coliform bacteria.
However, groups will be encouraged to set their own priorities within a general framework of credible
data production . This initial exploration of monitoring priorities is designed to prepare volunteers to
choose the type(s) of workshop training they want and to set concrete; goals with regard to water quality
parameters , sampling sites , and sampling frequency .
Phase 3 : Workshop training and water quality " snapshots "
CSI staff will offer volunteers choices of being trained in a variety of monitoring techniques , including :
• Use of portable test kits to analyze chemical indicators of water quality such as pH , dissolved
oxygen , conductivity , alkalinity , nitrate, phosphate, and ammonia
• Sampling and analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate ( BMI) communities as biological indicators
of water quality
• Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures to validate chemical and BMI data
• Collection and handling of water samples for certified analysis of nutrients , solids , minerals , and
bacteria (see attached list of CSI tests)
• Techniques for measuring and estimating flow
Volunteers will be encouraged to choose workshops that reflect their own particular priorities, as
tentatively identified in Phase 2 . Groups may elect for some of their members to be trained in one set of
techniques and other members trained in a different set of techniques . The choice of monitoring
technique(s) in which volunteer groups receive training depends on the interests and priorities of each
group .
Steve Penningroth , CSI's Executive Director, will serve as the lead workshop instructor for chemical
analyses and flow measurements , and Anne Gallagher will lead the BMI workshops . Members of the
local volunteer monitoring community with relevant expertise will be given an opportunity to assist in
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one or more workshops, depending on their schedules . For example, Phil Koons, a member of FCWC and
a Past President of the Ithaca chapter of Trout Unlimited , has' expressed an interest in helping with BMI
workshops (personal communication) , and Dan Karig of the Dryden Conservation Advisory Committee
has expressed an interest in coordinating physical measurements similar to his previous and current
research activities .
CSI will make every effort to schedule workshops around volunteers ' schedules . Typically , a BMI
workshop lasts about seven hours, is offered on a Saturday, and includes a field trip to a stream to collect
and analyze benthic organisms and calculate several metrics . ' A workshop on chemical analyses with
portable test kits also requires a full day and includes a field trip to collect and analyze a water sample .
User-friendly QA/QC procedures to validate results are incorporated into the BMI and chemical
indicators workshops . Workshops on how to collect water samples for certified analysis and on how to
measure and estimate flow take three hours each , and they also incorporate hands-on experience in a
stream . Equipment and facilities are available in Tompkins County and may be borrowed for use during
training workshops . Other potential venues include town halls and the CCETC Education Center.
In addition to imparting technical skills , BMI and chemical workshops also provide an opportunity to take
a " snapshot " of water quality on the day of the workshop . In +effect, the field component of the workshop
can serve as the volunteer group 's first monitoring event , conducted under the supervision of the
workshop instructor. The quality of the data will depend on the skills of workshop participants and the
degree of QA/QC . While this may sound daunting, good data are well within the reach of most workshop
groups .
Phase 4 : Independent monitoring
Following workshop training, groups will be encouraged to decide on a preliminary monitoring plan that
specifies the parameters the group wants to monitor, the sampling locations, and the weather conditions
under which samples are collected (e . g. , season , low flow , high flow following rain or snow melt, etc .) .
TCSWCD will take the lead in helping groups think through their monitoring priorities , and CSI will
provide assistance . Once they have a plan , groups will be asked to go out on their own , collect and
analyze samples, and report the results to CSI. CSI will evaluate the scientific credibility of the results
based on QA/QC performed and reported by the group as part of the monitoring event, provide feedback
to the group, and address any technical questions and issues the group may have.
Phase 5 : Volunteer monitoring Symposium
In the final month of each year, a half-day symposium will be scheduled to give the volunteer water
quality monitoring groups , including the pre-existing Fall Creek Watershed Committee and the
Taughannock-Frontenac Water Quality Group , an opportunity to describe their programs , present data
from their initial sampling events , and discuss the role of volunteer monitoring in managing the county 's
water resources . Project staff from CSI, TCSWCD, and CCETC will help organize the annual
symposiums , participate in the discussions, and respond to questions and concerns raised by volunteers .
The symposium monitoring will foster better communication and a sense of shared purpose among the
volunteer groups . The symposium will be open to the public , and staff of management agencies besides
those directly involved will also be encouraged to participate .
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Data Quality Objectives
Data quality objectives are based on anticipated uses and users of volunteer data. Data users include
municipal , county and state agencies as well as volunteers and their communities . Uses for volunteer data
are to increase awareness and understanding of watershed issues , to encourage citizen engagement in the
democratic process underlying water resource management, and to help inform municipal and county
management decisions regarding water resources in the Six Mile Creek watershed .
To meet this diverse set of data quality objectives , a rigorous program of quality assurance and quality
control (QA/QC) will be integrated into the proposed project . QA/QC procedures will be instituted for
each and every aspect of data production and will include the following :
1 . Volunteer data : Volunteers performing chemical analyses using portable test kits and meters and/or
collection and analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) organisms will adhere to QA/QC guidelines
developed in the NYSDEC-sponsored Volunteer Monitoring Pilot Project and to be published this year in
a revision of the NYSDEC-sponsored Hudson Basin River Watch Guidance Document (table
summarizing Volunteer Monitoring Pilot Project QA/QC guidelines for data production available on
request) . Volunteers will document adherence to QA/QC protocols and record raw data by hand . CSI will
review volunteer QA/QC and recommend improvements , as necessary and appropriate to assure the
quality of chemical and/or BMI data . Volunteers will verify their results by splitting water and BMI
samples with CSI at frequencies specified in the NYSDEC-sponsored Pilot Project QA/QC guidelines .
2 . Water sampling by volunteers : Volunteers collecting water samples 1'0 r analysis in CSI 's certified
testing lab will undergo training in techniques for collecting and handling water samples and ensuring
their representativeness and integrity . Training of volunteers in the collection of stream water samples
will be analogous to training conducted by NYSDEC under the Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment
Program (CSLAP) for the collection of lake water samples . Holding times will be strictly observed for all
parameters destined for certified analysis .
3 . Certified analyses of water samples by CSI : Analyses of water samples in CSI's water quality testing
laboratory , which is located in the Langmuir Lab in the Cornell Business and Technology Park , will
follow standard methods approved by the New York State Department of Health under the Environmental
Laboratory Approval Program ( ELAP) . CST 's lab is certified under both ELAP and NELAP (National
j Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program) guidelines . CST's ELAP number is 11790, and CSI's
EPA lab code is NY01518 . With respect to analyses of environmental samples , CSI's minimum detection
limits for phosphorus and nitrogen nutrients exceed ELAP requirements and are comparable to the low
detection limits of the Upstate Freshwater Institute 's environmental testing laboratory in Syracuse, NY : 2
ppb for soluble reactive phosphorus , 4 ppb for total phosphorus , and 14 ppb for nitrate-nitrogen . In
addition to nutrients , CSI is also certified to perform analyses of solids , minerals , demand , and total
coliform and E . coli bacteria. Like all ELAP-certified laboratories , CSI is subject to rigorous QA/QC as
well as stringent record-keeping requirements . Data produced by CSI and other FLAP-certified
laboratories may be used in legal proceedings to enforce water quality standards . In addition to certified
testing, CSI also offers analyses of chlorophyll and benthic macroinvertebrates , parameters which have
significant value in the context of managing water resources but which are not. regulated under FLAP. A
j complete list of parameters tested in the CSI lab is available on request . CSI subcontracts with
i Environmental Laboratory Services in South Waverly , PA , for analysis of metals , organics and other
parameters for which CSi lacks certification .
Democratic design of monitoring-plan : In addition to assuring the quality of individual pieces of water
quality data, the articulation of data quality objectives includes designing a monitoring plan that addresses
the concerns of all stakeholders in the watershed . A monitoring plan cannot be designed until it is known
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how many volunteers there are, the types of monitoring they are interested in doing, and how much time
they can give to a monitoring program. As the proposed project 's crucial human factor comes into focus ,
it will become possible to design a realistic monitoring program, including the identification of
monitoring locations , the prioritization of monitoring parameters , and the frequency of monitoring events .
The proposed project envisions the informal involvement of all stakeholders in the process of designing a
volunteer-based monitoring program for the Six Mile Creek watershed , a process that will include not
only volunteers but representatives of municipal and county government with experience in watershed
management, as well . This open , democratic process should ensure that all viewpoints are considered , that
volunteers become better informed about water quality issues , and that an optimal monitoring plan is
developed that strikes a balance between human resources and project goals . While it is not possible to
predict the structure of a democratically decided program in advance, program design criteria may include
such factors as synoptic surveys of water quality parameters throughout the watershed, suspected point
and non -point sources of adverse impacts on water quality , and nutrient, sediment and bacterial loads
under conditions of low and high flow . It may also include statistical considerations such as the collection
of additional samples to assure the accuracy of results at priority sampling locations . It is safe to predict
that the design of the monitoring program will be significantly constrained by the limited availability of
human and financial resources .
Storage, Analysis and Interpretation of Data
Data storage : Raw data recorded by hand and approved on the basis of QA/QC review will be entered in
one or more electronic databases by Tompkins County SWCD and/or other county or municipal agencies
using appropriate software systems , e . g . , MS Excel . The number and types of databases will be decided
by the agency( ies) that become the primary user(s) of the data. Databases containing results produced
through the active participation of volunteer monitors will be kept separate from professional agency
databases . It is envisioned that volunteer data will be used to to complement, but never replace, the data
produced by professional scientists .
Data anal: Volunteer-generated data that has been entered into electronic databases will be analyzed
by interested volunteers and/or agency personnel using appropriate software, e . g . , MS Excel . Independent
variables that could contribute to parameter values will be identified and prioritized by volunteers and
agency professionals through an informal democratic process and may include such factors as sampling
location , season , and flow . Preliminary estimates of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) will be
undertaken , and the estimates will be refined in subsequent years , assuming the monitoring program
continues and more data are generated . As one tool for investigating factors contributing to TMDLs ,
analysis of Variance (ANOVA) may be performed if statistical analyses are judged to: be meaningful
given the amount of data available .
Interpretation of results : Results produced by the proposed volunteer monitoring partnership will be
interpreted in the context of NYSDEC 's program for identifying waterbodies with, impaired uses , as
specified in the federal Clean Water Act and state laws . Six Mile Creek has been listed on the DEC 's
Priority Waterbodies List (PWL) and , hence, on the EPA 's 303 (d) list since 1996 . Impaired uses are listed
as " water supply and fish propagation , " types of pollutants are listed as " silt (sediment) , pesticides ,
nutrients and aesthetics, " and sources of pollutants are listed as " streambank erosion , industrial ,
municipal , private, agriculture, urban runoff, storm sewers , on-site systems , hydromodification and
roadbank erosion . " The PWL 's lists of impacts and sources will be used as an initial frame of reference
for interpreting project results . At the end of the project year, CSI will complete DEC 's Priority
Waterbodies List (PWL) worksheet and submit it to the DEC 's Division of Water in Albany in order to
update DEC on the status of Six Mile Creek.
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A second possible approach to interpreting monitoring data is to use GIS software to display data on a
map of the Six Mile Creek watershed . Different colors could be used to highlight parameter values that
exceed recommended threshholds . This approach could be valuable as a way of conveying the
significance of monitoring data to the general public and particlarly to the many people who lack a strong
background in science .
Finally , the EPA 's Framework for Ecological Risk Assessment provides a broad -based and flexible
approach to characterizing risk to ecological resources like Six Mile Creek . The Framework combines
scientific fact-finding, professional judgment and citizen input in a comprehensive process designed to
adapt risk management decisions to continuous input from stakeholders . While the EPA Framework will
not be applied explicitly , its spirit of scientific rigor and democratic inclusivity will inform the
interpretation and application of project results .
The Partnership Approach to Volunteer Monitoring
The above discussions of data quality objectives and data storage, analysis and interpretation are based on
experience gained by CSI and Tompkins SWCD in working in partnership with two volunteer groups :
The Fall Creek Watershed Committee and the Taughannock-Frontenac Water Quality Group, over the
past three years . The above discussions are based as well on CSI's experience working with DEC and the
Hudson Basin River Watch on the Volunteer Monitoring Pilot Project from 2001 -2003 (final report
available at <www .communityscience . org>) .
It is worth noting that the direct participation of a certified laboratory ( i .e . , CSI 's water quality testing
laboratory) in local volunteer monitoring projects is unprecedented in New York State and possibly in the
country . In the vast majority of volunteer monitoring programs , certified laboratories are not involved . In
a few states , a single certified laboratory provides assistance to volunteer groups throughout the entire
state, e . g . , Pennsylvania, Florida, and Wisconsin . By contrast , CSI 's certified laboratory focuses on
offering assistance to volunteer g►-oups in a single region , the Cayuga Lake watershed . The success of the
proposed project in Six Mile Creek and similar projects in other subwatersheds of Cauga Lake, either
ongoing or to be initiated in the future, could potentially validate a partnership model for other counties
and municipalities to follow in addressing gaps in their water quality data by creating programs that
combine volunteer activism with certified testing and the active involvement of municipal and county
agency personnel .
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r
. S
Budtet
The proposed budget includes expected staff commitments from involved agencies and significant agency
contributions to reduce net program costs . These include consulting and analyses contributions frorn CSI,
fringe contributions from CCETC, and staff time and analyses costs from TCSWCD . TCSWCD analyses
cost contributions are funded through a grant from the Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario Watershed Protection
Alliance (FL-LOWPA) . Funding proposals for additional years will include more limited training costs
after the establishment of the volunteer monitoring groups . In addition , involved agencies and staff will
proactively seek additional outside funds to reduce program costs for subsequent years . These outlets will
include : additional funding from FL-LOWPA, the Empire State Chapter of the Soil and Water
Conservation Society (SWCS) Environmental Activities Fund, the Tompkins County Health Department,
and funds earmarked for public education under the new Stormwater II regulations being implemented
statewide. Supplemental year budgets will be produced and presented to involved municipalities after
organization of the monitoring groups and selection of specific monitoring activities when costs can be
more accurately identified . .
Explanation of major budget items
CSI Executive Director (Stephen Pennin rg oth) : As Project Director, the CSI Executive Director will be
responsible for overall project leadership and coordination , working with the Environmental Issues
Educator from CCETC to identify, recruit and organize volunteer groups and with the Director and staff
of the TCSWCD to support volunteer groups in implementing water quality monitoring events in the Six-
Mile Creek watershed . He will have primary responsibility for educating volunteer groups on the science
of water quality monitoring and will provide information oWmethods for testing chemical , physical and
biological parameters of water quality , approaches for interpreting test results , and procedures for
performing quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) to document data credibility . Working with
Anne Gallagher, an expert in BMI analysis , he will take the lead in designing and conducting workshops
for volunteers on chemical , biological and/or physical monitoring techniques, incorporating the interests
and priorities of the various volunteer groups into the design of the workshops . He will screen raw
volunteer data for scientific credibility based on QA/QC results that volunteers generate and report with
the data. As Technical Director of CSI's certified water quality testing laboratory, he will perform himself
or supervise the performance of certified laboratory tests requested by volunteers on samples they collect
with assistance from TCSWCD personnel . To the extent that groups produce credible data, on their own
and/or through their use of CSI's certified testing laboratory ; he will work with the TCSWCD and the
Project Consultant to assist groups in setting up volunteer databases and analyzing data from monitoring
events , e .g . , with the help of GIS software.
CSI Workshops : There will be approximately two all -day workshops or workshop equivalents in Year 1 :
an introductory workshop that gives an overview of the various monitoring options ; a BMI workshop ; a
chemical indicators workshop ; and/or a workshop on how to collect samples for certified analyses . The
budget for Year 1 assumes two all-day workshops . If there are more than two , CSI will donate the cost,
except for additional BMI workshops . If there are fewer than two, the municipalities will not have to
spend the full budgeted amount . The exact topics of the workshops will depend on the monitoring
interests and priorities of the volunteers. It is anticipated that all volunteers will attend the same
workshop, thus avoiding unnecessary duplication of workshops and keeping project costs down . Funds
are requested to pay the workshop instructors, cover administrative and logistical costs , and purchase
workshop supplies .
CSI Consultant : Mr. Pat Reidy , Senior Water Quality Specialist, Cortland County SWCD , will advise
CSI and TCSWCD on strategies for creating and managing databases of volunteer results , approaches for
analyzing trends in volunteer water quality data, and formats for presenting volunteer data to diverse
audiences using tools like MS Excel and GIS software . Mr. Reidy has advised the Fall Creek Watershed
Committee free of charge for the past year and has generously offered to contribute his time to advising
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the proposed volunteer project, as well . It is recognized that some volunteers may possess GIS skills , and
if so, this would enrich the discussion of how best to create, manage and analyze archives of scientifically
credible data produced by volunteers .
CSI Certified analyses of water samples : Volunteer groups may decide to transport some water samples
to CSI 's lab in the Cornell Business and Technology Park for certified analysis of water quality
parameters that cannot be measured satisfactorily with portable test kits , for example, phosphorus in the
low parts per billion range, suspended sediment, coliform bacteria, chemical oxygen demand, or total
Kjeldahl nitrogen . It is difficult to estimate the numbers of certified analyses until the volunteer groups
are formed and the number of monitoring events is determined . The projected costs are based on four
groups being trained by August 2004 and three monitoring events being conducted between August and
December 2004 . Assuming eight sites and samples are analyzed for the same 16 parameters as the Fall
Creek Watershed Committee samples , then the cost of the analyses based on market rates averaging a
little over $ 14 per parameter is $5 , 399 . Of this cost, TCSWCD would fund 76 % or $4,009 using
FLLOWPA funds and CSI would fund 24 % or $ 1 , 390 for 2004 . Note that because the cost of certified
analyses is contributed by TCSWCD and CSI for 2004, it will not impact the Towns at all , no matter how
many or how few certified analyses are completed .
CCETC Environmental Issues Educator (Tapia Schusler) : The Environmental Issues Educator will take
primary responsibility for identifying and recruiting volunteers , coordinating an initial organizational
meeting and two training workshops , and assisting with coordination of the monitoring symposium . She
will also assist volunteers in cooperation with other project staff with group organization and
communication .
TCSWCD Director and Conservation Technician (Craig Schutt and Gordie Morgan) : TCSWCD
personnel will collaborate with the CSI Project Director and the CCETC Environmental Issues Educator
to orient volunteer groups on water quality issues , as well as attend group meetings and assist groups in
prioritizing water quality parameters, monitoring locations , and monitoring frequencies . TCSWCD
personnel will assist volunteers in the field, as needed , with collecting and preserving samples for
analysis .
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APPENDIX .
Past and Current Volunteer Monitoring Activities in Tompkins County
The proposed project builds on and extends support by CSI, ;, CCETC , and SWCDs in Tompkins , Cortland ,
and Schuyler Counties for past and current monitoring activities by adult and school -based groups in
Tompkins County . From 1999 to 2001 , CCETC 's Environmental Educator provided critical support for
the establishment of the Fall Creek Watershed Committee (FCWC) . In 2002 , the FCWC embarked on a
monitoring program in the Virgil Creek and Fall Creek watersheds in collaboration with the SWCDs of
Tompkins and Cortland Counties . FCWC volunteers and SWCD staff collect water samples at nine
specified locations on the same day and transport the samples to the CSI lab for determination of 16 water
quality parameters . To date, the FCWC/SWCD/CSI collaborative monitoring project has sampled on
seven dates under low and high flow conditions for a total of 63 data sets and over 1 ,000 data points for
the nine sampling locations . The Virgil/Fall Creek monitoring project is funded as follows : The SWCDs
contribute staff time to collect samples at five of the nine locations and to attend evening meetings of the
FCWC ; the SWCDs also pay CSI 75 % of the cost of the laboratory analyses . CSI contributes 25 % of the
cost of the laboratory analyses and, like the SWCDs , also contributes staff time to attend evening
meetings of the FCWC to answer questions and discuss results .
The FCWC/SWCD/CSI joint monitoring initiative in the Virgil and Fall Creek watersheds illustrates one
approach to volunteer monitoring in Tompkins County . A different approach involves the analysis of
water and benthic macroi n vertebrate samples by the volunteers themselves . In 2002 and 2003 , CSI
conducted three all -day and five half-day volunteer workshops on two sets of monitoring techniques :
Benthic macroi n vertebrate (BMI) sampling and analysis ; and the analysis of water samples using
chemical test kits . The workshops were attended by approximately 20 adults , including FCWC members ,
members of the Taughannock-Frontenac Water Quality Group based in Trumansburg, and five teachers
from Ithaca and Lansing High Schools . Two workshops included field trips to Fall Creek to collect and
analyze BMI and water samples , resulting in " snapshots " of: water quality on those days . When quality
assurance and quality control procedures are incorporated into volunteer monitoring workshops, the
scientific credibility of workshop-based water quality " snapshots " can be quite good . Post-workshop,
FCWC has continued to collect and analyze BMI samples from Fall Creek . The teachers found the
workshops useful as a basis for improving the monitoring events they conduct periodically with selected
high school classes for educational purposes . Funding for the workshops came from NYSDEC under
CSI 's Pilot Project contract as well as a grant obtained by the Schuyler County SWCD from the Finger
Lakes - Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance ( FL-LOWPA) Special Projects Fund in support of
the Taughannock-Frontenac Water Quality Group . The Taughannock-Frontenac Group has continued
chemical monitoring on its own using portable chemical test kits, performing monitoring events in June,
July and October, 2003 , and planning additional chemical monitoring events for the coming year .
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YEAR .l COSTS (includes full training)
COMMUNITY SCIENCE INSTITUTE
Item Cost
S . Penningroth , Executive Director ( 150 hours) $ 37750
Fringe on salary (9 . 15 %) $ 343
Workshops ($ 100/hr x 71-irs/workshop x 2 workshop) $ 1400
Travel (20 mi/mtg x 10 mtgs or workshops @ $0. 36) $ 72
Consultant (2 . 5 hrs/month @ $50/hr) $ 11500
Certified analyses of water samples (3 events x 8 sites x 16 parameters x $ 14 .06) $ 5 ,399
Phone $ 20
TOTAL DIRECT COSTS $ 12,484
Indirect costs ( 15 %) $ 1 , 873
TOTAL COST $ 14 , 357
CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OF TOMPKINS COUNTY
Item Cost
Staff time (70 hours) $ 17400
Travel (20mi/mtg *4 mtgs or trainings*0. 36/mi) $ 30
Printing and postage for publicity $ 60
Ads in local papers (2 ads @ $ 100) $ 200
TOTAL DIRECT COSTS $ 11690
Indirect costs ( 15 %) $ 254
TOTAL COST $ I ,944
TOMPKINS COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Item Cost
Craig Schutt, Director, 40 hrs $ 1 ,200
Gordie Morgan , Conservation Technician , 50 hrs $ 1 ,250
TOTAL DIRECT COSTS $ 2 ,450 , .
Indirect costs ( 15 %0) $ 368
TOTAL COST $ 2 , 818
BUDGET SUMMARY YEAR 1
Item Total
Total Agency Cost $ 19 , 119
Less Agency Support :
CSI Consultant Fee $ 1 ,500
CSI Contribution toward Certified Analyses Costs $ 1 ,390
TCSWCD Labor/Indirect Costs $ 2 , 818
TCSWCD Contribution towards Certified Analyses Costs (FL- LOWPA) $ 4 ,009
Net Program Cost $ 9 ,402
[and r 1 Municipal Cost (Distributed evenly among T. Caroline. T. Dryden , T . Ithaca,
City of Ithaca) $ 2 , 350
*The monitoring group will continue to seek outside funds to offset municipal contributions. We are looking for a
commitment from municipalities up to the program costs indicated above . If outside funding is received , municipal
costs will be reduced .
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