WATERS Collaborative
Watershed Academics to Enhance Regional Sustainability
Sonoma State University / Sonoma County Water Agency
WATERS Meeting 11-09-2012 2:30-4:00
In Attendance: Claudia Luke (notes), Mark Perri, Nathan Rank, Frederique Lavoipierre, Mike Cohen,
Debora Hammond, Jay Pederson
Agenda:
 Water Quality Data (review)
 Water Quality Projects of Interest
 Proposed Monitoring Locations
 Sampling Variables and Methods
 Participating Classes and Faculty
 Equipment Needed
WATER QUALITY PROJECTS OF INTEREST TO SSU AND SCWA
 Long-term monitoring (all locations) – the following sampling is ideal but is dependent on
student and volunteer availability
o first sample during early wet-weather season following first flush of runoff
o 2nd sample during a major storm occurring later in the wet season
o 3rd sample during dry weather, ideally following a period of > 21 days without
precipitation
 Long-term pre- and post-monitoring for the Copeland Creek Enhancement Project (Pressley
Road and SSU Bridge locations)
 Summer water quality, including hydrocarbons (Lichau Road, SSU Outfall, Santa Alicia, and
Commerce)
 Steelhead spawning habitat (water quality) monitoring (Lichau Road)
 Warm water fish habitat (water quality) monitoring (pools not yet identified; SSU Outfall, Santa
Alicia, and Commerce)
 Water Quality of SSU Ponds – need to summarize Debora’s class data to consider further steps
PROPOSED MONITORING LOCATIONS (with descriptions of why they were chosen)
1. Osborn Preserve – upper watershed location; previously sampled by Cohen; Perri; Copeland
Creek Watershed Assessment
2. Lichau Road - steelhead spawning habitat; new upper watershed location
3. Pressley Road - alluvial fan location; upstream of SCWA proposed enhancement project; (can we
get closer to proposed project area); opportunity to collaborate with Sotoyome RCD; previously
sampled by Copeland Creek Watershed Assessment (nearby); Sotoyome RCD Restoration
Project (nearby?)
4. SSU Bridge - upstream of campus; downstream of SCWA proposed enhancement project; colocation with sediment analysis; previously sampled; previously sampled by Cohen; Perri;
Hammon
5. SSU Outfall - downstream of campus; previously sampled by Cohen; Perri; Cotati High School (?)
6. Santa Alicia Gauge - co-location with gauging station; previously sampled; previously sampled by
Rohnert Park 2009
7. Commerce Blvd - just before Copeland Creek joins the Laguna; previously sampled by Rohnert
Park 2009
SAMPLING VARIABLES AND METHODS:

CMH: Citizen Monitoring Handbook from the Community Clean Water Institute
(http://ccwi.org/resources/CCWI-handbook110607.pdf) conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH,
water temperature, turbidity, stream flow, nitrate, phosphate

WaterWorks TM School Test Kit: total chlorine, iron, copper, pH, nitrates, nitrites, total
alkalinity, total hardness (from Debora Hammond)

Dionex Ion Chromatography– nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, fluoride, chloride, hydrocarbons (from
Mark Perri)

Standard methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater: IDEXX Colilert®:
(http://www.standardmethods.org/) coliform bacteria, E. coli (from Mike Cohen)

SWAMP: Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (California Water Boards)
(http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/phab_sopr6.pdf) benthic macroinvertebrates (from Nathan Rank)
WATER COURSES:
Spring

BIO 338 Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology class (Mike Cohen) – x students
(x sections). Topic: coliform, and E. coli sampling with IDEXX packets. Sites visited in the
past include Pressley Road, SSU Bridge, and SSU Outfall.

CHEM 125 B Honors Chemistry (Mark Perri) – x students (x sections). Topic: gas
chromatography for measurement of ions and hydrocarbons. Sites visited in past
include Osborn Preserve, SSU Bridge, and SSU Outfall.

LIBS 320B Individual and the Material World (Debora Hammond) – 15 students (1
section).

LIBS 202 Challenges and Response in a Modern World (Debora Hammond) – 70 students
(5 sections). Topic: general water quality measurements (e.g., CCWI techniques). Sites
measured in the past include SSU all ponds and SSU Bridge.

SCI 120/121 Sustainability in My World (Jeremy Qualls) – 45 students (2 sections). Topic:
Topic: general water quality measurements (e.g., CCWI techniques).
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
 Standard backpack for measuring CMH (CCWI) variables
 IDEXX packets for sampling coliform and E. coli
 Water sampling equipment and protocols for sending samples to gas chromatography lab
 WaterWorks School Test Kits for comparison (for Debora’s class)
SAMPLING SCHEDULES
 Long-term sampling: students as part of course work (determined by instructors)
 First-flush sampling: recruit volunteers
 Summer sampling: recruit volunteers
NEXT STEPS:
 Data: Continue to track down water quality data (i.e., Cotati High School, Sotoyome RCD) and
post data to website (Claudia)
 Methods:
o Confirm sampling locations (Debora, Mike, Mark, Nathan)
o Provide methods description (Debora, Mike, Mark, Nathan)
o How many samples can be sent to Mark for ion chromatography? (Mark)
o Access to Site (Claudia)
o Need data sheet for all classes to use. How do we coordinate data?
 Equipment: Acquire the necessary equipment: can we borrow? How many kits do we need?
 Recruit additional volunteers for first-flush and summer sampling (Claudia)