Stream and Lake Monitoring Protocol
SOP 15 – After the Field Season, v. 1.0, Page 1 of 2
Stream and Lake Monitoring Protocol
Arctic Network (ARCN), Alaska
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) # 15
After the Field Season
Version 1.0 (November 2007)
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This SOP describes procedures that all field observers for stream and lake
monitoring should complete following the field season for the five National Park units in
the Arctic Network (ARCN). These tasks help bring the field season to a close by tying
up loose ends, making sure data and equipment are properly stored and maintained.
Effectively accomplishing these tasks can dramatically reduce efforts to initiate sampling
in the following spring and reduce the likelihood of an aborted field excursion to lack of
preparation.
Procedures:
1. Properly clean, maintain, or replace, all equipment prior to storage in the
appropriate park resources storage area.
2. Log missing or broken equipment in the equipment log, as appropriate. Store all
calibration standards with MSDS sheets in the laboratory.
3. Re-shelve all reference materials in the appropriate location in the project
manager’s office.
4. File other reference materials and extra data sheets in the appropriate locations.
5. Review all data sheets and check again for completeness. Data sheets should have
been checked for completeness in the field and again, once the sheets have been
amassed following the end of each field trip (SOP 12: Field Trip Demobilization).
Arctic Network
November, 2007
Stream and Lake Monitoring Protocol
SOP 15 – After the Field Season, v. 1.0, Page 2 of 2
6. Identify any missing information and, if possible, fill in data from field notes or
from the PDA. If this is not possible, annotate the missing data with a brief
explanation.
7. Be sure that all trip reports have been completed and turned into the project
manager.
8. Review trip reports and interview field crew members on suggested changes to
procedures, what could be improved, etc.
9. Identify and obtain pertinent ancillary data. Enter the locality of each lake
sampled and all localities for transects, benchmarks and water sampling stations
into the ARCGIS database and check to see if they were accurately recorded. At
this time determine surface area, shoreline area index, and enter these data into
the PondsAndStreams.mdb database.
10. Deliver vegetation voucher specimens to the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Herbarium for verification and determination.
11. Ship macroinvertebrate samples to ABR, Inc. (or other contracted laboratory) for
identification and analysis.
12. Ensure that results from samples sent out for analysis are returned and complete.
13. Obtain data for season from the nearest park weather station.
14. Revise protocol and SOPs to reflect changes in methods or conventions that were
established during field season.
Arctic Network
November, 2007