Standard operating procedures (SOPs) reflect how agency staff and contracted partners complete agency-funded field activities. The SOPs provide step-by-step instruction on water quality monitoring for everything from determining water chemistry in lakes or streams to biological monitoring procedures. The agency has also developed steps to avoid the transfer of aquatic invasive species.
Lakes
Rivers and streams
Intensive Watershed Monitoring - Stream water quality component standard operating procedures (wq-s1-18)- Watershed pollutant load monitoring standard operating procedures (wq-cm1-02)
- Watershed Pollutant Load Monitoring Network Sampling Parameter descriptions (wq-cm1-05)
- Fish Data Collection Protocols for Lotic Waters in Minnesota (2017) (wq-bsm3-12b)
- Macroinvertebrate data collection protocols for lotic waters in Minnesota (2017) (wq-bsm3-12a)
- MPCA Stream Habitat Assessment (MSHA) Protocol for Stream Monitoring Sites (wq-bsm3-02)
Wetlands
- Reconnaissance procedures for depressional wetland monitoring sites (wq-bwm1-05)
- Water chemistry assessment protocol for wetland monitoring sites (wq-bwm5-01)
- Macroinvertebrate community sampling protocol for depressional wetland monitoring (wq-bwm5-02)
- Floristic quality assessment