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.
Overview of monitoring
Volunteer Surface Water Monitoring Guide (wq-s1-15)Volunteer citizen water monitoring is a critical component in understanding and educating Minnesotans about water quality issues. This guide provides volunteers with information that helps them carry out their important role in monitoring and protecting Minnesota’s water resources. (2003)
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
- Vegetation sampling procedures for wetland biological monitoring sites (wq-bwm3-01)
- Procedure for evaluating Minnesota Wetland Condition Assessment sample sites (wq-bwm3-02)
- Procedure for evaluating wetland biological monitoring sample 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
Aquatic invasive species
Water quality monitoring in aquatic invasive species infested locations (wq-s1-68)