Training, Field QA, and Collection Permit

College of Bioassessment

The College of Bioassessment (COB) was developed by CDFW and the State Board’s Training Academy to provide students with a background on stream ecology, sampling design and data analysis based on SWAMP Bioassessment Procedure. Water resource professionals involved with the implementation and/or administration of bioassessment projects as well as citizen scientists will benefit from the courses offered through the COB.

Course - Bioassessment 101: An Introduction to Bioassessment, was developed and offered in the summer of 2022 through the State Board’s Training Academy. The purpose of this training is to facilitate development of staff knowledge and skills required to collect and use bioassessment data. The course provides classroom and field training that includes the bioassessment basics, including an introduction to field procedures, lab analysis and taxonomy and data analysis and interpretation.

As we continue to offer this course and obtain student feedback, State Board and CDFW will consider developing additional courses to meet the needs of those implementing bioassessment and other water resources program managers.

Upcoming Trainings:

To be informed of any future Bioassessment Trainings, sign up to the SWAMP Water Quality Monitoring (Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program) Lyris.

If you are State Board staff, you will be informed of any future trainings through the Training Academy.

California Aquatic Bioassessment Workgroup (CABW)

The annual CABW meeting educates those unfamiliar with bioassessment on current and planned activities in bioassessment. It is also an opportunity for those active in bioassessment to be updated on current activities and to stay in touch with other people in the bioassessment community. The annual meeting of the California Chapter of the Society for Freshwater Science (CalSFS, or SFS) is included at the end of the CABW meeting.

• 2023 California Aquatic Bioassessment Workgroup (CABW) and California Society for Freshwater Science Meeting (Cal-SFS)
  • Date: November 6-7, 2023
  • Location: Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP), Large Conference Room: 3535 Harbor Blvd STE 110 Costa Mesa, CA 92626
  • In-person Registration
  • Speaker and Student Presentation Abstracts (Deadline September 18, 2023)
  • Final Agenda
  • Presentation and Speaker Index
  • Video Recordings
    • Playlist: 30th Annual California Aquatic Bioassessment Workgroup Meeting
• 2022 California Aquatic Bioassessment Workgroup (CABW) and California Society for Freshwater Science Meeting (Cal-SFS)
  • Date: October 11-12, 2022
  • Location: Cal-EPA Building 1001 “I” Street Sacramento, California 95814
  • Final Agenda
  • 2022 Presentation Abstracts and Presenter Index
  • Video Recordings
    • Playlist: 30th Annual California Aquatic Bioassessment Workgroup Meeting
    • Opening & Welcome
    • Day 1: Session 1
    • Day 1: Session 2
    • Day 2: Session 3
    • Day 2: Session 4
    • Day 2: Session 5
    • California Environmental Flows Framework: Overview, Application, and Tools Workshop
• To sign up for the Cal-SFS sponsored workshop: Cal-SFS Workshop

• 2018 CABW/SFS Newsletter
• 2017 CABW/SFS Newsletter
• 2016 CABW/SFS Newsletter
• CABW Files and Presentations from Previous Years

Annual Pre-season Calibration and Training Registration for Calibration Exercises

During this one day exercise, multiple bioassessment crews assemble at one location to discuss invertebrate and algae sampling and processing procedures and to perform several PHAB exercises on a shortened stream reach. After a brief pre-exercise discussion of event activities, the crews are encouraged to present questions or concerns from the previous year’s sampling for group discussion. Invertebrate and algae sampling methods are discussed and demonstrated and then the crews perform the PHAB exercises separately with minimal interaction recording the data on hand written forms specially designed for the exercise. After the crews complete the exercise the groups get together to discuss the results and present any questions or concerns that came up while performing the exercise.

• Request for Participation in the Calibration Exercise (TBA)

Field Audits

Field audits are conducted in the field setting at actual sites being surveyed by experienced bioassessment crews. This activity is time intensive since it requires one CDFW auditor to work with one crew at a time and would require travel and a full day to complete. At least one and possibly two audits; one in the beginning of the field season and one mid-season, will be conducted for each crew. Audits are a requirement for any SWAMP bioassessment project but could also be requested by an corporate field crew for internal QA/QC, or could be a requirement for a permit or project that include bioassessments.

• Request for Field Audit (TBA)

Collection Permit

A Scientific Collecting Permit is required to collect invertebrates for scientific, education, and non-commercial propagation purposes. Information on how to apply for a Scientific Collecting Permit is on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website (access using Internet Explorer 9 currently not supported).