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SWAMP - Field Methods Course Available on YouTube

California’s Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) is now offering the entire SWAMP Field Methods Course on YouTube. Modules 1-6 of this Field Methods Course were released November 1, 2005; and none of these first 6 modules have been updated since then. Module 7 - Biological and Physical Assessments’, developed in 2012, is also be available on Youtube. Expanded and updated SWAMP field procedures are located online.  Module 7 and these field procedures cover algae also; along with updates to many of the field bioassessment procedures found in this field methods course.   These updated procedures and field data sheets can be accessed on our Bioassessments Standard Operating Procedures Website.

Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) Field Methods Course

The first six modules of the SWAMP Field Methods Course, as well as the field course common elements of  health & safety, quality assurance, representativeness (of the samples being collected for the river, creek, lake, etc.), and information management were developed in 2005.  This course also includes the more recently developed (in 2012) Module 7, ‘Biological (macroinvertebrates or ‘bugs’ & algae) and Physical Assessments’, which is also available on YouTube. Module 7 includes the following topics:  7.1 Introduction to Module 7; 7.2 Preparation; 7.3 Reach delineation; 7.4 Water Quality Assessments; 7.5 Collection of biological samples; 7.6 Physical characteristics and substrate features; 7.7 Evaluation of riparian, habitat, and channel conditions; 7.8 Ambient flow; 7.9 Post-Sampling Activities & 7.10 Closure.

Modules 1-6 of this field methods course, available now on Youtube include; 'Reconnaissance' of your field monitoring site, 'Water Quality Measurements', 'Flow Measurements', 'Water Sampling', 'Sediment Sampling', and 'Sample Handling & Shipping'. Again, common elements for all 7 modules are available also now on YouTube; including Common Element A – Health & Safety; Element B – Quality Assurance; Element C – Representativeness & Element D - Information Management.