Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Field Sampling Procedures
On this page:
Surface Water
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Adobe Reader.
National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data Standard methods for the field analysis of water samples.
Field Operations Manual for Wadeable Streams
Guidelines and standardized procedures for evaluating the biological integrity of surface waters of streams.
California Salmonid Stream Habitat Restoration Manual
Standard methods for salmonid stream habitat restoration.
Beneficial Use Field Manual for Streams (PDF) (186pp, 3M) 
Guidance for stream monitoring and data collection activities (Idaho Dept of Environmental Quality)
California Rapid Assessment Method
A standardized, cost-effective tool for assessing the health of wetlands and riparian habitats.
Hawaii Stream Bioassessment Protocol (PDF)
This manual provides technical details for Version 3.01 of the Hawaii Stream Bioassessment
Protocol (HSBP) methodology for assessment and monitoring of Hawaiian streams
SWAMP Quality Assurance Procedures
Quality assurance procedures for the State of California Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program.
The Volunteer Monitor's Guide Home Page
Guidance for monitoring streams, lakes, estuaries and wetlands.
Water on the Web
On line primers for lake, stream ecology and watersheds.
SGS/ Water Supply Paper 2175. Measurement and Computation of Stream Flow
Ground Water
Ground Water investigations guidance
Emergency Response team Soil Gas and Ground Water Field Test Procedures (PDF) (89 pp, 871K)
Provides an assortment of standard operating procedures for ground water and soil gas sampling.
RCRA Groundwater Monitoring (PDF) (236 pp, 1.9M)
This manual describes procedures that the Agency believes are the most appropriate for designing, installing and operating a ground water monitoring system. Although originally intended for use in RCRA detection monitoring, this guidance may be applied to more general ground water monitoring use.
Handbook of Suggested Practices for the Design and Installation of Groundwater Monitoring Wells (PDF) (224 pp, 5.32 M) Guide to the installation and design of ground water monitoring wells for environmental investigations.
Groundwater sampling guidelines for Superfund and RCRA Project Managers (PDF)
Sampling guidelines for the proper collection of well-water samples for laboratory chemical analysis.
Field Filtration Guidance (PDF) (17 pp, 1.37M)
Field filtration guidance for ground water samples collected for metals analysis
Guidance Manuals for Ground Water Investigations (California Dept of Toxics Substances Control)
Useful guidance provided by the State of California concerning field procedures such as aquifer testing, borehole geophysics, drilling, core sampling and logging procedures.
Geophysical techniques at Contaminated Sites (PDF) (304 pp, 1.6M)
General guidance for conducting geophysical investigations.
EPA Technology Innovation Program Guidance on Diffusion Bag Samplers
Characterization and Monitoring technology tools
Technical Guidelines for Collection of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Concentrations in Soil and Solid Matrices (PDF) (10 pp, 50K) Provides recommended procedures for the collection of soil samples for volatile organic analysis in EPA's Pacific Southwest Region. Updated December 2005
Statistical Methods in Water Resources (PDF) (524 pp, 7.5M)
Statistical methods for the analysis of water resources data.
Subsurface Characterization and Monitoring Techniques: A Desk Reference Guide
Field methods for characterizing, sampling and monitoring the subsurface saturated and unsaturated zones
at contaminated waste sites.
- Volume 1: Solids and Ground Water Appendices A and B
- Volume 2: The Vadose Zone, Field Screening and Analytical Methods Appendices C and D
Superfund Program Representative Sampling Guidance
Statistical guidance for sampling design
- Vol. 1 (soil) (PDF) (55 pp, 1.08M)
- Vol. 2 (air) (PDF) (75 pp, 1.08M)
- Vol. 3 (biological) (PDF) (66 pp, 788K)
- Vol. 4 (waste) (PDF) (58 pp, 960K)
- Vol. 5 (water/sediment) (PDF) (117 pp, 1.60M)
- Vol. 5, Part II (groundwater) (PDF) (57 pp, 983K)
| Region 9 NewsroomRegion 9 Programs | Grants & FundingUS-Mexico Border | Media CenterCareers | About Region 9A-Z Index |