Water Quality 
The SFAN has many unique aquatic resources that are significant in an ecological and economic context. Freshwater systems within the network support a variety of threatened and endangered species including the California freshwater shrimp (Syncharis pacifica), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), the California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii), and Northwest Pond Turtle (Clemmys marmorata marmorata). Beneficial uses of freshwater bodies include contact recreation and non-contact recreation, fish spawning and migration, agricultural water supply, and wildlife habitat. According to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, non-contact recreation includes activities like hiking and sightseeing; therefore, most streams within the parks must minimally meet the non-contact criteria for indicator bacteria. Freshwater quality also has direct impact on several other indicators including: Marine water quality, stream T&E species and fish assemblages, T&E amphibian and reptiles, riparian habitat, wetlands, and aquatic macroinvertebrates
Monitoring ObjectivesDetermine variability and long term trends in water quality through monthly summaries of select parameters (water temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, nitrate, ammonia, flow, fecal and total coliforms), at selected sites in priority freshwater streams within SFAN. Determine the existing ranges and diurnal variability of water temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen at selected sites in priority streams within SFAN. Determine the extent that selected sites in priority streams within SFAN meet federal and state water quality criteria for fecal indicator bacteria, un-ionized ammonia, dissolved oxygen, and pH through monthly sampling. Determine the annual, seasonal, and 30-day mean fecal coliform load to Tomales Bay (an impaired water body) from Olema Creek as required by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board's Tomales Bay Pathogen TMDL Program. |
Reports and ResourcesFreshwater Quality Monitoring Report - 2007 USGS Level 1 Water Quality Report of Baseline Levels of Pesticides for GGNRA and Presidio Freshwater Quality Monitoring Protocol Appendix H: Standard Operating Procedures Water Quality Monitoring Executive Briefing Contact Information
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Monitoring ProtocolThe approved SFAN Freshwater Quality Protocol calls for the collection of up to 542 samples from nine priority streams and their tributaries during each of the first two years of implementation. Most of these samples will be collected as part of monthly sampling visits to each priority watershed. These samples will be supplemented by the collection of a set of samples from a storm event in several priority watersheds. Ideally all sites within a given watershed are sampled on the same day (and at the same time for each monthly sampling event in order to limit diurnal variation) or during the same storm event. Sites should represent inputs from all areas of the watershed (i.e., all major tributaries), capture the most downstream site within NPS property, and be permanent long-term sites (considering access). The Servicewide Inventory and Monitoring Program calls for required monitoring of all basic “Level 1” Water Quality Parameters. Required “Level 1” parameters include: flow, pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and temperature (NPS, 2002). Table 1.0 shows the parameters of interest for SFAN priority streams and those that will be collected from all proposed sites during the first two years of monitoring. Water quality sampling methods will primarily follow the National Field Manual for the Collection of Water Quality Data but EPA methods will also be consulted.
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