Centre County Pennsylvania Senior Environmental Corps

The key water monitoring parameters, like flow rate, pH, nitrates, macros, etc, have been identified for water quality purposes from earlier DEP and EASI direction. Thus, accurate and precise information is the goal for the CCPaSEC quality control (QC) program. Consistent water processing and complete water information is the QC objective here. The CCPaSEC data needs to be backed by a level of confidence so as to be useful for possible studies and decision making. The procedure is to measure, analyze, and record the data for Centre County and to support the results of this data with outside lab testing.

There are several parts of the QC program:

• Understanding - to teach the various tests to the members, so people develop knowledge of the process and the analytical capabilities

• Competence - to properly follow the documented monitoring guidelines, achieving accurate and consistent results

• Documentation - to manage and record the monitoring data for future interests

The quality control checks and measures are separated into two areas. The ‘internal' checks are done by members of the CCPaSEC quality control team. Samples are obtained along-side the regular team and analyzed at the same time. All work is done in the field. The ‘external' checks involve labs and technicians outside the CCPaSEC program. A control lab performs duplicate testing in the lab on split samples from the team's field operation. Since the labs do this type of work frequently, it is assumed that the lab results are ‘more correct' when comparing final numbers. Low variation is the targeted outcome.

There are several benefits to be realized with the program. When appropriate, the team can make decisions and can take actions with confidence, based on their discovered data. Improved process discipline can result in less time to perform the field testing and in fewer repeated analyses due to questionable first-time results. Quality assurance results in a more-likely increased use of the information by others.

CCPaSEC has established a Stream Problem Reporting Protocol to be followed by all teams when physical characteristics of the stream site, chemical parameters analyses or macroinvertebrate surveys detect findings of concern (out of the usual, not normal, or out of meter ranges). The protocol is available through the lnk below:

CCPaSEC Stream Problem Reporting Protocol.pdf (195 kb) July 2019

Procedure and Data Sheets for the yearly Quality Control Equipment Check (356 kb) January 2022

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CCPaSEC Quality Control Report for 2022 (1,320 kb) November 2022

Quality Control Equipment Check for 2022 (1,010 kb) January 2022

CCPaSEC Quality Control Report for 2021 (1,270 kb) February 2022

Quality Control Equipment Check for 2021 (337 kb) May 2021

Quality Control Equipment Check for 2020 (337 kb) January 2020

Quality Control Equipment Check for 2019 (363 kb) February 2019

CCPaSEC Quality Control Report for 2018 (573 kb) January 2019

Quality Control Equipment Check Procedure (381 kb) July 2018

Quality Control Equipment Check for 2018 (150 kb) February 2018

CCPaSEC Quality Control Report for 2017 (965 kb) December 2017

Quality Control Equipment Check Report (1.04 MB) January 2017

CCPaSEC Quality Control Report for 2016 (3.4 MB) December 2016

CCPaSEC Quality Assurance Project Plan (83 kb) February 2016

Quality Control Equipment Check (31 kb) January 2016

Sampling Process Design - Safety Procedures (30 kb) August 2015

Quality Control Equipment Check Procedure (236 kb) February 2015

2015 Quality Control Equipment Check Results (393 kb) February 2015

Quality Control Report for 2011(54 kb) March 2012

Data Comparisons Part 1: Team 2 & 8 (400 kb) March 2010

Alkalinity (38 kb) January 2008

Conductivity(37 kb) October 2007

Dissolved Oxygen Data Study (24 kb) March 2009

Nitrates( kb) November 2007

pH (38 kb) September 2007

The Red Cross has developed several mobile apps which may help when faced with an emergency situation during a monitoring event. These app descriptions and links to their download pages can be found at http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/mobile-apps. The downloads can be done through the Apple Apps Store and Google Play.

Ticks: As the number of ticks continues to climb in Pennsylvania, residents of Pennsylvania can send any ticks they have encountered to a tick lab to have the tick identified and also find out if the tick is infected with Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever for no charge. The lab will identify the tick for more infections for a fee. Fill out a form from the tick lab web site, place the tick in a plastic zip-lock bag and mail it by US mail. The results will come back in a week or so. The Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania web site is: https://www.ticklab.org.