Comparison of water-quality samples collected by siphon samplers and automatic samplers in Wisconsin

Fact Sheet 067-00
By: , and 

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Abstract

In small streams, flow and water-quality concentrations often change quickly in response to meteorological events. Hydrologists, field technicians, or locally hired stream ob- servers involved in water-data collection are often unable to reach streams quickly enough to observe or measure these rapid changes. Therefore, in hydrologic studies designed to describe changes in water quality, a combination of manual and automated sampling methods have commonly been used manual methods when flow is relatively stable and automated methods when flow is rapidly changing. Auto- mated sampling, which makes use of equipment programmed to collect samples in response to changes in stage and flow of a stream, has been shown to be an effective method of sampling to describe the rapid changes in water quality (Graczyk and others, 1993). Because of the high cost of automated sampling, however, especially for studies examining a large number of sites, alternative methods have been considered for collecting samples during rapidly changing stream conditions. One such method employs the siphon sampler (fig. 1). also referred to as the "single-stage sampler." Siphon samplers are inexpensive to build (about $25- $50 per sampler), operate, and maintain, so they are cost effective to use at a large number of sites. Their ability to collect samples representing the average quality of water passing though the entire cross section of a stream, however, has not been fully demonstrated for many types of stream sites.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Comparison of water-quality samples collected by siphon samplers and automatic samplers in Wisconsin
Series title Fact Sheet
Series number 067-00
DOI 10.3133/fs06700
Year Published 2000
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Contributing office(s) Wisconsin Water Science Center
Description 4 p.
Country United States
State Wisconsin
County Dane
City Middleton
Other Geospatial Pheasant Branch Creek
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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