Page 52 - Freshwater-Biology-and-Ecology-Handbook

CHAPTER 1 4.5 – 4.6 4.5 Sampling site

selection within river
basins

Different surveys require
different survey designs.

Surveillance to monitor changes in status at a national
scale requires a different distribution of sites compared to
a programme to monitor impacts at high risk sites such as
major discharges or abstractions.
Operational monitoring to assess the performance of
management measures implemented at a local scale
will require a different network of sites compared to
operational monitoring to assess the impact of national
measures such as changes to chemical standards.

Investigative monitoring is likely to follow a BACI design
(BACI = before, after, control, impact) which, in rivers,
usually involves combinations of upstream control and
downstream impact sites. Investigative monitoring to
locate sources of pollution will be based on upstream-
downstream comparisons at successive sites.

4.6 Sampling site

selection within water

bodies

Sample sites are selected within

water bodies and are chosen
to represent the quality of that
water body as a whole.

The AQEM project provides a useful overview of the
considerations and rules important in the selection of
sampling sites. Much of this guidance is contained within
the AQEM Manual (16)

Figure 1.10
AQEM Manual

52 | Freshwater Biology and Ecology Handbook
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