Publication Summary

This is the quality assurance plan for the project, Wenatchee and Mid-Columbia Basins, Impact of Copper Use on Receiving Waters.

Each study conducted by the Washington State Department of Ecology must have an approved Quality Assurance Project Plan. The plan describes the objectives of the study and the procedures to be followed to achieve those objectives. After completion of the study, a final report describing the study results will be posted to the Internet.

The Washington State Department of Ecology regulates irrigation discharge of copper herbicides through a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. The permit requires the irrigation discharger to monitor copper in surface water where the discharge enters natural waters.

This study will conduct surface water and sediment monitoring to measure background copper concentrations above the Wenatchee and Columbia Irrigation Project areas, downstream of major discharges (near outfall of Shop Spillway and PE16.4), and downstream of the irrigation project area. Sample timing is structured to maximize information gained from irrigation operations. This involves sampling at the end of the irrigation season (October/November 2007), at the beginning of irrigation operations (March 2008), and two times during the maximum copper herbicide-use season (June and August 2008). Results will be compared to Washington State water quality standards and sediment toxicity screening criteria.

Link to EIM data for User Study ID CBUR0007