Assessment Type: Assignment Marks:                        30

Due:                       See the Assignments page of the unit’s Canvas site

Introduction

A Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) documents the procedures and analytical requirements for sampling activities that are performed to collect environmental samples (soil, air, water or biological materials) and to determine whether these exceeding thresholds. The thresholds could be statutory requirements or guidelines.

What should be included in a basic SAP will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. However, most guidance on SAPs suggests the following elements should be included:

• The objectives of the sampling program
• Background on the site, including maps
• The types of samples to be collected (e.g., sediment, water…)
• Sample collection design (the spatial and temporal pattern of sampling)
• Methods
  • sample containers,
  • sampling devices and equipment,
  • sample preservation
  • equipment decontamination procedures,
  • sample handling procedures, and
  • reference to recognised protocols.
• Analytes of Concern
• Analytical Procedures, with reference to recognised protocols or standard methods
• Environmental Quality Guidelines (what guidelines or standards will be dapples be compared against to determine environmental acceptability)
• Disposal of Residual Materials
• Anticipated Cost
• Quality Assurance and Quality Control procedures

NB: You are not required to put all of these elements into your assignment. Keep reading for more information.

Your major assignment for the unit (Assignment 3, not this assignment) is to undertake a study to identify which of the Main Drains entering the Middle Swan and Canning sections of the Swan-Canning Estuary should be a priority for management (i.e., the priority drains). To do this, you would need to collect data

on the water quality of the drains and the water entering the Middle Swan and Canning sections of the estuary. This would normally be done through a monitoring programme, which would be described in a SAP.

The Assignment

For this assignment, you are required to produce a SAP that defines the sampling and analysis required to determine the water quality (nutrients and metals) of the main drains entering the Middle Swan and Canning sections of the Swan-Canning Estuary (Fig. 1), and to identify the drains which should be a priority for management attention.

WHAT YOUR SAP SHOULD CONTAIN:

• The objectives of the sampling;
• Define the study site;
• Outline the known environmental history of the study site;
• Outline the intended sampling design (spatial and temporal);
• State or refer to the field sampling methods;
• State the analytes of interest;
• State or refer to the laboratory analysis;
• Define any guidelines or standards that should guide the collection and analysis of samples; and
• Define any guidelines or standards that be used as criteria to assess water quality and identify priority drains for management attention.

Structure of the SAP

Using the SAP Guidelines (Australia) or the SAP Template (US EPA) as a guide for the structure of your SAP (see “Supporting Documents”, below).

Report length

Up to 20 A4 pages, single space (including figures and tables). References can be additional.

Supporting Documents

On the Canvas unit site, in the Assignment 2 page you will find a number of resources. Among these are:

• Guidance from an Australian Environmental Protection Authority on how to construct a SAP;

• Several examples of SAPs. These examples are largely for soil sampling but the concepts are applicable to air and water; and
• A template for a SAP from the US EPA (you are not required to use this template but it might give you some ideas of the sorts of things you should include in your SAP).
• The ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000)^· water quality guidelines.

Figure 1. Map of the Swan-Canning Estuary, showing the location of the Middle Swan and Canning sections of the estuary (in red boxes). Image from Nearmap.

• ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000). National Water Quality Management Strategy, Paper No. 4, Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality, volume 1, The guidelines (chapters 1–7), Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand, Canberra, Australia.

Assessment criteria

The marking for this assignment will be based on the satisfactory inclusion of the following components:

Presentation

• Structure of the SAP is clear, logical and contains the key components advised in the reference materials.

Content

• Objectives of the sampling are clearly articulated and feasible.
  • Historical sampling data and studies are appropriately referred to, summarised and referenced.
  • The types of samples to be collected are clearly explained.
  • The analytes are clearly listed.
  • The spatial and temporal design of the sampling is explained and is appropriate to meet the objectives.
  • The sampling methods are clearly and concisely explained or appropriate reference to reliable sources is provided.
  • Sample storage and preservation is described or appropriate reference to reliable sources is provided.
  • The laboratory analytical methods are clearly and concisely explained or appropriate reference to reliable sources is provided.
  • Standards or Guidelines that will be used for assessment of monitoring samples/data are clearly stated and their appropriateness is justified.

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