A. PROJECT MANAGEMENT
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM PLAN
Water Quality Modeling and
GroundWATER and Surface Monitoring
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Protection Division
2013-17
GAEPD Watershed Monitoring Manager: ______(Original Signed & Dated)___________
(Elizabeth Booth) (Date)
GAEPD Database/GIS Officer: _____ _(Original Signed & Dated)___________
(Vacant) (Date)
GAEPD Quality Assurance Officer: ______ (Original Signed & Dated)____________ (Susan Salter) (Date)
FORWARD:
This document is the Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) Surface Water Modeling and Monitoring Projects. This QAPP applies to the collection and assessment of groundwater and surface water quality data by GAEPD for a five-year period (2013-2017). Annual addendums to this QAPP shall be provided to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Region IV and other users for any programmatic changes affecting the monitoring or modeling programs.
This five-year program QAPP shall be annually supplemented by project-specific water quality modeling and sampling plans that provide detailed information regarding individual project sampling design.
QAPP Format:
This QAPP has been prepared following the USEPA’s requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA QA/R-5, March 2001 and USEPA’s Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA QA/G-5, December 2002).
Document Availability:
The 2013-17 QAPP is available in electronic format (pdf, CD and GAEPD website:
www.gaepd.org/watershed.
Electronic and paper copies of this QAPP are available upon request. Requests should be submitted to Susan Ruff at 404-643-1507,
Susan.Ruff@dnr.ga.gov, or by mail at 2 MLK, Jr., Drive, S.W., Suite 1152, Atlanta, GA 30334.
Tables iv
Figures iv
Appendix iv
Acronyms and Abbreviations v
A1. Title and Approval Sheet 2
A2. Table of Contents 4
A3. Distribution List 10
A5. Problem Definition/Background 16
A6. Project/ Task Description and Schedule 17
A7.1 State the Problem 28
A7.2 Identify the Study Question 29
A7.4 Specify the Characteristics that Define the Population of Interest 29
A7.5 Develop the Strategy for Information Synthesis 30
A7.6 Specify Performance and Acceptance Criteria 31
A7.7 Optimize the Design for Obtaining and Generating Adequate Data or Information 32
A8. Monitoring Quality Objectives and Criteria 34
A8.1. Accuracy 37
A8.2. Precision 37
A8.3. Representativeness 38
A8.4. Completeness 38
A8.5. Comparability 38
A8.7. Holding Times 38
A8.8. Sensitivity 38
A8.9. Standard Protocols 39
A8.10. Performance Auditing 39
A9. Special Training Requirements/Certification Listed 39
A10.2. Laboratory Records 43
A10.3. Office Records 43
A10.4. Sampling Station Registration 44
A10.5. Documentation Protocols 44
A10.7. Data Archiving and Retrieval 44