Field Services
Water Quality Monitoring
OEWRI is a leader in stream sampling, trend analysis, and water quality data interpretation in southwest Missouri. OEWRI provides expert advice and technical support to watershed groups, local communities, and private businesses to help plan and implement baseline and regulatory water quality monitoring programs. The Institute is equipped to cover a wide range of monitoring services such as 319 watershed projects, TMDL monitoring programs, and catchment runoff studies.
Stream Stability and Sedimentation
Research on the physical characteristics of streams of all sizes is needed to develop models of channel form and behavior that can be used for management purposes to address bank erosion and sedimentation problems in the Ozarks. OEWRI focuses its physical river research efforts in three areas: channel morphology, long-term channel dynamics, and sediment contaminant dispersal. Subsurface investigations and remote sensing methods are used in these studies to understand the response of watersheds and river systems to climate change and historical human disturbances.
Soil and Water Conservation Practices
OEWRI is involved with efforts to develop effective soil and water conservation practices for both urban and agricultural areas in the Ozarks. Urban projects include the evaluation of soil conditions and runoff characteristics for low impact developments, identifying causes of bed and bank erosion in urban streams, and understanding nutrient mobility in residential lawns. Agricultural conservation initiatives include studies on the mobility of potential contaminants after field treatments with biosolids.
Biomonitoring
OEWRI uses biomonitoring methods to evaluate the impacts of natural disturbance and human activities on river and lake biota. Projects involve surveys of macroinvertebrates, mussels, plankton, chlorophyll, and algae in streams and lakes. Biomonitoring surveys are used to compliment water quality studies if information on ecological impacts is required. In addition, OEWRI supports total-coliform and E. coli monitoring activities and microbial source tracking in Ozark watersheds.
Water Supply Vulnerability
OEWRI is involved with regional committees and research initiatives to better understand water supply vulnerability in the Ozarks. Population growth and land use change in the region are straining water resources due to water shortages, nonpoint pollution, waste water and septic field releases, and water rights issues. OEWRI is presently involved with several community and regional initiatives to evaluate water supply problems in the southwest Missouri including the role that new infrastructure, conservation, and climate change may play on future supplies and economic growth. In addition, OEWRI is often included on emergency evaluation teams for sinkhole collapse and flood damage in Greene and Christian Counties, Missouri.
Field Equipment
| Equipment | Uses |
Standard Operating Procedure |
User Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Oxford X-Met 3000TX Portable XRF Analyzer |
Measuring trace elements in soil and sediment | SOP_XRF_XMET3000TXS_Handheld_2007.pdf | User Guide |
|
Oakton® pH 5+ Handheld pH Meter |
Measures pH and Temperature in potable, surface, and wastewater | User Guide | |
|
Traceable® Portable Conductivity Meter with Calibration |
Determination of conductivity in potable, surface, and wastewater | User Guide | |
|
Trimble® Geo 7X Handheld; Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) |
High-accuracy surveying, point calculations, graphical staking of points, lines, arc, alignments | User Guide | |
|
Topcon AT-G4 and AT-G6 Auto Levels |
High-accuracy surveying, data logging | SOP_Total_Station_New_Topcon_GPT7500Unofficial_2020.pdf | User Guide |
|
Bad Elf GNSS Surveyor |
High-accuracy (within one meter) positioning, surveying, mapping, agriculture activities | SOP_Bad_Elf_Static_Positioning_2019.pdf | User Guide |
|
YSI Professional Plus Instrument |
Measurement of DO, SC, pH, and Cl | SOP-010-DO, T, SC, and pH using YSI (2023) | User Guide |
|
Optical DO Probe |
Measurement of Dissolved Oxygen | ||
|
Giddings Soil Probe |
Hydraulic soil sampling, coring, and drilling | ||
|
Handheld Coring Devices |
Collect sediment and soil cores | ||
|
Depth-integrated Water Quality Samplers |
Sampling entire water column | SOP_Water_Sample_Collection_Procedures_Nalgene1100_2010.pdf SOP_Water_Sample_Collection_Procedures_2007.pdf |
|
|
Watercraft |
Access to streams, rivers, and lakes |