The purpose of the Rush River Assessment Project (RRAP) is to delineate water quality problems, identify nonpoint pollution sources and evaluate necessary reductions in pollutant loading. Monitoring data will be utilized to determine load for bacteria, phosphorus, nitrogen and total suspended solids at each of the 5 primary monitoring sites. Water quality data will be used to determine priority areas for implementation activities. A hydrologic study will assess which areas in the watershed would be best for water retention.

Monitoring Parameters
Sampling parameters analyzed at primary and secondary sites include: total suspended solids, turbidity, total suspended volatile solids, total phosphorus, orthophosphorus, nitrate+nitrate-n, total kjeldahl nitrogen, fecal coliform bacteria, e. coli bacteria, chlorophyll a and conductivity. Download an overview of monitoring equipment (pdf 191k).

Monitoring Sites
A total of eight monitoring sites were selected for the 2003 to 2005 monitoring seasons. (Monitoring Site Map). Of the eight monitoring sites, five are designated as primary and three as secondary sites. The primary monitoring sites will be equipped with CR510 dataloggers and ultrasonic transducers to obtain a continuous stage record. In addition, an electronic rain gage will be installed at each of the five primary sites.

The three remaining sites are designated as secondary sites. Water quality samples will be collected at these sites but flow monitoring will not be performed. These sites will have staff gages installed to determine stage height.

Monitoring Schedule
The sampling season for project will be from April 1st (or ice out condition) through September 30 of each monitoring year. Baseline sampling will be conducted at minimum, 1 time per month, at the five primary monitoring sites in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Secondary sites will be sampled during baseflow on three to four occasions in 2003 and 2004. In addition, three or four baseflow samples will be collected at tertiary site 7RS, but only in 2003.

Snowmelt and storm runoff samples will be collected on approximately 10 to 15 occasions per year at the five primary monitoring sites. Five or six snowmelt and storm runoff samples will be collected at the secondary sites in 2003 and 2004. Five or six snowmelt and storm runoff samples will also be collected at tertiary site 7RS, but only in 2003.