Weather & Lake Sampling Protocol for Mohonk Preserve Climate Tracker Volunteers I. Started: Equipment a. A briefcase of sampling equipment and a graduated measuring stick are stored in the closet to your immediate right upon entering Room 7 of the Mohonk Mountain House. i. Bring the black graduated measuring stick stored in the closet out with you in order to check for precipitation. ii. The sampling case at all times: 1. Kemmerer Water Sampling Bottle 2. Thermometer 3. Wooden clipboard with paper lake sample and weather data sheets 4. A key to the weather box attached to a carabineer to the outside of the case 5. Four sets of three marked 250mL sampling bottles are stored in wooden boxes on the shelf of the storage closet. Procure a set of three bottles (marked S, 20, and 40) and place in sampling case before heading out to the lake at collection time. 1
II. III. Collection of Water Samples at Mohonk Lake a. Water samples from Mohonk Lake are collected twice daily i. (8:30 am and 4 pm) on weekdays ii. 4 pm on weekends and holidays b. The specimens are taken from a hatch in the floor of the boat house on the Mohonk Lake boat wharf at three depths: i. The surface ii. Depth of 20 ft iii. Depth of 40 ft. c. Note: At very busy times at the Mohonk Mountain House, we must be respectful and aware of the needs of Mountain House activity staff (particularly at the boat wharf) and guests, who we need to work around when obtaining lake samples. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation! d. Collect the surface sample by dipping a 250ml specimen bottle directly into the lake. Determine and record temperature to nearest half degree (F). i. Note: the surface sample is eliminated once the lake has reached 100% ice cover. e. Collect the 20 and 40 foot samples using a Kemmerer Water Sampler bottle. i. Make sure bottle is secured in the open position - grasp the blue stoppers at each end of the sampler bottle and pull gently outward in both directions until you hear the bottle click. The cylinder should remain open on both ends when held by the cord at vertical. ii. Lower the sampler to a depth of 20 feet by extending the cord to the first black mark. iii. Release the heavy brass messenger so that it slides down the cord and closes the stoppers to capture the sample in the bottle. iv. You should feel a light tug on the cord signaling that the bottle closed. v. Haul the sample to the surface, and grasping the shaft with one hand, use the other hand to turn the drain valve and decant the water into a 500ml specimen bottle. vi. Determine and record temperature on the lake form to the nearest half degree (F). vii. Return the drain valve to the closed position and repeat the procedure to collect the sample at 40 feet, this time lowering the cord to the second black mark before releasing the messenger. Measure Lake Height a. Lake height is measured once daily at 4 pm below the north end of the East Parlor Porch of the Mohonk Mountain House. 2
b. The measurement is taken from a notch in the steel beam parallel to the lake surface designated 0. c. Using a graduated measuring stick, measure the distance to the lake surface, either above or below the notch to the nearest ¼. d. Distance below the notch is indicated with a sign accompanying the measurement on the form. e. This will be recorded on BOTH lake and weather slips. IV. Measure Precipitation a. Precipitation in the form of rain or the liquid equivalent of snow, etc. is measured using a rain gauge located at the south end of the boat wharf. b. The rain gauge consists of a small brass cylinder nested within a larger brass cylinder. c. A screened funnel cap directs precipitation into the small cylinder where a measurement may be taken directly with the calibrated rain measuring stick to the nearest hundredth of an inch. d. A measurement less than 0.01 is recorded as a Trace (T). e. All liquid in the small cylinder should be discarded at the conclusion of the measurement. f. This is the official precipitation measurement reported on BOTH lake and weather slips. g. Note: It s a good idea to bring the black graduated measuring stick out with you to the lake at each session and check the gauge for precipitation. This will save you a trip back into the hotel in the event you do discover measurable precipitation! V. Weather Station Procedures a. Weather readings are taken at the same time each day (between 3:30 and 5pm) from a louvered weather box located next to the Counsel House beside Mohonk Lake. b. The key to the weather box is clipped to the lake sampling briefcase with a carabineer. c. The following readings are determined for the 24-hour period: i. Minimum Temperature ii. Maximum Temperature iii. Temperature at Observation iv. Note: Air Temperature is rounded to the nearest whole degree (F). d. Determine Minimum Daily Temperature. Looking at the top thermometer stored in horizontal position, take the reading from the right side of the floating dark glass index. e. Determine Maximum Daily Temperature. Release the catch holding the second thermometer at a slight angle so that it hangs down in vertical position. Record the top of the mercury as the maximum temperature. f. Determine Temperature at Observation. Give the hanging maximum thermometer a good spin, allowing it to turn on its axis. The centrifugal 3
motion will give you the reading for the temperature at the time of observation. g. Reset thermometers. Return the maximum thermometer to angled position by refastening the catch. Reset the minimum thermometer by tilting the right end down and allowing the black bar float (index) to settle within 1 degree of the at-observation temperature. Note: on the last four days of each month you will record this value as the Set Min on your form. Return the minimum thermometer to horizontal position. This configuration of mounted thermometers called the Townsend support, holds thermometers in the correct operation position and facilitates resetting. Minimum Alcohol-in-Glass Thermometer a dark glass index floats in the liquid. When temperature falls, the alcohol contracts and the index is dragged toward the bulb by the surface of the alcohol meniscus. When the temperature rises, alcohol expands and flows over, but the index remains fixed at the day s minimum. Maximum Mercury-in Glass Thermometer uses a bore construction with a constriction or kink near the base. As temperature climbs, the mercury column expands and rises, but is prevented from falling back down by this constriction in the thermometer, thus capturing the day s maximum. When the maximum thermometer is spun, the centrifugal motion pulls the mercury column down to the temperature at the time of observation. 4
VI. Completing the Lake Datasheets a. Use the following form to record lake ph and temperature: Record Zooplankton Count Content back at the lab ph for each depth is done back at the lab Record Temperature in Fahrenheit for Surface, 20 and 40 Smell the 40 sample to check for Hydrogen Sulfate. If the water smells like sulfur (rotten eggs), indicate here as Light, Moderate, or Strong. Typically only detected in late summer into fall. Record Lake Height in a - # This is measured with the black grad. Measuring stick 5
VII. Completing the Weather Datasheets Indicate progression of daily sky conditions here: Mostly a. Check box on form for occurrence of: i. Fog ii. Ice Pellets iii. Glaze iv. Thunder v. Hail vi. Damaging Wind b. Note in Remarks section i. Haze ii. Mist iii. Other Atmospheric Phenomena (rainbows, solar halos, sun dogs, etc) c. Precipitation i. Indicate the duration of a storm with: 1. A straight line for precipitation that is observed 2. A waved line for precipitation that was not observed, but estimated. ii. Shown below: rain estimated from 12 am-5 am, and observed from 5 am-11:30 am. iii. The official precipitation measurement determined at the rain gauge on the Mohonk Lake boat wharf is recorded in the box labeled Rain, Melted Snow on the form. 6
iv. A description of the precipitation type (heavy rain, drizzle, etc) may be recorded in the notes section. VIII. Procedures When You Return to the Daniel Smiley Research Center a. Acid Rain Study i. A rain collector is set up at the DSRC for the purpose of studying the acidity of rainfall and other precipitation. ii. Precipitation from each storm is tested for acidity periodically during a storm, typically twice daily at the standard weather and lake sampling times, or as convenient during or after an episode. iii. Decant precipitation sample from collection flask into bottle. If it is still raining at the time of collection, ensure that a collection container remains in position under the funnel to catch rain. iv. Indoors, measure the volume of the precipitation in ml. v. Pour the sample into a cup and proceed with ph testing as described below. vi. Record time of sampling, volume in ml, and ph on the Storm Log. A description of the storm (Rain, Thunder, Snow, Fog, Misting, etc) should be included in the Remarks column. b. ph Testing Lake Sample i. Calibrate ph meter. This procedure should be performed at least once daily using the 7.0 standard. Use the 7.0 standard for Mohonk Lake Samples. a. Lift the glass probe from the standby solution and rinse well with distilled water using the designated cup. b. Immerse the probe in the 7.0 standard solution (yellow) and switch the mode dial from the standby to the ph position. c. Wait for the meter to stabilize. If the meter does not read 7.0, adjust the standardize dial accordingly. d. Rinse the probe well once more with distilled water. ii. The 4.0 standard (pink) should be run prior to testing the ph of rain samples. To run the 4.0 standard, follow the same procedure described above, but use the % Slope dial to calibrate the meter. 7
c. Scan for Zooplankton i. Remove the cap of the surface sample and place in front of a light source. ii. Scan for movement. The hand lens may help in identifying the most common zooplankton: iii. Record tallies of each species in designated columns on the form, and repeat for other two samples. Daphnia (D) Small aquatic crustaceans with rounded bodies and a jerky swimming motion. Images: Left: E Ray Lankester. A Treatise of Zoology. Right: Paul Hebert, Functional Genomics Thickens the Biological Plot. Gewin V, PLoS Biology Vol. 3/6/2005, e219. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0030219 Copepods (C) Aquatic crustaceans with tapered, segmented bodies, long antennae, and forked tails that may appear red. Images: Left: A. Slotwinski/TAFI/UTAS; Right: Huy and Boxshall, 1991 Other Use this category for anything else observed in the sample. This might include mites, fleas, nematodes (worms), or small crustaceans. The most commonly observed other looks like a tiny red dot. 8
IX. Test the ph of water samples. a. Decant half of each of the surface, 20 foot, and 40 foot samples into the designated cups. b. Note: Smell the 40 foot water sample to check for Hydrogen Sulfate. Note the presence of a sulfur (rotten egg) smell as Light, Moderate, or Strong on the lake sample form on the line labeled H2S. H2S is typically only detected in late summer into fall. c. Place the probe into the first sample and set the dial to ph. Run until the meter stabilizes (stops rising or falling) and record the ph on the lake sample form. d. Repeat for additional samples. e. Rinse probe with distilled water before returning to standby solution. Ensure that the dial is turned back to standby for storage. Last Edited by C.Belardo 2016.01.29 9