TM98-10 National Water Quality Laboratory, Biological Unit availability to process benthic Macroinvertebrate samples for the Water Resources Division

The National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) and the National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) are pleased to announce that the NWQL Biological Unit (BU) is now available to process benthic macroinvertebrate samples for the Water Resources Division (WRD). The BU was originally set up and has been fully supported by NAWQA since 1993. In February 1997, the BU was reorganized and aligned with the NWQL Production Program for internal operational consistency. Since then, the BU benthic macroinvertebrate staff has worked closely with NAWQA and National Research Program personnel to streamline benthic macroinvertebrate sample processing and data release. These efforts have resulted in elimination of the FY94 NAWQA backlog and the subsequent ability to devote 25 percent of the BU benthic macroinvertebrate resources to other WRD samples. Samples will be processed in the order they are received within a maximum six month turnaround time. We expect the demand for benthic macroinvertebrates to increase about 10 percent each year over the next few years and that the BU will operate on a reimbursable basis by FY02. This memorandum provides WRD customers with an overview of the BU benthic macroinvertebrate staff and descriptions and prices for benthic macroinvertebrate sample processing packages offered by the BU.