Standard operating procedure (SOP) manuals are very important tools used at the Division of Water (DOW) to describe specific methods employed in all aspects of water quality monitoring. These SOPs are used in-house but are available in PDF format for download.

"Biological Methods for Assessing Biological Integrity of Surface Waters in Kentucky" -- This document outlines procedures on how to collect and assess macroinvertebrates, fish and algae to determine the biological health of streams. This file includes the main document and the appendices.

The Kentucky Index of Biotic Integrity (KIBI) -- This document outlines a multimetric index that uses fish as the bioindicator for assessing stream health. Following the sampling protocol outlined in the biological monitoring SOP, the KIBI provides a numerical value and corresponding narrative classification for headwater and wadeable streams. An Excel KIBI template has been established to simplify the calculation process. An overview of the KIBI document and template is also available in a Microsoft Word format.

The Kentucky Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment Index -- This is the document referenced in the water quality standards regulations and is used to make macroinvertebrate assessments statewide.

A Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment Index (MBI) for Headwater Streams of the Eastern Coalfield Region, Kentucky -- This document delineates the methods DOW uses to assess streams for macroinvertebrates in the Eastern Kentucky coalfield region.

The use of organisms called diatoms are also used for biological water quality assessments. An SOP document outlining a DBI, or Diatom Bioassessment Index methodology, is in progress.

Kentucky Ambient/Watershed Water Quality Monitoring Standard Operating Procedure Manual -- This manual describes how water samples are collected, preserved and delivered to a laboratory for analysis.