U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Data Series 1012

Prepared in cooperation with Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Macroinvertebrate Community Sample Collection Methods 

and Data Collected from Sand Creek and Medano Creek, 

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, 

2005–07
Cover. Sand Creek approximately 150 meters below Upper Sand Creek Lake, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, 

Saguache County, Colorado, June, 21, 2004. Photograph by Robert E. Zuellig, U.S. Geological Survey.
Macroinvertebrate Community Sample 

Collection Methods and Data Collected 

from Sand Creek and Medano Creek, 

Great Sand Dunes National Park and 

Preserve, Colorado, 2005–07

By Morgan A. Ford, Robert E. Zuellig, David M. Walters, and James F. Bruce

Prepared in cooperation with Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 

Data Series 1012

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

SALLY JEWELL, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2016

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living 

resources, natural hazards, and the environment—visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS.

For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, 

visit http://store.usgs.gov.

Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Government.

Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials 

as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.

Suggested citation:

Ford, M.A., Zuellig, R.E., Walters, D.M., and Bruce, J.F., 2016, Macroinvertebrate community sample collection methods 

and data collected from Sand Creek and Medano Creek, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, 

2005–07: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 1012, 3 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds1012.

ISSN 2327-638X (online)
iii

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Methods...........................................................................................................................................................1

Sample Collection.................................................................................................................................1

Laboratory Processing.........................................................................................................................1

References Cited............................................................................................................................................3

Figure

1. Map showing Sand Creek and Medano Creek site locations where invertebrate 

samples were collected between June 2005 and July 2007, Great Sand Dunes 

National Park and Preserve, Colorado......................................................................................2

Table

1. Description of sites, samples, and macroinvertebrate data collected from 

selected locations along Sand Creek and Medano Creek between 2005 and 2007, 

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado................................................ link

Conversion Factors

Multiply By To obtain

Length

micrometer (μm) 0.003937 inch (in)

millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch (in.)

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.)

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft)

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)

Area

square centimeter (cm2) 0.001076 square foot (ft2)

square meter (m2) 10.76 square foot (ft2) 

Volume

milliliter (L) 33.81402 ounce, fluid (fl. oz)

Datum

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 

(NAVD 88).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

Abbreviations

NWQL National Water Quality Laboratory

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

Macroinvertebrate Community Sample Collection Methods 

and Data Collected from Sand Creek and Medano Creek, 

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, 

2005–07

By Morgan A. Ford, Robert E. Zuellig, David M. Walters, and James F. Bruce

Methods

Sample Collection

A total of 105 semiquantitative samples were collected 

on five occasions from seven sites between June 2005 and 

July 2007 (table 1, fig. 1). On each sampling occasion, three 

discrete samples were collected from riffle areas at each site 

using a Surber sampler equipped with 500-micrometer (μm) 

mesh and a 1-square-foot (ft2)sampling grid following the 

general operating procedures described by Klemm and others 

(1990, Section 5.7.6, p. 52). The volume of each discrete 

sample was reduced in the field by elutriation and sieving 

(500-μm-mesh metal sieve) until the sample volume was 

less than 500 milliliters (mL). All samples were preserved in 

the field using 80-percent ethyl alcohol and stored at Colorado 

State University until they were transported to the USGS 

Aquatic Experimental Taxonomic Laboratory in Fort Collins, 

Colorado, for sample processing and taxonomic identification.

Laboratory Processing

All macroinvertebrates were removed from each sample 

following general procedures described by Klemm and others 

(1990, Section 6.4.1, p. 97). Each sample was rinsed and 

size-fractionated using nested, 4-millimeter (mm) and 500-μm 

standard test sieves. Each fraction was submerged in water 

and spread evenly along the bottom of one or more white 

plastic trays (each measuring 33.02×40.64×6.35 centimeters 

[cm]), leaving at least 50 percent of the tray bottom 

uncovered. Organisms were removed from each sample 

fraction using a 2.25X magnifying lamp. All individuals were enumerated and identified to the lowest practical 

taxonomic level using available keys (Andersen and others, 

2013; Merritt and others, 2008; Stewart and Stark, 2002; 

Thorp and Covich, 2001; Wiggins, 1998), which was genus 

Abstract

This report provides a table of site descriptions, sample 

information, and semiquantitative aquatic macroinvertebrate 

data from 105 samples collected between 2005 and 2007 

from 7 stream sites within the Sand Creek and Medano Creek 

watersheds in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, 

Saguache County, Colorado. Additionally, a short description 

of sample collection methods and laboratory sample processing procedures is presented. These data were collected in 

anticipation of assessing the potential effects of fish toxicants 

on macroinvertebrates.

Introduction

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation 

with Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, conducted 

an extensive inventory of mayfly (Ephemeroptera), stonefly 

(Plecoptera), and caddisfly (Trichoptera) species of the Sand 

Creek watershed (Zuellig and others, 2006). While conducting the initial Sand Creek watershed inventory (Zuellig and 

others, 2006), continuing through 2007, additional semiquantitative benthic samples were collected from selected 

sites in Sand Creek and from neighboring Medano Creek. 

The original survey data (Zuellig and others, 2006) and the 

supplementary data presented in this report were collected in 

anticipation of assessing the potential effects of fish toxicants 

on macroinvertebrates.

This report includes a table of site descriptions, sample 

information, and semiquantitative stream macroinvertebrate 

data collected between 2005 and 2007 from seven stream locations within the Sand Creek and Medano Creek watersheds, 

in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (fig. 1). Additionally, a short description of sample collection methods and 

laboratory sample processing procedures is presented.
2 Macroinvertebrate Community Sample Collection Methods and Data Collected from Sand Creek and Medano Creek

Figure 1. Sand Creek and Medano Creek site locations where invertebrate samples were collected between June 2005 and 

July 2007, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado.

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 KILOMETERS

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 MILES

EXPLANATION

Sampling site

2 Site number listed in table 1 

105°40' 105°35' 105°30'

37°55'

37°50'

37°45'

37°40'

GREAT SAND DUNES

NATIONAL PARK

GREAT SAND DUNES 

NATIONAL PRESERVE

2

12

13

4

33

32 30

Sand Creek

Medano Creek

Map area

Denver

COLORADO

Base from U.S. Geological Survey

Albers Equal-Area Projection Datum NAD27

Standard parallels 37°30'N and 38°30'N

Central meridian 106°30'W
References Cited 3

for most groups (Coleoptera, Diptera, Ephemeroptera, 

Platyhelminthes, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), family for some 

(adult Ephemeroptera, adult Plecoptera, adult Trichoptera), 

and phylum (Oligochaeta), class (Hirudinea and Nematoda), 

or subclass (Acari) for others.

All Chironomidae were sorted by similar morphological features (morphotype) and slide-mounted using the 

semipermanent mounting media, CMC–10 (Master Company, 

Inc., Wood Dale, Illinois). For individuals larger than 5 mm in 

length, specimens’ heads were removed and mounted separately to facilitate identification. All individuals were mounted 

vertically under a coverslip (usually no more than 10 specimens per group), ventral side up, with two coverslips per slide. 

When the abundance of a specific morphotype group was 

greater than 50 individuals, 10 percent were slide-mounted, 

identified, and the taxonomic name applied to all individuals 

in the associated group.

Additionally, a voucher collection of unique taxa 

encountered among all samples was prepared and verified by 

the Biological Group of the USGS National Water Quality 

Laboratory (NWQL) in Denver, Colorado. The NWQL also 

evaluated sorting efficiency by re-sorting remnants of 10 percent of the samples using the methods described earlier for 

10 percent of original processing time. Re-sorting results 

indicated that samples exceeded 95-percent sorting efficiency and that identifications in the voucher collection were 

in agreement.

References Cited

Andersen, Trond, Cranston, P.S., and Epler, J.H., eds., 2013, 

Chironomidae of the Holarctic Region: Keys and diagnoses—

Larvae: Insect Systematics and Evolution, Supplement no. 66, 

573 p.

Klemm, D.J., Lewis, P.A., Fulk, Florence, and Lazorchak, J.M., 

1990, Macroinvertebrate field and laboratory methods for 

evaluating the biological integrity of surface waters: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development report EPA/600/4–90/030.

Merritt, R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B., eds., 2008, An 

introduction to the aquatic insects of North America (4th ed.): 

Kendall Hunt, 1,158 p.

Stewart, K.W., and Stark, B.P., 2002, Nymphs of North American 

stonefly genera (Plecoptera) (2d ed.): The Caddis Press, 510 p.

Thorp, J.H., and Covich, A.P., eds., 2001, Ecology and classification of North American freshwater invertebrates (2d ed.): 

Academic Press, 911 p.

Wiggins, G.B., 1998, Larvae of the North American Caddisfly 

Genera (Trichoptera) (2d ed.): University of Toronto Press, 

457 p.

Zuellig, R.E., Kondratieff, B.C., Ruiter, D.E., and Thorp, R.A., 

2006, An annotated list of the mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies of the Sand Creek Basin, Great Sand Dunes National 

Park and Preserve, Colorado, 2004 and 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 183.
Manuscript approved July 28, 2016

Publishing support provided by:

Denver Publishing Service Center, Denver, Colorado

Lafayette Publishing Service Center, Lafayette, Louisiana

For more information concerning this publication, contact:

Director

U.S. Geological Survey

Fort Collins Science Center

2150 Centre Ave. Building C

Fort Collins, CO 80526-8118

Phone: (970) 226-9100

Fax: (970) 226-9230

https://www.fort.usgs.gov/

Director

U.S. Geological Survey

Colorado Water Science Center

Denver Federal Center, MS-415

Building 53

Denver, CO 80225

Phone: (303) 236-6901

Fax: (303) 236-4912

http://co.water.usgs.gov/

This publication is available online at:

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds1012
Zuellig and others—Macroinvertebrate Community Sample Collection Methods and Data Collected from Sand Creek and Medano Creek—Data Series 1012

ISSN 2327-638X (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds1012