ASTM_F_1687_-_09.pdf

Designation:F168709Standard Guide forTerminology and Indices to Describe Oiling Conditions onShorelines1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1687;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide covers the standardized terminology andtypes of observational data and indices appropriate to describethe quantity,nature,and distribution of oil and physical oilingconditions on shorelines that have been contaminated by an oilspill.1.2 This guide does not address the mechanisms and fieldprocedures by which the necessary data are gathered;nor doesit address terminology used to describe the cultural resource orecological character of oiled shorelines,spill monitoring,orcleanup techniques.1.3 This guide applies to marine shorelines(includingestuaries)and may also be used in freshwater environments(rivers and lakes).1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2F1686 Guide for Surveys to Document and Assess OilingConditions on Shorelines3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 asphalt pavementa naturally formed cohesive mix-ture of weathered oil and sediments.Sediments in the mixtureare usually in the sand/granule/pebble size range.Inappearance,natural asphalt pavement may resemble the mix-ture artificially created to surface roads.3.1.2 shore zonesthe land-water interface is typicallysubdivided into across-shore zones as follows:Tidal EnvironmentsLower Intertidal Zonethe lower approximate one-third of the intertidal zoneMid Intertidal Zonethe middle approximate one-third of the intertidal zoneUpper Intertidal Zonethe upper approximate one-third of the intertidal zoneSupra-Tidal Zonethe area above the mean high tide that occasionallyexperiences wave activity;also known as the splash zoneNon-Tidal and Lake EnvironmentsLower Swash Zonethe area between the mean annual water level and thelowest annual water level,the lower approximate one-half of the zone ofwave activityUpper Swash Zonethe area between the highest annual water level and themean annual water level;the upper approximate one-half of the zone ofwave activitySupra-Swash Zonethe area above the highest annual water level thatoccasionally experiences wave activity,for example,during a surge ora storm eventRiver EnvironmentsLower Bankexposed only during low flow conditionsMidstreamareas exposed in a channel that are separated from the river bankUpper Bankunder water only during bank-full river stageOverbankflood plain-inundated only by over-bank flow duringflood conditions3.1.3 weathered oilthe oil that has had an alteration ofphysical or chemical properties,or both,through naturalprocesses such as evaporation,dissolution,oxidation,emulsification,and biodegradation.4.Significance and Use4.1 In order to ensure data consistency,it is important to usestandardized terminology and definitions in describing oilingconditions.3This guide provides a template for that purpose.4.2 Data on oiling conditions at a shoreline are needed toprovide an accurate perspective of the nature and scale of theoiling problem and to facilitate spill-response planning anddecision making.Data on oiling conditions would be used inassessing the need for cleanup actions,selecting the most1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F20 on HazardousSubstances and Oil Spill Responseand is the direct responsibility of SubcommitteeF20.17 on Shoreline Countermeasures.Current edition approved Oct.1,2009.Published October 2009.Originallyapproved in 1996.Last previous edition approved in 2003 as F1687 97(2003).DOI:10.1520/F1687-09.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Owens,E.H.and Sergy,G.A.,The SCAT Manual:A Field Guide to theDocumentation and Description of Oiled Shorelines,Second Edition,EnvironmentCanada,Edmonton,AB,2000.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 appropriate response technique(s),determining priorities forcleanup,and evaluating the endpoint of cleanup activities.4,54.3 Mechanisms by which data are collected may vary(seeGuide F1686).They may include aerial video surveys orground-level assessment surveys.The composition and respon-sibility of the surve