Described here are the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for completing a biosurvey.

WVDEP has a Division that specializes in Stream Assessment. They determine whether streams meet the numeric and narrative criteria described in state code. Many citizens' watershed associations also carry out assessments. They often just want to know how a waterbody is doing, or if it is improving since the last assessment, or if new construction or the installation of new water treatment projects made the waterbody better or worse.

• Habitat Assessment Survey Data Sheet
• Habitat Assessment Overview

These SOPs are designed and intended for the assessment of wadeable streams; they consist of three basic elements:

• (1) Water chemistry analysis
• (2) Physical and habitat evaluations mostly by observations using the examples described on the survey data sheet
• (3) Collection and assessment of the macroinvertebrate community