D-96A1 Sediment Sampler

The US D-96-A1 is a collapsible-bag suspended-sediment/water-quality sampler capable of collecting a 3-liter sample. It is 35 in long, weighs 82 lbs, and has a hollow cavity inside the sampler body. It is fabricated from aluminum and bronze castings with a high-density polyethylene tail. All metal parts are plastic coated. The sampler employs a sliding tray that supports the bag and holds the nozzle holder with nozzle in place. The bag is attached to the nozzle holder with a hook-and-loop strap. The sampler uses a plastic or TFE nozzle and a plastic or PFA bag as the sample container. The US D-96-A1 meets the protocol for water-quality sampling as outlined in the USGS’s National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data. The sampler is protected by US Patent No. 6,216,549 B1.

The US D-96-A1 sampler will collect acceptable flow-weighted samples in stream velocities ranging from 2 to 6 ft/sec. The US D-96-A1 sampler is theoretically capable of sampling to a depth of 39 ft with a 5/16-in internal diameter nozzle, 60 ft with a 1/4-in internal diameter nozzle, and 110 ft with a 3/16-in internal diameter nozzle. However, in field use in streams with high velocities, obtainable sampling depths will likely be less than theoretical due to the large drift angle created by the sampler in high stream velocities. The unsampled zone using the US D-96-A1 sampler is 4 in.