Assessing the Biological Health of Freshwater Ecosystems

Studying freshwater invertebrates since 1984

Aquatic Biology Associates is the longest established independent laboratory in western North America providing consulting services for aquatic invertebrates. By choice, Aquatic Biology Associates remains a small lab so we can give personal attention to all phases of your project. We help clarify project objectives and assess your data needs to deliver cost-effective quality results.

Robert Wisseman, Senior Scientist, is closely involved in developing national and state bioassessment protocols for evaluating the health and integrity of freshwater ecosystems. Mary Jo Wevers, CEO, has nearly five decades of experience working as an aquatic ecologist. 

About Us

Our Technical Services

We are experts in freshwater macroinvertebrate identification, having analyzed tens of thousands of macroinvertebrate samples from streams, rivers, springs, wetlands, ponds, and lakes throughout western North America and Hawaii.

Our technical services include field sampling, endangered invertebrate species surveys, quantitative analysis of macroinvertebrate communities, and fish and bird food web analysis. We provide statistical data analysis in a variety of formats, interpretation of results to meet your needs, and prepared reports.

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Our Experience

Aquatic Biology Associates has completed over one thousand projects from freshwater, terrestrial, and estuarine habitats in western North America, from the coast of the Arctic Ocean in Alaska and Canada south into Arizona.

Our projects have ranged from a single sample to over 1,000 samples in size. The U.S. EPA has retained us to consult on developing Biological Condition Gradient models for the Pacific Northwest and actively work on standard taxonomic effort issues in western North America through PNAMP and SAFIT.

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Work with us

Send us your samples for analysis. Following our guidelines and recommendations ensures the safe delivery of your samples, efficient and accurate processing by our lab, and high-quality results from our analysis.

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Testimonials

I’ve worked with Mary Jo Wevers at ABA for over 25 years. Throughout that time, ABA has provided excellent service and timely processing of aquatic macroinvertebrate samples while I was a manager of the biomonitoring section for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and for work I’ve performed as an independent consultant. Mary Jo and ABA have been a pleasure to work...
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Rick Hafele
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
I’ve worked with Mary Jo Wevers at ABA for over 25 years. Throughout that time, ABA has provided excellent service and timely processing of aquatic macroinvertebrate samples while I was a manager of the biomonitoring section for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and for work I’ve performed as an independent consultant. Mary Jo and ABA have been a pleasure to work with and continue to provide excellent service and results.
Rick Hafele
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
As a small volunteer group, the Cloud Peak Chapter of Wilderness Watch is especially grateful for the helpful, professional attitude of Aquatic Biology Associates. At the startup of our multi-year project, we needed detailed help in many ways, and ABA got us through all the steps from A to Z. ABA’s excellent reputation in the...
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Karen Ferguson
Cloud Peak Wilderness Watch
As a small volunteer group, the Cloud Peak Chapter of Wilderness Watch is especially grateful for the helpful, professional attitude of Aquatic Biology Associates. At the startup of our multi-year project, we needed detailed help in many ways, and ABA got us through all the steps from A to Z. ABA’s excellent reputation in the field of macroinvertebrate analysis also ensured acceptance of our data.
Karen Ferguson
Cloud Peak Wilderness Watch
I have been very pleased with the quality of work and customer service provided by Aquatic Biology Associates, Inc. My stream food-web studies have included benthic invertebrates, fish diets, and terrestrial invertebrate infall, and they have the expertise to handle all of types of samples. I have been very satisfied with the accuracy and timeliness of the data, and it has been ...
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Dave Rundio
Fisheries Biologist, National Marine Fisheries Service, California
I have been very pleased with the quality of work and customer service provided by Aquatic Biology Associates, Inc. My stream food-web studies have included benthic invertebrates, fish diets, and terrestrial invertebrate infall, and they have the expertise to handle all of types of samples. I have been very satisfied with the accuracy and timeliness of the data, and it has been extremely helpful to me to be able to talk directly to the person who has identified the samples when I have had questions or additional requests during the course of an ongoing project. Their high quality of work and customer support at reasonable prices provide excellent value.
Dave Rundio
Fisheries Biologist, National Marine Fisheries Service, California
We were very happy with the work ABA did for us. Their skill with the identification of invertebrates from a variety of sources is hard to match. They worked hard to meet our deadlines, provided results that were clear and easy to use, and helped us reorganize the results to ease interpretation for us.
Sayre Hodgson
Salmon Research Biologist, Nisqually Indian Tribe, Washington
We were very happy with the work ABA did for us. Their skill with the identification of invertebrates from a variety of sources is hard to match. They worked hard to meet our deadlines, provided results that were clear and easy to use, and helped us reorganize the results to ease interpretation for us.
Sayre Hodgson
Salmon Research Biologist, Nisqually Indian Tribe, Washington
I found ABA, Inc. very easy to deal with, competent, and reasonably priced. They were very flexible in terms of inputting our data into a web-based database, which they had not done before. They have been very accessible for help and advice through either the phone or email.
Mike Papa
Water Quality, City of Everett, Washington
I found ABA, Inc. very easy to deal with, competent, and reasonably priced. They were very flexible in terms of inputting our data into a web-based database, which they had not done before. They have been very accessible for help and advice through either the phone or email.
Mike Papa
Water Quality, City of Everett, Washington
Aquatic Biology Associates, Inc. has quantified the results of macroinvertebrate samples in the State of Idaho for two large USGS water quality projects: our Statewide Water Quality Network and the Boise River Water Quality and Biological Integrity Sampling Network. Since 1994 the USGS Idaho Water Science Center has received complete and accurate macroinvertebrate data that meet all of our data quality objectives for ...
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Dorene MacCoy
U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho
Aquatic Biology Associates, Inc. has quantified the results of macroinvertebrate samples in the State of Idaho for two large USGS water quality projects: our Statewide Water Quality Network and the Boise River Water Quality and Biological Integrity Sampling Network. Since 1994 the USGS Idaho Water Science Center has received complete and accurate macroinvertebrate data that meet all of our data quality objectives for very reasonable prices. Bob Wisseman has given us personal and professional assistance in identifying objectives for the use of macroinvertebrate data in our water quality studies as well as helped our office in reporting results. Bob is always available to answer any questions posed to him about our data. His lab has also provided quality assurance data to help identify sampling needs to reduce analytical error.
Dorene MacCoy
U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho
Submitting Samples