This intensive (4-day) course combines classroom instruction with extensive field and laboratory training to prepare participants for Level 3 Quality Data Collector (QDC) certification in fish assessment and QHEI.
This course covers:
The Level 3 training that we offer is highly specialized and intended for already skilled practitioners who will be assessing the biology and habitat of Ohio streams and rivers on a regular basis as well as submitting that data to Ohio EPA.
Please contact MBI before attempting to register for the Level 3 training.
Register for an upcoming course or see our previous courses.
View All Course OfferingsJun 1st - Jun 4th, 2026
MBI Office
Limited availability remaining
$1,450.00
Registration is Closed
Jun 2nd - Jun 5th, 2025
Midwest Biodiversity Institute
$1,350.00
Registration is Closed
Midwest Biodiversity Institute reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any training at its discretion. If a course is cancelled, registrants will be notified promptly using the contact information provided at registration and may be given the option to either transfer to another session or receive a full refund of registration fees. As a reminder, we are not responsible for travel or other expenses incurred.
Fish are widely used by federal, state, and local governments as a key biological assemblage to monitor river and stream health. This includes Ohio EPA, which uses fish as one of the two primary aquatic assemblages to evaluate aquatic life status and health. MBI offers instructional training in the concepts, methods, and applications of using fish assemblage data in environmental monitoring and assessment. The training is aimed at qualified practitioners who already have the skills needed to carry out the execution of the methods for collecting and interpreting fish assemblage data.
The focus of this training is on the methods and biocriteria used by Ohio EPA and as such fulfills the training required for those who are pursuing Level 3 Qualified Data Collector (QDC) status for Fish Community Biology Specialty under the Ohio Credible Data Program. It also includes instruction on using the QHEI, thus fulfilling the Habitat QDC requirements for Level 3. Please note that Ohio EPA recently eliminated Level 3 as a stand-alone specialty for QHEI, so obtaining Level 3 QHEI is now possible only via one of the biological assemblage specialties.
MBI and Ohio EPA work together to provide all that is necessary to obtain QDC status under the Ohio Credible Data Program. MBI provides the facilities, equipment and materials, and conducts the training over four consecutive days. Ohio EPA conducts the Level 3 testing on the fifth day and provides the certification once all lab and field testing has been completed and submitted by an applicant. New in 2019 are revised requirements for conducting the sampling and data analysis as part of the testing required by Ohio EPA. These and other requirements will be covered in Day Four of the training (see Additional Note below).
Additional Note: Participants completing the Level 3 Fish Community Biology and Habitat training will need to meet new Ohio EPA requirements for collecting fish and habitat samples on their own during the field season. Ohio EPA now requires data from three (3) headwater sites, four (4) wadeable sites, and three (3) boatable sites and at locations specified by Ohio EPA. An applicant will also need to provide fish and habitat data on Ohio EPA field forms, calculate the IBI (Index of Biological Integrity) and MIwb (Modified Index of Well-Being for fish assemblages) scores, and provide either preserved or photo vouchers of each species collected at each site.
Ohio EPA has assumed all responsibility for Level 3 testing and grading. MBI will provide contact information to all trainees who will then need to arrange for the testing on their own.
Participants should be proficient in the identification of Ohio fish to species level and be familiar with fish sampling techniques, including electrofishing.
This course satisfies Ohio EPA training requirements and provdes participants with the knowledge needed to complete the required post-training testing for the Level 3 Fish Community Biology specialty, which consists of sampling the required number and types of sites for fish and QHEI (contact Ohio EPA for more information about site requirements). Ohio EPA will inform participants about their test results directly. If a passing score is received, a participant can then apply to Ohio EPA for Level 3 QDC Status. For the latest Ohio Credible Data Program requirements, visit the Ohio EPA website by clicking here.
Our Reviews
Joshua P.
I recently completed this course and was thoroughly impressed. The content was well-structured and directly applicable to real-world fieldwork. I left feeling genuinely confident in my ability to apply the ORAM scoring methodology in the field. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to sharpen their wetland assessment skills or those first starting out in the field.
Lindsey S
The Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) training significantly enhanced my ability to assess and document stream quality accurately and comprehensively. Mr. Rankin’s expertise, combined with his genuine scientific curiosity, created an engaging and highly effective learning environment. During the classroom portion of the training, he provided thorough explanations of each metric, including the rationale behind them and the supporting scientific data. The field component was equally valuable—evaluating streams alongside an expert and applying the concepts in real-world settings reinforced and clarified everything we had learned the previous day. The experience was both educational and enjoyable, and I look forward to future opportunities to learn from the talented team at MBI.
Anonymous
The training was great! The field portion was especially great
Allie E
Thorough, great practice and good mix of hands on vs in classroom training
Anonymous
Fantastic! The training did a great job of preparing me to identify and analyze all the various conditions that can be present in a headwater stream, and
Lisa B
MBI's PHWH course made me more comfortable and confident assessing primary headwater streams and using the HHEI to score streams.
Kristy S
The content of the course was perfect for the projects that our company completes
Rick N
Excellent, fun and educational
Nick V
I thought it was very well done and covered all ORAM caveats.
Michael R
MBI's ORAM course is extremely in-depth and provides clarity for some of the more objective assessment criteria, as well as a great experience in the field.
Mitchell M
This training directly touched on all the topics within the ORAM form with which I had questions about, and provided me with the necessary tools to more accurately score wetlands.
Hannah C
I felt the content and scope were very relevant to learning and understanding ORAM methodology.
Hannah C
I thought Brian was an excellent instructor. I do not feel there should be any changes. He gave the group may opportunities to ask questions as well as test our knowledge. Everything was very valuable for me.
Our Frequently Asked Questions
Because it varies by course, this information as well as complete course instructions are available when you view your order. Simply go to “My Account”, and click on view.
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Yes, as long as the person who made payment/paid for the course sends an email message from the email account on record to info@mbieducation.com prior to the start time of the first day of the course. The e-mail must indicate the name, e-mail and phone number of the new participant.
Yes - we ask that course participants provide their own transportation to and from field sites. However, we encourage car pooling and will make every attempt to minimize the number of vehicles traveling to the field sites.
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