Strengthening the State-Strengthening the State-Tribal-Federal Partnership Tribal-Federal Partnership to Assess the Condition of to Assess the Condition of

Nation’s WatersNation’s Waters

Session OutlineSession Outline

Discussion on Building our Partnership for Discussion on Building our Partnership for National Aquatic Resource SurveysNational Aquatic Resource Surveys Administrative challengesAdministrative challenges Technical challengesTechnical challenges

Updates on SurveysUpdates on Surveys WetlandsWetlands LakesLakes Rivers and StreamsRivers and Streams

BackgroundBackground

Independent reviews highlight monitoring limitationsIndependent reviews highlight monitoring limitations Incomplete data for full range of needsIncomplete data for full range of needs Inability to support statistically-valid characterization of nation’s Inability to support statistically-valid characterization of nation’s

waterswaters ASIWPCA report on “Water Quality Monitoring ASIWPCA report on “Water Quality Monitoring

Programs” statesPrograms” states Monitoring is fundamental to water quality programs, yet first to Monitoring is fundamental to water quality programs, yet first to

be cut be cut Funding shortfall exceeds $100 millionFunding shortfall exceeds $100 million

EPA Monitoring InitiativeEPA Monitoring Initiative Increase to base 106 grant targeted to fill key monitoring gapsIncrease to base 106 grant targeted to fill key monitoring gaps

• $10 million for enhancing state monitoring programs$10 million for enhancing state monitoring programs• $8.5 million for collaboration on statistical surveys$8.5 million for collaboration on statistical surveys

Goals of State-Tribal-EPA SurveysGoals of State-Tribal-EPA Surveys

Establish baseline, track status and trends of the Establish baseline, track status and trends of the condition of the Nation’s waterscondition of the Nation’s waters Extent of nation’s waters supporting CWA goals for health Extent of nation’s waters supporting CWA goals for health

aquatic communities and human useaquatic communities and human use Distribution and relative risk of key stressors Distribution and relative risk of key stressors Integrated at national, regional, and finer scalesIntegrated at national, regional, and finer scales

Support state and tribal implementation of statistical Support state and tribal implementation of statistical surveys moving toward consistent indicators surveys moving toward consistent indicators

Support expansion of state and tribal Support expansion of state and tribal bioassessment programs to all resource typesbioassessment programs to all resource types

Basic Components of SurveysBasic Components of Surveys Randomized design to report on conditions at Randomized design to report on conditions at

national, regional, and state (optional) scalenational, regional, and state (optional) scale Spatially distributed networkSpatially distributed network Representative of the range of conditions across the Representative of the range of conditions across the

target population (e.g., lakes, wetlands, rivers, etc.)target population (e.g., lakes, wetlands, rivers, etc.)

Standard field and lab protocols for core Standard field and lab protocols for core indicators, including biology and key stressorsindicators, including biology and key stressors

National QA program and data managementNational QA program and data management Nationally consistent and regionally relevant data Nationally consistent and regionally relevant data

interpretation and reportsinterpretation and reports

Implementation of SurveysImplementation of Surveys

Short-term strategyShort-term strategy Rotate through water resourcesRotate through water resources Use standardized designUse standardized design Use standardized methodsUse standardized methods

Long-term visionLong-term vision State-scale surveys roll into national surveysState-scale surveys roll into national surveys More flexibility in methods, implementation, More flexibility in methods, implementation,

schedule, with appropriate rigorschedule, with appropriate rigor Develop vision and roadmap for getting thereDevelop vision and roadmap for getting there

Administrative ChallengesAdministrative Challenges Increase state and tribal implementation of field Increase state and tribal implementation of field

and lab workand lab work Increase speed of transfer of lab resultsIncrease speed of transfer of lab results Examine options for schedule and site allocationExamine options for schedule and site allocation

Address peaks and valleys of 5 year cycle Address peaks and valleys of 5 year cycle Options for small states, dry states receiving fewer Options for small states, dry states receiving fewer

sample sitessample sites Increase addition of statistical survey design to Increase addition of statistical survey design to

state monitoring programs to reduce need for state monitoring programs to reduce need for national layernational layer

And…And…

Technical ChallengesTechnical Challenges

Interpreting biological dataInterpreting biological data Integrating multiple methodsIntegrating multiple methods Transferring analytical tools and techniquesTransferring analytical tools and techniques Expand use of nationally consistent data sets to Expand use of nationally consistent data sets to

support additional protection and management support additional protection and management objectivesobjectives Use covariables collected with biological data to Use covariables collected with biological data to

explore stressor/condition relationshipsexplore stressor/condition relationships Add attributes from GIS coverageAdd attributes from GIS coverage

And…And…

Support State and Tribal Support State and Tribal Bioassessment ProgramsBioassessment Programs

Raise visibility (public, congress, managers) of Raise visibility (public, congress, managers) of biological indicators across all water resource biological indicators across all water resource typestypes

Promote use of multiple assemblages for all Promote use of multiple assemblages for all water resource typeswater resource types

Increase focus on reference condition, e.g. Increase focus on reference condition, e.g. regional gaps and effect of regional variabilityregional gaps and effect of regional variability

Promote method performance criteria and Promote method performance criteria and comparabilitycomparability

Explore applications of BCG/GSG framework Explore applications of BCG/GSG framework

Biological IndicatorsBiological Indicators

Lakes (2007) – zooplankton, phytoplankton, Lakes (2007) – zooplankton, phytoplankton, sediment diatoms, macroinvertebratessediment diatoms, macroinvertebrates

Rivers and streams (2008/9) – fish, Rivers and streams (2008/9) – fish, macroinvertebrates, periphyton, phytoplanktonmacroinvertebrates, periphyton, phytoplankton

Coastal (2010) – macroinvertebrates and possibly Coastal (2010) – macroinvertebrates and possibly othersothers

Wetlands (2011) – vegetation and algae (likely Wetlands (2011) – vegetation and algae (likely soft algae and diatoms)soft algae and diatoms)

Interpreting Biological DataInterpreting Biological DataMMI ExampleMMI Example

Apply EPA Bioassessment/biocriteria guidance Apply EPA Bioassessment/biocriteria guidance Develop MMI for each ecoregionDevelop MMI for each ecoregion

For each ecoregion, find the best metric in each of 6 metric For each ecoregion, find the best metric in each of 6 metric classesclasses

• Good rangeGood range• Relationship to natural gradientRelationship to natural gradient• RepeatabilityRepeatability• ResponsivenessResponsiveness• Uniqueness (not redundant)Uniqueness (not redundant)

Score metrics separately for each ecoregion, sum metrics and Score metrics separately for each ecoregion, sum metrics and scale total to 100 to create MMIscale total to 100 to create MMI

Look for disturbance signal in reference sites in each Look for disturbance signal in reference sites in each ecoregion and adjust thresholds for ecoregion MMIecoregion and adjust thresholds for ecoregion MMI

List of MetricsList of MetricsMETRICMETRIC NAPNAP SAPSAP CPLCPL UMWUMW TPLTPL NPLNPL SPLSPL WMTWMT XERXER

Ephemeroptera RichnessEphemeroptera Richness

EPT Richness EPT Richness

Total Taxa RichnessTotal Taxa Richness

Shannon Diversity Shannon Diversity

% Individuals in Top 5 Taxa% Individuals in Top 5 Taxa

% Individuals in Top 3 Taxa% Individuals in Top 3 Taxa

% Taxa as EPT% Taxa as EPT

% Individuals as EPT% Individuals as EPT

% Taxa as Non-Insects% Taxa as Non-Insects

% Individuals as Non-Insects% Individuals as Non-Insects

% Taxa as Ephemeroptera% Taxa as Ephemeroptera

% Taxa as Chironomidae% Taxa as Chironomidae

Scraper RichnessScraper Richness

Shredder RichnessShredder Richness

% Taxa as Burrowers% Taxa as Burrowers

% Taxa as Clingers % Taxa as Clingers

Clinger Richness Clinger Richness

Intolerant RichnessIntolerant Richness

% Taxa as Tolerants % Taxa as Tolerants

% Taxa as PTV 0-5.9 % Taxa as PTV 0-5.9

% Taxa as PTV 8-10 % Taxa as PTV 8-10

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Metrics Used in

Ecoregion MMIs

Key to Ecoregions:

Advance Methods ComparabilityAdvance Methods Comparability

Advance and organize comparability studies Advance and organize comparability studies to develop technically defensible approaches to develop technically defensible approaches for integrating multiple methodsfor integrating multiple methods Improve ability to combine raw data or metrics Improve ability to combine raw data or metrics

collected in different programscollected in different programs Track status and trends in nation’s waters from Track status and trends in nation’s waters from

multiple datasetsmultiple datasets Analyze stressor condition relationships Analyze stressor condition relationships Facilitate data sharing across regions and Facilitate data sharing across regions and

jurisdictionsjurisdictions

River and Stream Methods ComparabilityRiver and Stream Methods Comparability

WSA States, e.g., Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, WSA States, e.g., Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia and othersTennessee, Virginia and others

New England evaluation of field methods and New England evaluation of field methods and BCG approachBCG approach

Region 5 projects looking at fish methods and Region 5 projects looking at fish methods and habitathabitat

State of the Science review of literatureState of the Science review of literature Comparability Guidance Document Comparability Guidance Document Low gradient macroinvertebrate study via NRSA. Low gradient macroinvertebrate study via NRSA. Fish method comparability study with NRSAFish method comparability study with NRSA

Expand Use of Survey DataExpand Use of Survey Data

State and Tribal ProgramsState and Tribal Programs Comparability StudiesComparability Studies Cross-resource interactionsCross-resource interactions

Nutrient ManagementNutrient Management Improve ability to apply across broad spatial scales by Improve ability to apply across broad spatial scales by

accounting for geophysical variabilityaccounting for geophysical variability Improve use attainment toolsImprove use attainment tools

Reference SitesReference Sites Building reference network with sites from random drawBuilding reference network with sites from random draw Share reference sites across jurisdictional boundariesShare reference sites across jurisdictional boundaries

Climate Change and Aquatic ResourcesClimate Change and Aquatic Resources Joint Partnership to establish and maintain “sentinel” reference Joint Partnership to establish and maintain “sentinel” reference

sitessites Indicator DevelopmentIndicator Development

Suggestions to Address Challenges Suggestions to Address Challenges and Build Capacityand Build Capacity

Approaches for expanding the dialogue among states, tribes and Approaches for expanding the dialogue among states, tribes and EPAEPA

Survey discussions at regional and national meetingsSurvey discussions at regional and national meetings Conference call/webinar for info sharing and trainingConference call/webinar for info sharing and training Support and share regional and state issue analysis to expand feedback Support and share regional and state issue analysis to expand feedback

and awarenessand awareness Topics of interestTopics of interest

Approaches used by states/tribes to incorporate statistical surveys into Approaches used by states/tribes to incorporate statistical surveys into state monitoring and assessment programs and to implement national state monitoring and assessment programs and to implement national surveyssurveys

Tools and approaches for setting thresholdsTools and approaches for setting thresholds• Screening reference sites and developing thresholdsScreening reference sites and developing thresholds• Non-reference based approachesNon-reference based approaches• Using the Biological Condition Gradient (BCG)Using the Biological Condition Gradient (BCG)

Comparability of national/state/tribal methods and assessment resultsComparability of national/state/tribal methods and assessment results Use of survey data for multiple objectivesUse of survey data for multiple objectives Indicator and methodological issuesIndicator and methodological issues