Results of the SWPBA Survey:

1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Lisa Huff- ADEM

(with lots of help from current SWPBA members)

November 14, 2012

adem.alabama.gov

What’s ahead: 2004• Refinement of wadeable indicators

and reference conditions– Assess water quality– Support management decisions– Assess criteria compliance– Evaluate program effectiveness– Develop, adopt or revise water

quality standards• Develop criteria and indicators

– Periphyton bioassessments• Nonwadeable bioassessment

methods and indicators

The Cordulegeezer

adem.alabama.gov

Who’s the Cordulegeezer NOW?!

adem.alabama.gov

Old Fart Retirement

Party!

SWPBA – 2019

Be there or be Square!!

SWPBA Survey: 1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Four Basic Questions: • Number and type of bioassessments

conducted• Where we are conducting

bioassessments• Why we are conducting bioassessments• Number and experience of biologists

adem.alabama.gov

SWPBA Survey: 1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Bioassessment Tools• Macroinvertebrate Assessments

– Screening/Biorecon– Intensive

• Fish IBI• Periphyton

– Diatom Community Assessments– Rapid Periphyton Survey– Periphyton Chl a

• Phytoplankton• Zooplankton• Water column Chl a• Amphibian Surveys• Plant Community Surveys

adem.alabama.gov

SWPBA Survey: 1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Waterbodies Assessed• Wadeable streams and rivers• Nonwadeable streams and rivers• Lakes, reservoirs, and ponds• Wetlands• Other

– Springs– Estuaries– Headwaters

adem.alabama.gov

SWPBA Survey: 1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Bioassessment Objectives• Reference• Training/Method Development• QA/QC• Longterm Ambient• Probabilistic• Use support/problem identification• TMDL Investigations• Point Source

Surveys/Compliance/Demos• NPS Intensive Surveys/Demo Studies• Other

– Anti-degradation Studies– Complaint Investigations– Headwater Criteria Development– Conductivity/Mining Studies

adem.alabama.gov

SWPBA Survey: 1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Biologist Experience• 1-5 years • 6-10 years • 11-15 years • 16-20 years • >20 years

adem.alabama.gov

SWPBA Survey: 1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Difficulties!

adem.alabama.gov

SWPBA Survey: 1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Difficulties!– Different people completing the survey

adem.alabama.gov

SWPBA Survey: 1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Difficulties:– Different people completing the survey– Same people completing the survey

adem.alabama.gov

SWPBA Survey: 1996 vs. 2004 vs. 2012

Difficulties:– Different people completing the survey– Same people completing the survey– Incomplete information

adem.alabama.gov

Total number of bioassessments in Region 4

adem.alabama.gov

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1996 2004 2012

Num

ber o

f Bio

asse

ssm

ents

Year

Plant Survey

Amphibs

H2O Chl a

Zooplankton

Phytoplankton

Periphyton

Fish

Macro-Screening

Macro-Int

Bioassessments by Waterbody Type

adem.alabama.gov

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1996 2004 2012 1996 2004 2012

Wadeable Streams and Rivers Lakes and Reservoirs

Num

ber o

f Bio

asse

ssm

ents

Waterbody Type by year

H2O Chl a

Zooplankton

Phytoplankton

Periphyton

Fish Macro-Screening

Macro-Int

Bioassessment by Waterbody

adem.alabama.gov

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1996 2004 2012 1996 2004 2012 1996 2004 2012 1996 2004 2012 1996 2004 2012

Wetlands Nonwadeable Streams and

Rivers

Headwaters Springs Estuarine

Num

ber o

f Bio

asse

ssm

ents

Waterbody type by year

Plant Survey

Amphibs

H2O Chl a

Zooplankton

Phytoplankton

Periphyton

Fish

Macro-Screening

Macro-Int

Bioassessments by Objective

adem.alabama.gov

0 500 1000 1500

199620042012199620042012199620042012199620042012199620042012199620042012199620042012199620042012

Number of Bioassessments

Macros-Int

Macros-Screening

Fish

Periphyton

Zooplankton

Water-Column Chl a

Amphibian Survey

Plant Survey

Phytoplankton

Use Support/ Stressor

Long-term Ambient

Reference

TMDL Investigations

Method Development

Intensive NPS & PS Surveys

Other

Probabilistic

# Biologists

adem.alabama.gov

Average Experience

0

5

10

15

20

25

FL TN EPA SC MS NC AL KY GA

Avg

Expe

rienc

e (Y

ears

)

Agency

1996

2004

2012

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

FL TN EPA SC MS NC AL KY GA

# Bi

olog

ists

Agency

1996

2004

2012

Accomplishments: 2004-2012

• 4 additional states conducting periphyton assessments and identifying diatoms

• 3 additional states working in nonwadeable streams and rivers

• 4 states working in wetlands

• Refinement of indices for wadeable streams and rivers

• Database development

• Increase in collection of data that meets multiple objectives

adem.alabama.gov

What’s Ahead: 2012

• Indicator and method development– Nonwadeable streams and rivers– Wetlands– Lakes and reservoirs?

• Estimate overall water quality• Assess trends in water quality

adem.alabama.gov

What’s Ahead: 2012The “maybe so, maybe so”

initiatives• Indicator and method development

– Nonwadeable streams and rivers– Wetlands– Lakes and reservoirs?

• Estimate overall water quality• Assess trends in water quality• Refinement of indices and reference

conditions– Highly disturbed areas– Shared ecoregions

• Development WQ Criteria and Standards– Biological condition gradients– Tiered aquatic life uses– Protection of healthy watersheds?

adem.alabama.gov

Many thanks to:

adem.alabama.gov

1996 and 2004 2012EPA-Athens Chris Decker

Hoke HowardAlabama Lisa Huff Lisa HuffFlorida Ellen McCarron Cheryl Swanson

Julie EspyDonald RayPeggy MorganDana Denson

Georgia Kathy MettierChip Cutcliff

Kentucky Mark VogelPaulette Akers

Mississippi Mike BeiserAlice Dossett

Eric FleekJames Graham

Mark VanderbourghSouth Carolina

Jim Glover Jim Glover

Tennessee Debbie Arnwine Debbie Arnwine

North Carolina Trish McPherson

Rodney Pierce

Michelle Brossette

Donald Ray

Morris Flexner

Alice Dossett

Agency Surveys