Unified Approach to Stormwater Monitoring (UASM) Workplan for UASM Guidance Document

Background and objective The SMC spends millions for MS4 monitoring and collects a lot of data 2014 Workshop identified differences in monitoring approaches and methods Data collected through a standardized monitoring would facilitate more accurate regional assessment Goal of this project is to create a Unified Stormwater Monitoring Workplan what, when, and how to standardize used for developing a guidance document for standardized monitoring

Tasks leading to the UASM workplan Define the monitoring questions completed at our June meeting Compile an inventory of existing monitoring methods discussed at our last meeting Create a Workplan for preparing the UASM we will discuss the draft today Feedback Reaction to the inventory analyses Approval/revision of the workplan Prioritization of the future projects

Standardized monitoring questions Data Collection: Q1. What pollutants are associated with the stormwater runoff? Q2. What are the sources of the identified pollutant(s)? Q3. What are the sources (and magnitudes) of illicit discharge/illegal connections? Data Assessment: Q4. How effective the BMPs are for reducing flow and contaminant concentrations? Q5. If (and how) the stormwater is influencing the quality of receiving water? Q6. What is the overall health of receiving water? Management and Planning: Q7. If (and what) receiving water needs management actions based on its overall health? Q8. How effective are the current water quality management plans?

Methodology WQIP/EWMP/CIMP reviewed for details of the monitoring programs Wet- and dry- weather outfall and receiving water monitoring were reviewed Annual reports reviewed for data analyses and reporting Literature reviewed to explore standardization pathway

Workplan for standardization 5 recommended tasks to address the knowledge gaps for standardized monitoring Each task describes at least one project for developing UASM guidance document Workplan could be used as the UASM request for proposal

Tasks for developing UASM guidance document Task 1. Standardize first-flush selection criteria Task 2: Standardize sampling site screening while planning for MS4 monitoring Task 3: Standardize field-sampling procedure Task 4: Standardize laboratory analytical methods Task 5: Standardize data analyses and reporting format

Standardizing first-flush criteria Most programs address seasonal first-flush but none considers within-storm first flush First flush runoff may introduce bias in EMC or BMP effectiveness evaluation The project should - rank the pollutants for first-flush consideration - identify watersheds that demonstrate first-flush phenomena

Standardized selection for sampling location Only 12% programs list how dry weather sites are selected Careful selection of sampling sites - ensures representative water samples - provides context to outfall monitoring data Each selection criterion should be assigned a relative significance for wet-, dry-, and receiving water monitoring

Standardizing sampling procedure Sampling details are not standardized - how many times to sample - how many samples to collect - sampling duration Sampling procedure and flow measurement influences all aspects of the MS4 monitoring Limited information available on standard approach for collecting samples Statistical and field-studies could provide guidance on sampling procedure

Standardizing analytical methods Analytical methods are - (almost) standardized for conventional parameters, metals, and inorganics - not standardized for organic analytes Consistent analytical methods and uniform reporting limits ensure data comparability Following information should be collected as a minimum monitoring requirement - a common list of priority contaminants - appropriate methods and reporting limits

Standardizing data analyses and reporting New monitoring questions require novel data analyses techniques Ultimate goal of monitoring is to answer monitoring questions using appropriate data assessment tools Standardizing data analyses would entail - SOPs for evaluating BMP and WQIP effectiveness - standardized measure for describing receiving water health - guideline to integrate monitoring data with RAA for adaptive management

Comments? Reaction to the inventory analyses Approval/revision of the workplan Prioritization of the tasks proposed in the workplan