Water Resources Monitoring Strategy for Wisconsin: Building on Experience Mike Staggs, WDNR Bureau of Fisheries Management and Habitat Protection Acknowledgements: Kristi Minihan, Russ Rasmussen, Jill Jonas, Mike Talbot, Bob Masnado, Mike Lemcke, Tim Simonson, Mike Miller, Brian Weigel, Ken Schreiber, Paul LaLiberte, Nancy Nate

Why Create an Integrated Strategy? Address Water Division Clean Water Act, Public Trust and Fisheries goals Need identified during “Waters of Wisconsin” Declining DNR funding and staffing Required by EPA for continued funding Basis for partner involvement

Challenges….. many opinions on what data should be collected monitoring programs can be very costly staffing and funding are limited aquatic ecosystems are highly variable there are many variables and taxa of interest

Collect data needed to answer necessary questions! clearly identify questions long term data sets statistically valid stratification and subsampling indicator species, habitats and metrics fundamental part of management program involve partners!

Comprehensive Management System set specific objectives with public input monitor whether meeting objectives diagnose problems implement management actions monitor results

Strategy Framework Tier 1: Statewide Baseline Monitoring Tier 2:Targeted Evaluation Monitoring Tier 3:Management Effectiveness & Compliance

Tier 1: Baseline Monitoring Clean Water Act –designate water uses –determine use attainment (305b report) –input for identifying impairments (303d list) –input for TMDL development –effluent limits –general responses to management actions

Tier 1: Baseline Monitoring Public Trust –develop environmental objectives –monitor impacts of permitting decisions at the general water level

Tier 1: Baseline Monitoring Fisheries –develop quantitative management objectives for specific waters –identify populations not meeting objectives –input for identifying problem causes –input for developing management recommendations –general responses to management actions

Tier 1: Baseline Monitoring Wadeable Streams –334 watersheds, 6 year rotation

Tier 1: Baseline Monitoring Wadeable Streams –334 watersheds, 6 year rotation –large vs. small sites (500:140 sites/yr) –cold vs. warmwater sites (50%:50%) – fish sample at large sites – macroinvertebrate sample at small sites – habitat and water quality at selected sites – randomized sampling design

Wadeable Streams: 4303 sites on 1734 streams

Tier 1: Baseline Monitoring NonWadeable Rivers –sampling schedule will cover all sites over time –Ambient water chemisty parameters at a rotational subset of sites –E. coli sampling at subset of beach sites

Nonwadeable rivers: 272 sites on 66 rivers

Tier 1: Baseline Monitoring Lakes –stratified sampling schedule –develop Floristic Quality Index for small lakes –increase sampling of small lakes –shift to satellite imagery for Trophic Status Index –maintain Self-Help Lakes volunteer program

Lakes: 786 separate lakes

Tier 1: Baseline Monitoring Ambient water quality assessment –needed to support CWA goals & permitting –subset of baseline sites –parameters vary for lakes, rivers, and streams –evaluate existing river long term ambient water quality network –E. coli added at priority beaches

Tier 1: Baseline Monitoring Groundwater –Further implement statewide multi-agency strategy Other –Maintain existing flow gauging stations –Maintain current Great Lakes and treaty fisheries monitoring –Continue development of wetland program

Tier 2: Targeted Evaluation Work planned projects at targeted sites –Impairments, TMDL, Sport and Commercial Fish Assessment, Contaminated Sediments –Enforcement, Spills/Kills –Special Projects Tier 3: Management Effectiveness/Compliance –assess effectiveness of management measures implemented in Tier 2 –permit compliance & assessment of permit limits

WDNR Monitoring Team: Water Division Monitoring Team Administrative team Sponsored by Bureau Directors Subteams: Tech Staff Lakes Wadeable Streams Rivers Wetlands Groundwater Ambient Water Quality Citizen Monitoring

How Citizens Fit in with Monitoring Strategy Limited DNR resources –Staff –Budget restraints Citizens somewhat untapped resource –Local network –Local knowledge –Informed advocacy

How Citizen-based Monitoring is Incorporated into the Strategy Strategy provides framework for citizens’ work Citizen Monitoring Proposal is part of the strategy (Appendix A) –Incorporates all specific aspects of the Strategy (e.g. water resource types, parameters to be monitored)

Basic Components of Citizen- based Monitoring Proposal Core Program Details –Data uses –Training –Quality Assurance/Quality Control –Database Management Pilot Projects Long-Term Monitoring Options

Proposal Start-up Pilot projects –Family-level Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Biotic Index –Basic Water Quality Suite Defines program structure, staffing needs, and resource allocations –Includes feedback and evaluation DNR / River Alliance partnership position

Long-Term Monitoring Options Defines a list of parameters citizens can monitor in the future Defines general implementation overview for these options Defines program structure, staffing needs, and resource allocations