NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Region Protected Resources Division Santa Rosa, California Science, Service, Stewardship Melanie D. Harrison, Ph.D Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) March 6, 2013 Water Quality Metrics and Assessment Methods

Introduction Science, Service, Stewardship  Numerous designated beneficial uses for the Russian River  Goal is to protect existing and future beneficial uses for humans and the environment.  Numerous metrics have been used to predict changes in water quality due to ecological restoration.  Need to link the appropriate response metrics with key drivers in the watershed to meet water quality objectives.  Develop evaluation tools to assess the response of variables to changes in water quality over time.

Water Quality Metrics  Scale  Site  Reach  Watershed  Can vary depending protecting designated beneficial use of interest  Ex. Cold water habitat for listed species  Ex. Municipal and domestic supply  Can vary depending on pollutant of interest  Nutrients  Metals Science, Service, Stewardship  Most common metric categories include multi-metric approach:  Water Quality parameters  Biological parameters  Hydrologic parameters

Common Water Quality Metrics Science, Service, Stewardship Variables Water temperature (°C) Dissolved Oxgyen (mg/L) pH Turbidity Specific Conductance (µS/cm Sulfate (mg/L) Total Suspended Solids (mg/L) Total Nitrogen (mg/L) Total Phosphorus ( mg/L) Organophosphate (mg/L) Organic Carbon (mg/L Total Mercury (Hg) (mg/L) Methyl-mercury (MeHg) (µ/L) Aluminum (mg/L) Soil oxygen demand (SOD) Biological oxygen demand (BOD) Pollution-Specific Metrics Maximum concentrations Minimum concentrations Average and or weighted concentrations Standard deviations 10 th percentile concentrations 25 th percentile concentrations 50 th percentile concentrations 75 th percentile concentrations 90 th percentile concentrations LCD50, and EC50 Response Biotic sensitive to physical changes in stream temperatures Biotic community sensitive to changes in DO, chemical transformation occur Sensitive indicator of habitat conditions nutrient impairments inorganic pollutants toxicity Indicator of stream capacity to support anaeobic conditions Variables Barium Sediment (kg/mg)

Bioindicators: Index of Biotic Integrity Science, Service, Stewardship Response Sensitive to varying degrees in varying degrees to pollutants and other stressors Effects of sub-lethal doses of toxins are reflected in changes in community composition and structure *Responds rapidly to changes in the environment that can be detected at shorter scales than other bioindicators (fish and macroinverts) *Responds to nutrients, organic pollution, acidification, salinity Sensitive to nitrogen limitation, siltation, pH, temperature, toxic algae blooms Index Metrics Species richness Species composition % Tolerant individuals Function feeding groups *Biomass (chlorophyll –A, AFDM) % Algal cover Total abundance Toxicity test Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) Bioindicators Fish Benthic Macroinvertebrates * Algae Diatoms Soft-bodied

Hydrologic Metrics Science, Service, Stewardship  Hydrology is a key controllers of biogeochemical processes in a watershed.  Hotspots are created where hydrological flow paths converge with substrates or other flow paths containing complementary or missing nutrients.  Example: Overland flow produced by storm runoff in the semi-isolated Hanson Ponds input Hg and P into the system.  Application that ‘connectivity’ is important for floodplain biogeochemistry.  Increase frequency and duration of connectivity  Controls on DO, temperature, organic matter processing, and etc.

Hydrological metrics Science, Service, Stewardship Watershed/ Hydrodynamics Stream flow velocity (ft/s) River discharge (cfs) Metrics Maximum Peak flow Median flow Minimum flow Duration of high-flow Frequency of high-flow events Loading rates (mass/unit time) Water residence time (t) Frequency of connectivity and/or floodplain inundation (n) Duration of connectivity (d) Water depth (m) Response Controls flux of nutrients and, chemicals, and sediment Alters distribution, form and quality of constituents Channel form response rapidly to changes in flows

Other Metrics Science, Service, Stewardship  Land use/Land cover  Agricultural (distal)  Extent of riparian vegetation/buffer (% riparian cover) (proximal)  Water velocities  Nutrient processing  Sediment distribution  Climate  Precipitation  Temperature

Water Quality Assessment Methods/Tools  Existing Water Quality Standards  Water Quality-based assessment thresholds  Numeric thresholds for chemical constituents and water quality parameters  Ex. California and Federal Drinking standards  Ex. California Toxic Rules to Protect Human Health and Aquatic Life  Water Quality Objectives  Numeric  Narrative  North Coast Index Biotic Integrity (IBI)  Existing data  SWAMP Data Base  Water Quality Models  AQUATOX  WASP7  Hydrodynamics Models  Nutrient s  Sediment Transport Models  Fate and Transport  Metals  Use to provide a more detailed assessment of the fate and transport of nutrients and metals and predict changes in water quality due to controlling variables.

Thank You/Questions Science, Service, Stewardship  North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board  Stephen Bargsten  Steve Butkus  Mark Neely  Permit Resource and Management Department: Amy Lyle  Endangered Habitat Conservancy: Michael Beck and Nancy Schaefer  NMFS: John McKeon, Brian Cluer, and Michael Donahue