US EPA Update Advisory Committee on Water Information Michael Shapiro, Ph.D. Deputy Assistant Administrator U.S. EPA Office of Water

Presentation Overview National Stream Survey Overview of the Environmental Exchange Network Office of Water Goals for Water Quality Exchange (WQX) 2006 WQX Activities

Collaborate to Produce Statistically-Valid Assessments Focus on key questions: –To what extent do waters support healthy ecosystems, recreation, fish consumption? –What are the most significant water quality problems? –Is water quality improving? –Are we spending pollution control dollars wisely? Promote use of statistically valid assessments at state scale Produce scientifically-valid reports on the condition of all waters of the U.S.

Proposed Schedule for Surveys Red- Planning Yellow- Progress Green- Success Annual Output Measure for Monitoring - EPA, with states and other partners will assess and identify trends for 100% of the Nation’s waters by 2018 using statistically-valid surveys to evaluate the extent that waters support the fishable and swimmable goals of the Clean Water Act. Annual milestones to meet this goal are: Coastal waters and estuaries Streams and small rivers Lakes, ponds, reservoirs Large and great rivers Wetlands % 19% 43% 19% 8% Amount Assessed in 2000 Target for 100% Trends Assessed of 100%

Wadeable Streams Assessment The States Assess the Nation’s Streams Generate report on the condition of streams of the U.S. by 3/06 Build State capacity for monitoring and assessment Enhance data comparability and integration of State programs

Objectives of Assessment Assess the ecological condition of streams nationally and regionally –Determine the proportion of streams that fall in the three classes of condition ( e.g. good, fair, poor or least-disturbed, moderately- disturbed, and most-disturbed) Assess the extent streams affected by key stressors –Describe associations between stressors and ecological condition

WSA Basic Framework Generate statistically-valid report on the condition of wadeable streams –Use probability-based survey design –Complement efforts in Western States Focus on consistent measurement of core indicators –Macroinvertebrates –Basic chemistry, including nutrients –Quantitative habitat assessment Encourage state cooperators to enhance projects –State scale survey design –Additional parameters (fish, periphyton) Produce report in March, 2006 –Completed sampling in 2004 –National meeting to refine data analysis and presentation approach –Completed sample analysis in December 2005

Purpose of Lakes Survey Report on the condition of the Nation’s lakes –Statistically-valid design so dataset represents the condition of all lakes in regions that share similar ecological characteristics –Provide regional and national estimates of the condition of lakes, with option for state-scale estimates –Use consistent sampling and analysis procedures to ensure the results can be compared across the country Help build state and tribal capacity for monitoring and assessment Promote collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries in the assessment of water quality

Schedule for Lakes Survey Winter 2006 – Will finalize approach to selecting target lakes for the Lakes Survey; will serve as the basis to allocate section 106 funds April 26-28, 2006 State Lakes Meeting in Chicago will focus on the indicators, field protocols and implementation issues Summer/Fall 2006 – Develop sampling protocols, lab protocols and QA/QC plans Spring 2007 – Training for field crews Summer Sampling conducted 2007/2008 – Sample processing and data analysis 2009 – Report on the Condition of the Nation’s Lakes completed

Water Quality Exchange (WQX) and the National Environmental Information Exchange Network

Vision Statement “The Exchange Network is a partnership to support better environmental decisions through improved access to, and exchange of, improved environmental information.” The Network vision has three goals: better data obetter exchange of information obetter access to information

What is the Exchange Network? An Internet and standards-based method for exchanging environmental information between partners Key Components Data Standards Nodes XML Schema/Registry Trading Partner Agreements Grant Program

CA OR WA ID MT WY CO NM TX AK HI OK KS SD ND MN IA WI IN OH KY TN MS AL GA FL NC WV PA NY DE CT NH RI IL MO AR LA NV UT AZ OR NM MS WV PA NJ MA NH MD State Node Implementation Progress September 2005 DC VA MI NM SC NE VT ME In Development Operational FL Not Yet Started St. Regis Mohawk Tribe

Goals of Water Quality Exchange Reduce the burden on data providers Leverage the exchange network via standards based solutions Provide web-based data entry applications for small organizations with limited technical staff (tribes and volunteers) Develop web services to increase data sharing and re-use Provide data analysis tools to track environmental trends and support future strategic plan and PART measures

WQX Pilot Pilot exchange partners – Wind River Reservation, Oregon, Texas, and Michigan

2006 WQX Activities Complete pilot evaluation, and determine lessons learned Outreach to additional data partners to further refine the schema Establish operational data flow for physical and chemical data by 1/2007 Continue working with USGS to map WQX and NWIS into common XML schema and develop web services to facilitate data sharing Begin developing Web-based data entry tools