Strengthening the State- Tribal-Federal Partnership to Assess the Condition of Nations Waters

Session Outline Discussion on Building our Partnership for National Aquatic Resource Surveys Discussion on Building our Partnership for National Aquatic Resource Surveys Administrative challenges Administrative challenges Technical challenges Technical challenges Updates on Surveys Updates on Surveys Wetlands Wetlands Lakes Lakes Rivers and Streams Rivers and Streams

Background Independent reviews highlight monitoring limitations Independent reviews highlight monitoring limitations Incomplete data for full range of needs Incomplete data for full range of needs Inability to support statistically-valid characterization of nations waters Inability to support statistically-valid characterization of nations waters ASIWPCA report on Water Quality Monitoring Programs states ASIWPCA report on Water Quality Monitoring Programs states Monitoring is fundamental to water quality programs, yet first to be cut Monitoring is fundamental to water quality programs, yet first to be cut Funding shortfall exceeds $100 million Funding shortfall exceeds $100 million EPA Monitoring Initiative EPA Monitoring Initiative Increase to base 106 grant targeted to fill key monitoring gaps Increase to base 106 grant targeted to fill key monitoring gaps $10 million for enhancing state monitoring programs$10 million for enhancing state monitoring programs $8.5 million for collaboration on statistical surveys$8.5 million for collaboration on statistical surveys

Goals of State-Tribal-EPA Surveys Establish baseline, track status and trends of the condition of the Nations waters Establish baseline, track status and trends of the condition of the Nations waters Extent of nations waters supporting CWA goals for health aquatic communities and human use Extent of nations waters supporting CWA goals for health aquatic communities and human use Distribution and relative risk of key stressors Distribution and relative risk of key stressors Integrated at national, regional, and finer scales Integrated at national, regional, and finer scales Support state and tribal implementation of statistical surveys moving toward consistent indicators Support state and tribal implementation of statistical surveys moving toward consistent indicators Support expansion of state and tribal bioassessment programs to all resource types Support expansion of state and tribal bioassessment programs to all resource types

Basic Components of Surveys Randomized design to report on conditions at national, regional, and state (optional) scale Randomized design to report on conditions at national, regional, and state (optional) scale Spatially distributed network Spatially distributed network Representative of the range of conditions across the target population (e.g., lakes, wetlands, rivers, etc.) Representative of the range of conditions across the target population (e.g., lakes, wetlands, rivers, etc.) Standard field and lab protocols for core indicators, including biology and key stressors Standard field and lab protocols for core indicators, including biology and key stressors National QA program and data management National QA program and data management Nationally consistent and regionally relevant data interpretation and reports Nationally consistent and regionally relevant data interpretation and reports

Implementation of Surveys Short-term strategy Short-term strategy Rotate through water resources Rotate through water resources Use standardized design Use standardized design Use standardized methods Use standardized methods Long-term vision Long-term vision State-scale surveys roll into national surveys State-scale surveys roll into national surveys More flexibility in methods, implementation, schedule, with appropriate rigor More flexibility in methods, implementation, schedule, with appropriate rigor Develop vision and roadmap for getting there Develop vision and roadmap for getting there

Administrative Challenges Increase state and tribal implementation of field and lab work Increase state and tribal implementation of field and lab work Increase speed of transfer of lab results Increase speed of transfer of lab results Examine options for schedule and site allocation Examine options for schedule and site allocation Address peaks and valleys of 5 year cycle Address peaks and valleys of 5 year cycle Options for small states, dry states receiving fewer sample sites Options for small states, dry states receiving fewer sample sites Increase addition of statistical survey design to state monitoring programs to reduce need for national layer Increase addition of statistical survey design to state monitoring programs to reduce need for national layer And… And…

Technical Challenges Interpreting biological data Interpreting biological data Integrating multiple methods Integrating multiple methods Transferring analytical tools and techniques Transferring analytical tools and techniques Expand use of nationally consistent data sets to support additional protection and management objectives Expand use of nationally consistent data sets to support additional protection and management objectives Use covariables collected with biological data to explore stressor/condition relationships Use covariables collected with biological data to explore stressor/condition relationships Add attributes from GIS coverage Add attributes from GIS coverage And… And…

Support State and Tribal Bioassessment Programs Raise visibility (public, congress, managers) of biological indicators across all water resource types Raise visibility (public, congress, managers) of biological indicators across all water resource types Promote use of multiple assemblages for all water resource types Promote use of multiple assemblages for all water resource types Increase focus on reference condition, e.g. regional gaps and effect of regional variability Increase focus on reference condition, e.g. regional gaps and effect of regional variability Promote method performance criteria and comparability Promote method performance criteria and comparability Explore applications of BCG/GSG framework Explore applications of BCG/GSG framework

Biological Indicators Lakes (2007) – zooplankton, phytoplankton, sediment diatoms, macroinvertebrates Lakes (2007) – zooplankton, phytoplankton, sediment diatoms, macroinvertebrates Rivers and streams (2008/9) – fish, macroinvertebrates, periphyton, phytoplankton Rivers and streams (2008/9) – fish, macroinvertebrates, periphyton, phytoplankton Coastal (2010) – macroinvertebrates and possibly others Coastal (2010) – macroinvertebrates and possibly others Wetlands (2011) – vegetation and algae (likely soft algae and diatoms) Wetlands (2011) – vegetation and algae (likely soft algae and diatoms)

Interpreting Biological Data MMI Example Apply EPA Bioassessment/biocriteria guidance Apply EPA Bioassessment/biocriteria guidance Develop MMI for each ecoregion Develop MMI for each ecoregion For each ecoregion, find the best metric in each of 6 metric classes For each ecoregion, find the best metric in each of 6 metric classes Good rangeGood range Relationship to natural gradientRelationship to natural gradient RepeatabilityRepeatability ResponsivenessResponsiveness Uniqueness (not redundant)Uniqueness (not redundant) Score metrics separately for each ecoregion, sum metrics and scale total to 100 to create MMI Score metrics separately for each ecoregion, sum metrics and scale total to 100 to create MMI Look for disturbance signal in reference sites in each ecoregion and adjust thresholds for ecoregion MMI Look for disturbance signal in reference sites in each ecoregion and adjust thresholds for ecoregion MMI

List of Metrics METRICNAPSAPCPLUMWTPLNPLSPLWMTXER Ephemeroptera Richness EPT Richness Total Taxa Richness Shannon Diversity % Individuals in Top 5 Taxa % Individuals in Top 3 Taxa % Taxa as EPT % Individuals as EPT % Taxa as Non-Insects % Individuals as Non-Insects % Taxa as Ephemeroptera % Taxa as Chironomidae Scraper Richness Shredder Richness % Taxa as Burrowers % Taxa as Clingers Clinger Richness Intolerant Richness % Taxa as Tolerants % Taxa as PTV % Taxa as PTV 8-10 Composition Diversity Feeding Habit Richness Tolerance Metrics Used in Ecoregion MMIs Key to Ecoregions:

Advance Methods Comparability Advance and organize comparability studies to develop technically defensible approaches for integrating multiple methods Advance and organize comparability studies to develop technically defensible approaches for integrating multiple methods Improve ability to combine raw data or metrics collected in different programs Improve ability to combine raw data or metrics collected in different programs Track status and trends in nations waters from multiple datasets Track status and trends in nations waters from multiple datasets Analyze stressor condition relationships Analyze stressor condition relationships Facilitate data sharing across regions and jurisdictions Facilitate data sharing across regions and jurisdictions

River and Stream Methods Comparability WSA States, e.g., Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia and others WSA States, e.g., Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia and others New England evaluation of field methods and BCG approach New England evaluation of field methods and BCG approach Region 5 projects looking at fish methods and habitat Region 5 projects looking at fish methods and habitat State of the Science review of literature State of the Science review of literature Comparability Guidance Document Comparability Guidance Document Low gradient macroinvertebrate study via NRSA. Low gradient macroinvertebrate study via NRSA. Fish method comparability study with NRSA Fish method comparability study with NRSA

Expand Use of Survey Data State and Tribal Programs State and Tribal Programs Comparability Studies Comparability Studies Cross-resource interactions Cross-resource interactions Nutrient Management Nutrient Management Improve ability to apply across broad spatial scales by accounting for geophysical variability Improve ability to apply across broad spatial scales by accounting for geophysical variability Improve use attainment tools Improve use attainment tools Reference Sites Reference Sites Building reference network with sites from random draw Building reference network with sites from random draw Share reference sites across jurisdictional boundaries Share reference sites across jurisdictional boundaries Climate Change and Aquatic Resources Climate Change and Aquatic Resources Joint Partnership to establish and maintain sentinel reference sites Joint Partnership to establish and maintain sentinel reference sites Indicator Development Indicator Development

Suggestions to Address Challenges and Build Capacity Approaches for expanding the dialogue among states, tribes and EPA Approaches for expanding the dialogue among states, tribes and EPA Survey discussions at regional and national meetings Survey discussions at regional and national meetings Conference call/webinar for info sharing and training Conference call/webinar for info sharing and training Support and share regional and state issue analysis to expand feedback and awareness Support and share regional and state issue analysis to expand feedback and awareness Topics of interest Topics of interest Approaches used by states/tribes to incorporate statistical surveys into state monitoring and assessment programs and to implement national surveys Approaches used by states/tribes to incorporate statistical surveys into state monitoring and assessment programs and to implement national surveys Tools and approaches for setting thresholds Tools and approaches for setting thresholds Screening reference sites and developing thresholdsScreening reference sites and developing thresholds Non-reference based approachesNon-reference based approaches Using the Biological Condition Gradient (BCG)Using the Biological Condition Gradient (BCG) Comparability of national/state/tribal methods and assessment results Comparability of national/state/tribal methods and assessment results Use of survey data for multiple objectives Use of survey data for multiple objectives Indicator and methodological issues Indicator and methodological issues