Environmental Protection Indicators for California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment California Environmental Protection Agency SRWP Watershed Indicators Workshop March 30, 2005 The EPIC Project Developing Indicators of Watershed Health

Environmental indicators can be used to… Track changes in the environment Communicate environmental information Provide early warning signals What is happening? Identify or validate cause and effect Why is it happening? Evaluate performance Are our strategies working? Support “results-based management” How can we better accomplish our goals?

What is an environmental indicator ? Objective, scientifically based measure that presents information on the status of, and trends in environmental releases, conditions, or effects.

US EPA definition An indicator is a sign or signal that relays a complex message, potentially from numerous sources, in a simplified and useful manner. An ecological indicator is defined here as a measure, an index of measures, or a model that characterizes an ecosystem or one of its critical components. An indicator may reflect biological, chemical or physical attributes of ecological condition.

Primary Data Analyzed Data Index Indicator Amount of information Degree of synthesis The Information Pyramid

Conceptual model: Pressure-State-Response Pressure Stresses placed on the environment by human activity or natural causes Response Government or societal actions Source: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Condition of the environment, human or ecological health StateEffects

LEVEL 1 Actions by EPA/State Regulatory Agencies Environmental LEVEL 3 Changes in Discharge/ Emission Quantities Administrative LEVEL 2 Responses of the Regulated & Nonregulated Community LEVEL 4 Changes in Ambient Conditions LEVEL 5 Changes in Uptake and/or Assimilation LEVEL 6 Changes in Health, Ecology, or Other Effects TOTAL PHOSPHORUS BLUE CRAB Hierarchy of Indicators Source: Chesapeake Bay Program, Environmental Indicators: Measuring our Progress ( This is how we measure environmental change

Performance Measures A quantitative or qualitative indicator for assessing the achievement of an objective or organizational goal. Can be used as a metric for administrative or environmental indicator

EPIC….how we got the ball rolling Two day conference to solicit ideas on key issues and sub-issues (day 1) and indicators to represent the issues (day 2). Sub-committees formed for major topics: air quality, pesticides, human health, eco health, etc.

EPIC ……getting the ball rolling Drawing on expertise of sub-committee members, winnowed down list to key issues and indicators Filtered indicators using criteria Final indicator set selected Never had time for a good peer-review

What are the environmental issues? Adequate data available (Type I) EPIC Indicator Selection Process Further data collection or analysis needed (Type II) No data; conceptual (Type III) Are criteria met? How can these be measured? Air quality Water Land/Waste/Materials Management Human Health Ecosystem Health Pesticides Transboundary

Indicator Selection: Primary criteria Data quality based on scientifically valid data collection Representativeness reflects the environmental issue for which it was selected Sensitivity detects meaningful differences in environmental conditions (signal:noise) Decision support supplies information that can support decision-making

Indicator Selection: Secondary criteria Anticipatory can provide an “early warning” Data comparability can be compared to indicators in other systems Cost-effective reasonable cost to collect data required to support the indicator Benchmark value point of reference enables users to assess the indicator’s significance

Ecosystem Health Indicators Key issues Habitat quantity Habitat quality Biodiversity Aquatic ecosystems indicators Land use/land cover Central valley chinook Least tern Lake Tahoe clarity Benthic macroinvert index Endocrine disruptors POPs in marine mammals

Human Health Indicators Concentrations of toxic chemicals in blood & other tissues is key issue –POPS, lead, mercury Extremely difficult to identify indicators of the effects of environmental exposures and human health –Numerous variable contribute to ‘health’ –State biomonitoring program’s goal is to determine exposure and possible effects

US EPA Aquatic Habitat Indicators Stream size – channel dimensions Channel gradient Channel substrate size and type Habitat complexity and cover –Riffles, pools, rocks, fallen trees, undercut banks Riparian vegetation cover and structure Anthropogenic alterations in stream channel and riparian zone Channel-riparian interactions Posted at:

2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development Indicators for Biodiversity Trends in abundance & distribution of selected species Extent of wetlands & large water bodies Catchment condition – extent of riparian vegetation Management effectiveness of protected areas Investment in protected areas Change in status of threatened species Area of forest, ag, aquaculture under sustainable management

2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development Indicators for Biodiversity Number and cost of alien invasions Water quality Freshwater trophic index Number of dams Sediment load in rivers Pesticide use/unit agricultural harvest Hit rates for biodiversity websites Balmford et al., The Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2010 Target, Science, 307:

Examples of indicators of community response Measure of extent of use of BMPs in ag Number of watershed groups – or a measure of activities of watershed groups – or watershed plans Existence of HCCP in region % of communities with ordinances requiring use of low impact development technologies Municipalities with integrated water management plans % of river miles covered by multi-purpose flood control projects

LEVEL 1 Actions by EPA/State Regulatory Agencies Environmental LEVEL 3 Changes in Discharge or environ. alterations Administrative LEVEL 2 Responses of the Regulated & Nonregulated Community LEVEL 4 Changes in Ambient Conditions LEVEL 5 Changes in Uptake and/or Assimilation LEVEL 6 Changes in Health, Ecology, or Other Effects Hierarchy of Indicators This is how we measure environmental change Acres riparian area/mi waterway % bank with armor Population of young fish SRWP Educational programs Collaborative efforts to establish multi-purpose flood projects Miles of greenway/mi waterway OR

Administrative Indicators Environmental Indicators Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 6 SWRP Actions & Program Response of env., ag, local govt. comm. Discharges alterations to environ. Conditions in watershed Assimila- tion or uptake Effects on human uses or ecology Educatn. & Outreach Existence of watershed plans Non-point source discharges Ground water supply Fish tissue conta- mination Change in popln. of key species MonitorAcres urban land in ‘green’ developmt. Acres land in irrigated ag Condition of instream habitat Ability of safely consume fish

Two issues to consider in developing an indicator system for the SRWP Value of including both environmental and administrative indicators Consider effects of environment conditions on human uses and needs (not just health) as well as effects on the ecosystem.