Water Information Coordination Program

National Water Quality Monitoring Council State and Regional Councils R. Thomas Weimer, DOI, Chair Deputy Assistant Secretary - Water and Science Robert M. Hirsch, USGS, Alternate Chair Associate Director for Water Toni M. Johnson, Executive Secretary, Chief, Water Information Coordination Program

Advisory Committee on Water Informationvisory Committee on Water Information Federal Geographic Data Committee Nat’l Water Quality Monitoring Council NAWQA National Liaison Committee Methods Methods & Data Comparability Board Work Groups Subcom Spatial Water Data USGS Coop Task Force Work Groups Hydrology Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable Work Groups Subcomm Sedimentation

Subcommittee Work Groups National Water Quality Monitoring Council Hydrology Guidelines Hydrologic Frequency Analysis Task Group on Hydrology Modeling Water Information Strategies Spatial Water Data Coastal Methods and Data Comparability Board Collaboration and Outreach Watershed Components Interactions Hydrography Standards

Methods and Data Comparability Board Work Groups Biology and Microbiology Outreach Water-Quality Data Elements Performance-Based Measurement Systems (PBMS) National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI) Laboratory Accreditation and Field Certification Nutrients New Technologies

National Water Quality Monitoring Council Purpose Statement Provide national coordination to implement the Strategy to Improve Water-Quality Monitoring in the United States. Develop water-quality information standards through the Methods and Data Comparability Board.

National Water Quality Monitoring Council, Methods and Data Comparability Board Purpose Statement The National Methods and Data Comparability Board is a partnership of water-quality experts from Federal agencies, States, Tribes, Municipalities, industry, and private organizations. The Board's challenge is to identify, examine, and recommend water-quality monitoring approaches that facilitate collaboration amongst all data-gathering organizations and yield comparable data and assessment results.

Methods Board Accomplishments NEMI Public release October – announced by joint USGS/USEPA letter – o Over 20,000 visits since public release o 600+ Methods Currently in NEMI o Developed guidance for deriving performance characteristics for field population/community and toxicity methods o Developed a template/business rules for inclusion of biological field methods in NEMI o Obtained funding and organized an effort to add homeland security constituents to NEMI (Next page)

Methods Board Accomplishments Developed a trial version of an expert system portal for NEMI -- the Environmental Monitoring and Measurement Advisor (EMMA) that is available from the NEMI website Completed a report on the PBS COD pilot study Integrated the Board’s Methods and Data Comparability Framework into the Council’s Framework for Monitoring Organized a session at the International Association of Great Lakes Research on achieving comparability in monitoring for algae using new technologies (Cont Next page)

Methods Board Accomplishments Prepared a Fact sheet to encourage the accreditation of federal laboratories and their contractors that monitor on a routine basis per recommendations adopted by ACWI. Prepared draft reports on the value of comparability and on the importance of the DQO approach for promoting comparability Developed 2 PBS pilot studies to address PBS implementation issue o Comparison of results using two total Nitrogen analytical methods o Comparison of benthic macroinvertebrate sampling techniques (Cont Next page)

Methods Board Accomplishments Prepared an outline for a State laboratory accreditation position paper, as a follow-up to recommendations adopted by ACWI, concerning the accreditation of federal laboratories Provided oversight of eight pilot projects testing implementation of Chemical WQDEs Developed a modular approach for development of WQDEs for biology related constituents Developed draft WQDE lists for population/community and toxicity methods Developed and distributed a Board newsletter (Across the Board) Cont Next page)

Methods Board Accomplishments Developed a speakers bureau to facilitate outreach by Board members o Calendar of events and distribution list o Assorted power point presentations and posters, Board information packets, fact sheets, reports, etc.

National Water-Quality Assessment Program National Liaison Committee Purpose Statement Create an ongoing national liaison process for external organizations to work interactively with NAWQA in joint problem solving on water quality issues. Participants will share insights on the best approaches for understanding water systems and identifying gaps in information important to decision makers.

Subcommittee on Hydrology Purpose Statement Improve the availability and reliability of surface- water quantity information needed for hazard mitigation, water supply and demand management, and environmental protection.

Subcommittee on Hydrology Accomplishments Meetings were held in January, April, July, and October Minutes available online on USGS ACWI website Glenn Austin, SOH Chair provided annual report on SOH activities during ACWI meeting held April 2002

Subcommittee on Hydrology Accomplishments The Chair and Vice-Chair positions were transferred in Sept 2002 over to: Mike Grimm, Chair, FEMA Don Frevert, Vice-Chair, BOR

Subcommittee on Hydrology Hydrology Frequency Workgroup Accomplishments Held meetings on Jan 9 and October 16, 2002 Completed white paper entitled “Evaluation of Flood Frequency Estimates for Ungaged Watersheds” and posted on the ACWI SOH Web page Completed draft of frequently asked questions and answers for Bulletin 17B

Subcommittee on Hydrology Hydrology Frequency Workgroup Accomplishments The regulated frequency subgroup met May 23, 2002 (Knoxville, TN) and November 7, 2002 (Atlanta, GA), and continued work on flood frequency for regulated watersheds

Subcommittee on Hydrology Hydrologic Modeling Workgroup Accomplishments Held Second Federal Interagency Hydrologic Modeling Conference July 28-August 1, The conference included 43 technical sessions with more than 1001 papers presented at the conference and approximately 35 demonstrations and posters were given in the demonstrations session. Continued on next page

Subcommittee on Hydrology Hydrologic Modeling Workgroup Accomplishments Contributions to cover proceedings and registration expenses were received from the National Weather Service, the Corps of Engineers and EPA. Proceedings were produced by USGS and registration was handled by the Bureau of Reclamation.

During FY 2002 the Hydrologic Modeling Work Group met by conference call on: Subcommittee on Hydrology Hydrologic Modeling Workgroups Accomplishments October 26, 2001 December 3, 2001 January 17, 2002, February 14, 2002 March 13, 2002 April 12, 2002 May 21, 2002 June 12, 2002 In Person on:July 26, 2002

AD Hoc Subcommittee TMDL Conference on Science Issues Purpose Statement To help identify and clarify what science tools and information are available or needed to assist state, tribal and local organizations in listing impared waters, developing effective TMDL plans, and implementing TMDL's.

AD Hoc Subcommittee Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable Purpose Statement Serve as a forum to share information and perspectives that will promote better decision making in the U.S. regarding the sustainable development of our nation's water resources.

AD Hoc Subcommittee Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable Accomplishments April 2-3, 2002 ACWI – endorsed Term of Reference Action item: Compilation of indicators that show the status and trends of statistics that describe various aspects of water resources. Work is now underway to compile indicator data from available sources. W EF – Dec , 2002 meeting (Develop work program -12 months period for SWRR)

Streamgaging Task Force Purpose Statement Evaluate streamgaging nationwide and develop a national strategy for streamgaging by 2000.

Streamgaging Task Force Accomplishments USGS developed a network analysis tool Provided representative discharge data for each of the Major river basins in the nation. Provided river discharge data to meet the operational requirements of river basin compacts and Supreme Court decree and at each point where major rivers cross International, State and Tribal boundaries.

COOP Task Force Purpose Statement Evaluate the effectiveness of the Coop Program and recommend improvements.

COOP Task Force Accomplishments Adopting the Program mission statement suggested by the Task Force. ”. The Changing the name of the Program to the “Cooperative Water Program” Selecting a National Coordinator for the Program to help ensure that Task Force recommendations continue to be addressed

COOP Task Force Accomplishments Enhancing USGS core funding for streamgages. Supporting ACWI in developing guidelines for the national streamgage network. Including a section in project descriptions that clearly identifies a Federal interest. Posting policy memorandums related to competition with the private sector on the web.

COOP Task Force Accomplishments Providing a list of national Program priorities annually. Improving the timeliness of reports. Greatly enhancing access to hydrologic data.

Staff Toni M. Johnson, Chief Judith B. Griffin, Committee Management Specialist Carol I. Lewis, Information Specialist, Web and Subcommittees Support Kimberley L. Martz, Information Technology Specialist, Web and Graphic Support Helen F. Ipsaro, Admin. Operations Asst., Non-Fed Travel Robert R. Reynolds, Social Scientist, Memberships and Funding Trends

Water Information Coordination Program