1. Membership Need to clarify members and determine who has authority to vote on group decisions.

2. Status of Year 2 Integration: –Finalization of habitat-based assessment model to evaluate consequences of different water management plans. –Construction of a preliminary modeling framework to initiate development of process- based integration model.

3. Status of Year 2 (con’t) Habitat Quantity: –Air photo interpretation and ground truthing of vegetation communities for 32 wetland study sites (16 US/16 Canada). –Mapping of vegetation communities using historic air photos. –Collaboration between US and Canadian researchers to ensure consistency in approach.

4. Status of Year 2 (con’t) Habitat Quality: –Plant Species Diversity: 8 of 15 sites examined for emergent plant diversity Data analysis to commence this October –Habitat Productivity: Water temperature data entered and standardized into one database Historical water temperature data gathered from 13 sites between Montreal and Quebec City

5. Status of Year 2 (con’t) Fish –Fish and habitat sampling using a variety of techniques –Monitoring of water levels and temperature at select locations –Preliminary data development from experiments aimed at establishing the relationship between egg-larval development and temperature for northern pike and muskellunge –GIS based analysis of habitat supply for 8 different fish groups in the Bay of Quinte based on water levels and temperature cues.

6. Status of Year 2 (con’t) Wetland Birds: –Coordinated breeding bird survey of Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River wetland study sites completed in the spring –Collection of site and landscape level habitat attributes Wildfowl and Colonial Birds: –Data collection complete regarding reproduction phenology, population dynamics, available habitats, and support capacity for dabbling ducks –Refinement of performance indicators

7. Status of Year 2 (con’t) Reptiles and Amphibians: –Complete turtle and tadpole sampling from 250 sites in 10 wetlands. Data will be used to related tadpole and turtle population parameters to wetland vegetation. –Captured 12 Blanding’s turtles and attached temperature-indicating radio-transmitters. Water Quality: –Dilution relationships are being estimated and seasonal patterns and low water level effects are being estimated. –Second phase of project initiated to assess the impact of water level fluctuations on river sediment dynamics.

8. Status of Year 2 (con’t) Influence of the St. Lawrence River hydrologic regime on biotic assemblages in the vicinity of the Akwesasne Mohawk Marsh: –Discussion with tribal elders about pre-regulation conditions. –Acquisition and initial examination of air photos showing the Snye Marsh. –Consultation with ETWG researchers to standardize methods and equipment. –Initial sampling and gear testing and the development of standard operating procedures.

9. Year 3 Workshop to scope and bound the components and functionality of the process based integration model. Lead to identification in research gaps and assist with developing the scope of work for Year 3.