1. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 1 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links Welcome to NEST Indicator Project Website Late-Breaking NEST News Xxx Why Was NEST Project Launched? Xxx > NEST Indicators Xxxx <<mention “key policy questions” here as a clickable text link to the Key Policy Questions page and also use clickable text links for “water quantity”, etc. to send people directly to those pages. Go More News  More 

2. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 2 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links NEST News Project Updates Xxx Upcoming Opportunities to Engage with NEST Project Team Xxx Feb 2008 Collaborative Forum Highlights Xxx Go More News  More Forum Information 

3. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 3 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links Why was NEST Indicator Process Launched? Xxx CEQ/OSTP/OMB Policy Memo Xxxx NEST Project Terms of Reference Xxx NEST Project Timeline Xxx Go

4. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 4 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links Participating Agencies Environmental Protection Agency Forest Service Geological Survey Natural Resources Conservation Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Participating Offices of the Executive Office of the President Council on Environmental Quality Office of Management and Budget Office of Science and Technology Policy Federal Environmental Executive NEST Executive Management Team Michael Shapiro, EPA, Office of Water Programs Denice Shaw, EPA, Office of Research and Development Carolyn Olson, NRCS Terry Holman, Office of the Secretary of the Interior Robert Hirsch, GS, Office of Water Beth Norton, NOAA Rich Guldin, FS, NEST EMT (Current Chair) Other Key NEST Personnel Wendy Norton, ACWI Macara Lousberg, EPA Nancy Wentworth, EPA Doug Powell, FS Go More News 

5. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 5 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links Key Policy Questions How much water do we have? How much water do we use? Do our lakes and rivers have healthy fish? What chemicals are in our lakes and rivers? Are our lakes and rivers safe for swimming? Go More 

6. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 6 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links How much water do we have? NEST Indicators of water quantity Surface water storage Why is this important? How is it measured? Snow pack Why is this important? How is it measured? Soil moisture Why is this important? How is it measured? Change in storage of groundwater Why is this important? How is it measured? Stream flow trends Why is this important? How is it measured? Current stream flow conditions Why is this important? How is it measured? Current ground water levels Why is this important? How is it measured:? Area of wetlands Why is this important? How is it measured? Incidence and extent of floods Why is this important How is it measured? Go More 

7. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 7 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links How much water do use? NEST Indicators of water use Total water withdrawals for all uses Why is this important? How is it measured? Irrigation use Why is this important? How is it measured? Municipal use Why is this important? How is it measured? Energy and industrial use Why is this important? How is it measured? Go More 

8. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 8 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links Do our lakes and rivers have healthy fish? NEST Indicators of aquatic habitat quality Fish communities in lakes and rivers Why is this important? How is it measured? Stocks of key commercial fisheries Why is this important? How is it measured? Mussel communities Why is this important? How is it measured? Benthic invertebrate communities Why is this important? How is it measured? Zooplankton and algal communities Why is this important? How is it measured? Aquatic plant communities Why is this important? How is it measured? Go More 

9. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 9 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links What chemicals are in our lakes and rivers? NEST Indicators of water quality Nitrate flux in major rivers Why is this important? How is it measured? Nitrate concentrations in water bodies Why is this important? How is it measured? Phosphate flux in major rivers Why is this important? How is it measured? Stream bed stability Why is this important? How is it measured? Sediment transport Why is this important? How is it measured? Water clarity Why is this important? How is it measured? Chlorophyll A Why is this important? How is it measured? Dissolved oxygen Why is this important? How is it measured:? pH and acid neutralizing capacity Why is this important? How is it measured? Water temperatures Why is this important? How is it measured? Hypoxic areas Why is this important? How is it measured? Metals and related contaminants Why is this important? How is it measured? Pesticides Why is this important? How is it measured? Other emerging chemicals Why is this important How is it measured? Go More 

10. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 10 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links Is our water safe? NEST Indicators of safety for body contact and consumption of water and fish Recreational water quality Why is this important? How is it measured? Beach closures Why is this important? How is it measured? Fish consumption advisories Why is this important? How is it measured? Shellfish consumption advisories Why is this important? How is it measured? Contaminants in fish and shellfish Why is this important? How is it measured? Harmful algal blooms Why is this important? How is it measured? Human illness from waterborne pathogens Why is this important? How is it measured? Nitrates in rural water wells Why is this important? How is it measured:? Pesticides in rural water wells Why is this important? How is it measured? Community water supply system violations Why is this important? How is it measured? Go More 

11. HomeAbout NESTNews & Project Updates NEST Exec. Mgmt. Team Participating Agencies Contact Us SDI Home ! Site Map ! NEST Policy Memo ! NEST EMT Terms of Reference ! SWRR Home ! ACWI Home ! Contact Us Page 11 National Environmental Status & Trends (NEST) Banner Search Browse by Subject –Water Quantity –Water Quality –Water Use –Water Chemistry –Aquatic Habitat –xx I Want To –See the NEST Indicators –See the NEST Metadata –Zz I Want to Go To –EPA Website –FS Website –NOAA Website –NRCS Website –USGS Website –ACWI Website –SWRR Website –SDI Website –CEQ Website –OSTP Website –OMB Website See Other Indicator Links Indicator: > What is the current level of the indicator? > What is the recent trend in this indicator? > Who produces this indicator? > Where are the metadata and protocols for this indicator? > Go More 