National Water Quality National Water Quality Monitoring Network Monitoring Network

for U.S. Coastal Waters and Their Tributariesfor U.S. Coastal Waters and Their Tributaries

Briefing For TheBriefing For TheAdvisory Committee on Water Advisory Committee on Water

InformationInformationSeptember 14, 2005September 14, 2005

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An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st CenturyFinal Report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy

The US Ocean Action PlanThe Administration’s Response

Both called for the creation of a National Water Quality Monitoring Network

Origins of the ProjectOrigins of the Project

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Three Ocean Commission Recommendations:

1. Develop network that coordinates and expands

existing efforts

2. The network should include coverage in both the coastal and upland areas that affect them, and be linked to the Integrated Ocean Observing System

3. Network must have clear goals, specify core variables, and an appropriate sampling framework, and be periodically reviewed and updated.

National Water Quality National Water Quality Monitoring NetworkMonitoring Network

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Participant Affiliation

Federal

Industry

Academia

State &Tribal

Local

40%

28%

23%

7%2%

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• Design the network using criteria derived from:– Specified goals and objectives– Management questions

• Compare design with existing monitoring efforts

• Then:– Include– Improve– Define as external to the Network

Approach to the DesignApproach to the Design

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• Integrate, coordinate, and as necessary enhance water quality monitoring efforts needed to make informed management decisions for sustainable use of aquatic resources.

• Communicate the availability of quality assured data, and disseminate information products relevant to national, regional and local needs.

Goals of the National Water Goals of the National Water Quality Monitoring Network Quality Monitoring Network

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1. Define status and trends of key water quality parameters and conditions on a nationwide basis.

2. Provide data relevant to determining whether goals, standards, and resource management objectives are being met, thus contributing to sustainable and beneficial use of coastal and inland water resources.

3. Provide data to identify and rank existing and emerging problems to help target more intensive monitoring, preventive actions, or remediation.

Objectives of the National Water Objectives of the National Water Quality Monitoring NetworkQuality Monitoring Network

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4. Provide data to support and define coastal oceanographic and hydrologic research, including influences of freshwater inflows.

5. Provide quality-assured data for use in the preparation of interpretive reports and educational materials.

Objectives of the National Water Objectives of the National Water Quality Monitoring NetworkQuality Monitoring Network

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IOOS RegionsIOOS Regions

1010

What the Network Will What the Network Will ProvideProvideA framework A framework • That links the upland to the coasts and ocean• Provides national coverage• That can support local needs:

– Finer temporal or geographic scale– Additional indicators

• That has data standards• That has provisions for data management

and access

1111

What the Network Will NOT What the Network Will NOT CoverCover

• Provide data on all water resources– Small rivers– Lakes and reservoirs– Local aquifers

• Replace State Clean Water Act use attainment monitoring– 305b and 303d

•Compliance monitoring

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The DesignThe Design• Resource compartmentsResource compartments• Specific stressorsSpecific stressors• PurposePurpose

•Flow and LoadsFlow and Loads•Condition assessmentsCondition assessments

• ApproachApproach•Station locations Station locations •Constituents Constituents •FrequencyFrequency

• Data ConsiderationsData Considerations•Metadata requirementsMetadata requirements•Data management Data management •Data accessData access

• ImplementationImplementation•Institutional considerationsInstitutional considerations

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Water Resource CompartmentsWater Resource Compartments

• For each IOOS Region:For each IOOS Region:– Major RiversMajor Rivers– EstuariesEstuaries– State & Territorial WatersState & Territorial Waters– Coastal Oceans to the Edge of the EEZCoastal Oceans to the Edge of the EEZ– WetlandsWetlands– Ground waterGround water– Recreational beachesRecreational beaches– Atmospheric depositionAtmospheric deposition

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• Oxygen depletion• Nutrient enrichment• Toxic contamination• Sedimentation• Harmful algal blooms• Habitat degradation• Invasions by exotic species• Pathogens (indicator bacteria)

Stressors Affecting ResourcesStressors Affecting Resources

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General ApproachGeneral Approach• Conduct routine sampling on a network Conduct routine sampling on a network

of fixed sitesof fixed sites• Perform probabilistic sampling on the Perform probabilistic sampling on the

Nation’s largest rivers and coastal Nation’s largest rivers and coastal waterswaters

• Ensure that 90% of flow to each IOOS Ensure that 90% of flow to each IOOS Region is sampledRegion is sampled

• Utilize existing networks and methodsUtilize existing networks and methods• Conduct regular assessments of dataConduct regular assessments of data• Adaptive parametric coverage and Adaptive parametric coverage and

sampling schedulessampling schedules

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Explanation Active streamgage Active water-quality site

River Monitoring SitesRiver Monitoring Sites

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Percent of Unit Gaged

Upper Susquehanna 99West Branch Susquehanna 98Lower Susquehanna 99Upper Chesapeake 4Potomac 77Lower Chesapeake 13James 65

Accounting Unit

Adequacy of existing streamgage network for meeting Network designgoal in Chesapeake Bay watershed.

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River Data CollectionRiver Data Collection• Continuous streamflowContinuous streamflow• Water-quality samplesWater-quality samples

12 – 15 per year12 – 15 per year Nutrients, suspended sediment, metals, Nutrients, suspended sediment, metals,

pesticides, and other site-specific pesticides, and other site-specific constituentsconstituents

Sample over full of range of flowsSample over full of range of flows• Biology once per year (index period)Biology once per year (index period)• Bottom sediments every 5 yearsBottom sediments every 5 years• Utilize tissue contaminant Utilize tissue contaminant

information from BEST networkinformation from BEST network

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Representative Station Representative Station NetworkNetwork

• Determine Determine conditionsconditions on major on major rivers of the Nationrivers of the Nation Sample goal: 90% of the flow to each Sample goal: 90% of the flow to each

IOOS Region IOOS Region 50 representative sites per IOOS 50 representative sites per IOOS

RegionRegion Five year intervalFive year interval

Same analyses as for each targeted Same analyses as for each targeted sitesite

Build on existing programs (BEST, Build on existing programs (BEST, EPA Great Rivers, ORSANCO, etc.)EPA Great Rivers, ORSANCO, etc.)

2020

Stream segments for which mean flow is greater than 5,000 cfs or drainage area is greater than 25,000 sq mi.

2121

General Approach to General Approach to Sampling EstuariesSampling Estuaries

• Define extent of the estuarine resourceDefine extent of the estuarine resource• Link to riverine samplingLink to riverine sampling• Work within IOOS regions, state boundariesWork within IOOS regions, state boundaries• Cover 138 NOAA Listed estuariesCover 138 NOAA Listed estuaries• Choose and distribute probability – based Choose and distribute probability – based

sampling sites sampling sites • Establish the monitoring schedule and Establish the monitoring schedule and

arrange for it – through existing programs arrange for it – through existing programs

2222

• Sampling EstuariesSampling Estuaries

Estuary Monitoring SitesEstuary Monitoring SitesLouisianaExample

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General Approach for General Approach for Sampling State Waters and Sampling State Waters and

the EEZthe EEZ•Define extent of these waters using NOAA definitions

•Link to IOOS regions•Choose and distribute sampling sites • For many physical parameters, use For many physical parameters, use

remotely sensed data in combination remotely sensed data in combination with fixed siteswith fixed sites

•Establish the monitoring schedule and arrange for it

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Sites randomly placed inside

the contiguous zone EEZ Waters to

be sampled remotely

Monitoring the Coastal OceanMonitoring the Coastal Ocean

Contiguous Zone and EEZ Waters In IOOS

Regions

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Inventory of Existing Inventory of Existing MonitoringMonitoring• Identify existing Federal programsIdentify existing Federal programs• Identify state and local programs in case Identify state and local programs in case

study areasstudy areas• Determine whether data in these Determine whether data in these

programs meet objective criteriaprograms meet objective criteria• Those that do meet criteria are candidates Those that do meet criteria are candidates

for inclusion in NMNfor inclusion in NMN• Track reasons for exclusion—high priority Track reasons for exclusion—high priority

for actionfor action

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Primary Criteria Used to Primary Criteria Used to Screen Existing NetworksScreen Existing Networks

•On-going programs•Data available electronically•Database searchable using location

and constituents as search criteria•QA/QC•Metadata available electronically and

of sufficient quality

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Data IssuesData Issues•Metadata documentation is expected

using long-standing Council/ACWI data element format

•Results and metadata storage to be electronic

•Access to be assured via web service portals via XML

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•The Design is set – – Detailing the contents

•Geography•Parameter lists

•Metadata needs established•Data Management & Access

– Web Services– Network of Networks– DMAC Compatible

•The Issue of Institutional Arrangements being framed

Progress To DateProgress To Date

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• We are addressing:• Common definitions of environmental

compartments• Common information goals• The use of different design approaches• Common parameter specifications• Sample timing

•We are starting to address:• Metadata standards• Field data Collection & handling• Analytic procedures• Data storage, and data access practices

Progress To DateProgress To Date

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• Council Meeting:Council Meeting: Nov 1-3, 2005Nov 1-3, 2005• Draft Report by the HolidaysDraft Report by the Holidays• Final report:Final report: Mid-Jan 2006Mid-Jan 2006• Nat’l. Monitoring Conf.Nat’l. Monitoring Conf. May 7-11, May 7-11,

20062006

Network MilestonesNetwork Milestones

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Charles SpoonerUS Environmental

Protection AgencyOffice of Water 4503T1200 Pennsylvania

Avenue, N.W.Washington, DC 20460Spooner.charles@eap.gov202-566-1174

Dr. Gail MallardUS Geological Survey417 National Center 12201 Sunrise Valley

DriveReston VA 20192gmallard@usgs.gov401-322-0902