**[Topic List:]{.underline}**

1.  New USGS Turbidity Reporting Protocol - Nancy Alvarez

2.  New LTIMP Mission Statement and Workplan -- Chad Praul

3.  Conference Report: Turbidity & Sediment Sampling -- Lance Bell, WET
    Lab

**[Topic Summaries:]{.underline}**

**Improved Turbidity Reporting Procedures for USGS -- Nancy Alvarez,
USGS**

Nancy started her presentation by stating that USGS has changed its
procedures and now reports Turbidity in 10 different units instead of
just Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTUs). This change in procedure is
outlined in the USGS National Field Manual chapter 6.7 and will be
reflected in all new data stored in USGS databases as of October 2004.
Older data will be converted on a case by case basis as need dictates.

The presentation went on to describe some of the background behind this
improved protocol. Nancy mentioned that EPA method 180.1 (which most
turbidimeters are designed to) is intended to measure the clarity of
drinking water. In Tahoe, we tend to use Turbidity for a surrogate for
suspended sediment and visual impairment measurements. Uses outside of
the EPA's intended area have created excessive variability between
different instruments and techniques. The natural desire to compare
projects (or sites) that have used different detectors has led USGS to
define Turbidity units based on detector configuration and light
wavelength. There are two wavelengths of light generally used and five
detector configurations. This breakdown results in 10 units, including:
NTU, FNU, NTRU, FNRU, BU, FBU, AU, FAU, NTMU, and FNMU. \[Sounds
complicated, eh?\] A chart showing the various combinations is available
at: <http://water.usgs.gov/admin/memo/QW/attach_techmemo04.03.pdf> (see
page 5).

These new units have not been widely adopted, but would definitely
address some of the issues that LTIMP members have been noticing in
their inter-project comparisons. The LTIMP working group is the best
place in the Tahoe Basin to determine if these improved methods should
be adopted for Basin research. In the mean time, Nancy gave some Tahoe
monitoring implications:

-   Select instruments carefully based on project objectives

-   Use consistent techniques and instrumentation throughout study

-   Inter-project and inter-site comparability is questionable if
    instruments with identical optical and data-processing
    configurations are not used

-   Document techniques and instrument brand/model used.

**New Mission Statement and 2005 Work Plan for LTIMP working group --
Chad Praul**

Every spring the LTIMP working group takes some time to determine a
1-year work plan. This year Chad took the opportunity to take a look at
the mission statement as well. The Mission Statement had been composed
while (possibly before) LTIMP was a sub-committee of the Water Quality
Working Group which no longer exists. LTIMP's functions have changed
since this time and Chad felt an update was in order. A draft mission
was brought to long-term members of the group and then presented at the
May Meeting. The group had a 45 minute discussion and word-smithing
session that resulted in a new statement that has been carefully thought
out and worded. It is presented here for final comments and will be
adopted at our next meeting.

**2005 LTIMP Mission Statement:** To provide a centralized forum for
Tahoe Basin monitoring, research and design communities to present
results, share innovative ideas and discuss issues relevant to water
quality with the goal of informing regulatory, management and planning
activities.

The work plan section included discussion of the status of 2004 work
items and presentation of 2005 potential work items. A review of the
2004 work items was covered in the March meeting report. A very brief
description of each work item and discussion around it follows.

1.  **Continue Monthly Meetings-** all concerned agreed that this is the
    current core of the group's function

2.  **Map All WQ Monitoring Projects-** this project would use the
    current monitoring inventory (from 2004 work plan) and map each
    project with ArcView. The group liked this concept - Steve Patterson
    mentioned that it will take some concerted effort from a few members
    -- Brent Wolfe and Drea Traeumer expressed interest in helping with
    this project.

3.  **Update LTIMP Monitoring Protocols Document** -- This item would
    involve going through our (now 3 year old) document to update
    numeric data and incorporate content from CalTrans and TRG
    protocols. The group liked this idea, but felt it would be too large
    to take on in 1 year- suggestion was made to update one or two
    sections every year on a continuing basis -- Robert Erlich and Nancy
    Alvarez expressed interest in leading this project

4.  **Select a New Chair-** Chad was advised by previous LTIMP Chairs to
    get in, work hard for 12-18 months, and get out. Chad is now at 16
    months and understands the wisdom of this advice. The group felt
    that agency personnel or private consultants should be eligible for
    the position- some group members mentioned their interest, but
    anyone who would like a leadership opportunity and has experience
    with water quality should contact Chad.

5.  **Gain a Charter**- LTIMP is currently operating with out any
    guidance from management groups. This is both an opportunity and a
    hindrance. Other working groups (like SWQIC) are chartered by
    executive or management groups. An official charter (or linkage)
    with one of these groups would solidify LTIMP's position in the
    management structure of the Basin and potentially open doors for
    additional resources. The group expressed interest in accomplishing
    this item, but also showed some hesitance. Chad and the future Chair
    will work on this item.

6.  **Rename LTIMP Working Group**- there have been several attempts to
    change the name of LTIMP in the last few years, but none have been
    able to determine a better alternative. The need exists because
    there are three entities in the basin that use the LTIMP acronym.
    (The stream monitoring network run by the USGS, the data set
    maintained by the USGS, and the Working Group that holds monthly
    meetings.) The group felt that this item was not of particular
    importance and suggested that we be diligent about using "Working
    Group" after our acronym to maintain our identity. This item has
    been dropped from the work plan for 2005.

Comments on the work plan will be accepted until our June 1 meeting. The
spirit of volunteering was strong at our last meeting and Chad
appreciates the energy. LTIMP will not be able to successfully
accomplish its work plan in 2005 unless roughly 8 people volunteer a
small amount (2-3 days/year) of time to accomplishing these tasks.
Please contact Chad if you would like to take this opportunity to make
contacts in the research community and make a difference in water
quality.

**Turbidity & Sediment Sampling Conference Report -- Lance Bell, WET
Lab**

Lance made a quick report on this April 26, 2005 conference held in
Redding, CA. The conference goals included discussion of past and
present turbidity research, develop a common understanding on parameters
and protocols, and explore the possibility of creating a forum for
sharing ongoing research and monitoring findings. \[Sounds like LTIMP\]
The conference focused on research issues related to detecting land
management impacts on streams and watersheds, exploration of temporal
and spatial variability in many areas of measurement, and discussion of
state of the art techniques for assessing/monitoring in-stream and
riparian environments. Lance presented brief summaries of 5 highlight
presentations from Andrew Simon, Dietterick et al., Randy Klein, Rand
Eads, Mary Ann Madej, and James Kirchner. Abstracts of these
presentations are attached to the email that delivered this report. An
interesting addition to the abstracts is a list of the top-10 references
to each subject presented. These references are included in the
attachment to this document and are very useful. Thanks to Lance who
came up from Reno at the last minute to give this presentation.

In Attendance:

Nancy Alvarez, USGS

Lance Bell, WET Lab\*

Larry Benoit, TRPA

Robert Erlich, Lahontan\*

Alfred Knotts, EDOT\*

Mark Palmer, HSWL

Chad Praul, NTCD\*

Steve Patterson, Consultant

Tim Rowe, USGS

Andy Smith, WET Lab

Rick Susfalk, DRI

Drea Traeumer, Kennedy/Jenks\*

Chris Twomey, c2me Engineering

Russ Wigart, CSLT

Brent Wolfe, CTC\*

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