# Presentation: 208115

## WESTERN PILOT 

## Purpose of the Western Pilot

- Advance the science of  ecosystem monitoring for western ecological systems
- indicators
- reference conditions
- designs
- assessment methods
- Build State capacity for long-term monitoring
- monitoring tools
- analytical capability
- partnerships

## Objectives of the Western Pilot

- Demonstrate indicators and designs for measuring environmental progress
- unbiased estimates of condition of ecological resources
- comparative ranking of stressors
- tools for biocriteria
- Demonstrate the value of survey based monitoring developed by EMAP
- apply to real problems of Regional/State interest

## Geographic Scope of the Western Pilot

- EPA Regions 8
- States of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah
- EPA Region 9
- States of Arizona, Nevada, California
- EPA Region 10
- States of Oregon, Idaho and Washington** **

## Ecological Resources of the Western Pilot

- Coastal systems (estuaries and coastal waters)
- Surface water systems (rivers and streams)
- Landscapes

## Components of the Western Pilot

- Coastal
- conditions of estuaries by state
- focus areas chosen by EPA regional offices
- Surface waters
- conditions of rivers and streams by State
- focus areas chosen by EPA regional offices
- Landscapes
- land cover atlas for the West
- quantification of relationship between landscape indicators and aquatic condition
- focus areas chosen by EPA regional offices

## Region 8 Focus Areas

- TBD

## Region 9 Focus Areas

- TBD

## Region 10 Focus Areas

- Coastal
- Tillamook Bay and north coast of Oregon
- Surface Waters
- Deschutes and John Day basins
- Tillamook Bay watersheds (STAR grant)
- Landscapes
- upper Deschutes basin
- north coast of Oregon (Newport to Seaside)

## Example Coastal Indicators

- Fish community
- Fish pathology
- Fish tissue contamination
- Benthic community
- Sediment contamination (e.g. metals, organics)
- Water physio-chemical (nutrients, temperature, alkalinity dissolved oxygen, heavy metals, depth)

## Example Surface Water Indicators

- Fish assemblage
- Fish tissue contamination
- Macroinvertebrate assemblage
- Periphyton
- Physical habitat (e.g. riparian characteristics, woody debris, canopy cover, gradient)
- Water physio-chemical (e.g. nutrients, temperature, alkalinity dissolved oxygen, heavy metals)

## Example Landscape Indicators

- Riparian indicators
- land cover along streams
- disturbance (e.g. grazing)
- Watershed indicators
- land use and cover
- upland erosion
- natural cover diversity
- impervious surfaces
- population density

## Value of Improved Approaches to Monitoring

- Monitoring for results
- GPRA objectives
- Targeting
- most important areas
- most important stressors
- Support development of biocriteria
- Support for specific assessments
- 305 (b) reporting

## Example Geographic Targeting

- Poor Fish Integrity

## Key Elements of the EMAP Approach

- Ecological (i.e., biological) resources
- Direct measures of condition
- “Integrated” condition
- Reference conditions
- Surveys for unbiased results
- Ranking of stressors
- Spatial comparisons

## Survey Design Advantages

- Guarantees representation and inference to systems of interest
- Adapted to resource characteristics
- Adjusts sample sizes to meet precision requirements
- Adaptable to temporal and spatial scales of resolution

## True ORD/Regional partnerships necessary
Internal Regional and ORD commitment top to bottom (long-term)
Biological and habitat indicators compliment current chemical monitoring, can be used now and are economical
Sound environmental characterization can drive management decisions and influence public perceptions

- Internal Regional and ORD commitment top to bottom (long-term)
- Biological and habitat indicators compliment current chemical monitoring, can be used now and are economical
- Sound environmental characterization can drive management decisions and influence public perceptions

- Lessons from Mid Atlantic Pilot

## Lessons from Mid Atlantic Pilot (cont.)

- Statistical surveys are very important to setting goals and measuring progress
- Expanding use of environmental indicators and statistical surveys changed the view of relative risk
- Long-term outlook essential
- Partnership/stakeholders involvement is critical

## Benefits of EMAP Approach 

- Improved estimates of population size
- Expectations differ from reality
- Scientifically sound reference conditions
- Scientifically sound regional assessments
- Scientifically sound cross regional assessments
- Improved 305 (b) reporting
- Tools for landscape characterization and assessments

## Improved Estimates of Population SizeOregon Coho Salmon

**Historic long term monitoring of spawning suggests minimal problem **
**Historic survey biased**
**Salmon populations continue to decline**
**Survey results more accurately reflect populations**
**State program modified based on probability design**

**Estimated No. Fish per mile**

## Expectations Differ from Reality

## Scientifically Sound Reference ConditionsExpert opinion compared to probability 

- Mid Atlantic streams

## Scientifically Sound Regional Assessments Stream Conditions in Mid-Atlantic Highlands

**Percent of Stream Miles**

**Biological Quality**

**Impaired**

**Unimpaired**

**Marginal**

**24%**

**42%**

**34%**

**Ranking of Stressors**

## Scientifically Sound Cross Regional Assessments Benthic conditions in Estuaries

- Degraded
- 30 ± 6%

- Undegraded
- 70 ± 6%

- Degraded
- 18 ± 8%

- Undegraded
- 82 ± 8%

- Louisianian Province

- Virginian Province

## Scientifically Sound Cross Regional AssessmentsRanking of stressors

- Louisianian Province

- Virginian Province

## Improved 305 (b) ReportingDelaware

- Traditional 305(b) Report - Chemical Evidence, Aggregation of Existing Data

- New Report -
- Chemical Evidence,  Probability Survey

- New Report -
- Biological  Evidence,
- Probability Survey

## Tools for Landscape Characterization and Assessment

## WESTERN PILOT GIF PAGE

**WESTERN PILOT**

- You can use this page to select a number of images to customize your own presentation.  Just click on the image you desire and copy it to your overheads.  We have left space in the bottom right corner for these images.