# Presentation: 540616

## Methods Board Meeting – March 2005Highlights 

- Most 2-yr workplans for each Workgroup prepared
- Discussed Board involvement in NMN – reported earlier in Council meeting.  Ed Johnson (NOAA) Workgroup Chair
- Wadeable Streams Assessment – continue work with EPA in implementing a bioassessment comparability program – more later (Laura Gabanski, Jerry Diamond)
- Water Quality Data Elements (LeAnne Astin)
- Guide finalized.  Need for approval of guide and biological data elements by ACWI
- Reviewed draft Habitat WQDE
- Promote WQDEs and offer online implementation tools

## Methods Board Meeting – March 2005Outcome

**NEMI (Dan Sullivan, Cary Jackson)**
- Vision statement completed
- ES&T paper appears as a feature article on 4/15 (very taxing production)
- CRADA under development.  Hopefully, will bring funding to NEMI project – Hach and others
- -  Addition of biological and other methods ongoing – 150 methods in staging area
- Field Activities Committee.  Fraceska Wilde playing major role.
- NEMI-CBR and expert system peer reviewed and near completion.  Public release mid-summer

## Methods Board Meeting – March 2005Outcome

**Outreach (Eric Vowinkel, Acting)**
- Update and expand scope of public and internal web sites
- Next edition of Across the Board in draft – publish in June/July
- Special edition of IMPACT to focus on methods and data comparability after National Conference
- Update Board and delegate lists
- New Workgroup members will help with external communications

## Methods Board Meeting – March 2005Outcome

**PBS and Nutrients --Workroups Combined (Ed Santoro and Cliff Annis)**
- Initiate pilot for evaluating Nitrate Reductase method for nitrate determination (Charlie Patton)
- Finalize nitrate DQO paper
- Link with EPA-FEM PBS activity
- Examine data integrity issues

## Methods Board Meeting – March 2005Outcome

**Accreditation (Merle Shockey)**
- Facilitate discussion between EPA and states regarding EPA reorganization of NELAP
- Currently Workgroup is on hold
**New Technologies (Katherine Alben)**
- Eli Greenbaum (Oak Ridge) presentation on fluorescent monitoring for algae – related to water security
- Jim Sinclair (EPA) presentation on algal toxin monitoring
- Develop a strategy for entering methods into NEMI

## Methods Board Advisory Group on Bioassessment Comparability

- Board Advisory Group formed with first meeting on March 8, 2005
- Projects:
- Analysis of Wadeable Stream Assessment Comparability Study data (March 05 – Dec 06)
- Critical Review of the State-of-the-Science of Bioassessment Comparability (May – Aug 05)
- EPA Guidance on Bioassessment Comparability (March 05 – June 07)
- National Workshop on Bioassessment Comparability (Nov 06)
- New Bioassessment Comparability Studies (Oct 05 – June 07)

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## Status of Projects

**WSA Comparability Study Data Analysis**
- 	- Some studies completed already with data available in late Spring early Summer 2005 (beginning year 2 of 2-yr program)
- 	- Results of completed studies will be reported in Final WSA Report (Dec 05)
- 	- Data Analysis meeting of Comparability Study cooperators this Summer
- 	- Board Advisory Group will participate in and provide advice to cooperators and EPA at data analysis meeting

## Status of Projects cont.

**Critical Review of State-of-the-Science of Bioassessment Comparability**
- 	- Board Advisory Group provided input on design of the review and potential sources for the procurement at the March 8 Board Meeting
- 	- EPA will issue a small business competitive simplified acquisition for this project in April 2005 (project duration:  May – August 2005)
- 	- Board Advisory Group will provide input to the project by reviewing progress and the draft report

## Status of Projects cont.

**EPA Bioassessment Comparability Guidance**
- At the March 8th Meeting:
- 		- Board Advisory Group discussed the general approach to determining comparability
- 		- The Board Advisory Group also proposed a draft outline for the guidance
- Next Steps:
- 		- The draft outline will undergo further review by the Board Advisory Group and EPA Workgroup
- 		- First draft of guidance available at end of the year

## Status of Projects cont.

**National Workshop & New Comparability Studies**
- 	- A National Workshop is  planned for Nov 06 to coincide with final draft of guidance document
- 	- New Comparability Studies will be planned for FY 06

## Next Steps

- Complete formation of Board Advisory Group (e.g., add USGS experts)
- Hold Board Advisory Group conference call end of April to discuss status of WSA Comparability Studies and role in Summer meeting; status of Critical Review; and draft outline of guidance document
- Regular Board Advisory Group conference calls will be held to discuss and provide input to projects