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Design and Analysis specifics and examples for Streams
Information on Streams is organized in the following categories: Objectives & Questions, Target Population, Design, Response Design/Indicators, Analysis Approach, Results. In addition, a integrated example is presented based on the State of Indiana.
- Florida - Example
- Broad based, basin- to state-wide questions
- Characterize the current condition of Florida's water resources and determine if these conditions change over time.
- What percentage or number of river miles (lake area) statewide (or region, within an RU) have less than optimal habitat (defined as X, Y or Z)?
- What percentage of river miles or area of lakes (or aquifers) statewide (or region, within an RU) exceed standards for fecal coliforms?
- What percentage of aquifer area exceeds 10 mg/L nitrate statewide (or region, within an RU)?
- Has statewide water quality significantly improved or worsened for the measured indicators since the last reporting period?
- Do significantly fewer or greater percentages of river miles exceed a nitrate concentration of 1.0 mg/L since the last reporting period?
- Oregon
- Assess Status and Trends (Spatial and Temporal Variability)
- Characterize and Rank Problems
- Design and Implement Programs and Projects (TMDL's, GWMA's)
- Evaluate Program and Project Effectiveness
- Water Quality = Physical, chemical, biological (Stream Health)
- National Wadeble Stream Assessment (WSA website)
- Ecological assessment of streams throughout the US based on physical, biological and chemical features
- Statistically-valid survey design stratifi ed to allow estimates of the condition of streams throughout each level II ecoregion and across the U.S.
- Collaboration among EPA (OW, ORD, Regions), USGS, States, Tribal Nations and other partners
Target Population, Subpopulations
- Florida - Perennial rivers, streams and canals
- Streams: Low order streams (1-4 Strahler) & High order streams and canals (>4 Strahler)
- Strata includes five water management districts (WMD) and four reporting units within each WMD
- Oregon - Larger, Smaller Streams
- Larger Streams - Strahler order 4 & 5
- Smaller Streams - Primarily 1st, 2nd, 3rd Order Streams - Wadeable - Population size
- Western Pilot - Wadeable Stream Surveys (Western Pilot general program information)
- Oregon - Small Streams - GRTS Probability Sites
- DEQ Biomonitoring Sites
- Coastal Salmonid Monitoring Program - Precision Goals & Results
- Florida
- Randomized Probabilistic Survey Design
- 4-year, rotating basin design, entire State sampled in 4 years
- 30 random sample sites within a reporting unit
- Total of 150 sites in 5 reporting units each year
- West Virginia Rotating Basins Biological Monitoring
- Stratified by groups of 4th field HUCs (basins)
- GRTS w/ unequal probability sample points on stream network within strata
- by Strahler order
- by HUC groups within strata
- Wadeable Stream Assessment
- GRTS probablity design of non-EMAP Western Pilot States
- Combined with EMAP Western Pilot States
- Northwest Forest Plan 6th Field HUC's - Oregon Coast Range
- First Stage: GRTS sample of 5th field HUCs
- Second Stage: IRS of 6th field HUCs after delineation
- Third Stage: GTRS sample of stream sites
- EMAP Response Design for Wadeable Streams
- Western EMAP, IBI Development
- Oregon
- EMAP Stream Survey Protocols
- Physical (habitat)
- Chemical
- Biological (Fish, Invertebrates, periphyton)
- Oregon
- Status - Stream Miles with Vertebrate Species
- Impairment Status - Macroinvertebrate Condition - % Stream Miles
- Impairment Status - Chemical vs Biological Indicators
- Six Habitat Parameters had Greatest Correlation with Biological Condition
- Percent Coarse Substrate
- Percent Fine Sediments (decreased response)
- Riparian Canopy Cover
- Shade
- Residual Pool Depth
- Fish Cover
- Mid-Atlantic Highland Streams
- Biological Quality
- Ranking of Stressors
- Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA)State of the Flowing Waters Report, Feb 2006 (pdf, 12.1 MB, 85pp)
- Delaware Streams
- Traditional 305(b) Assessment
- Probability Based Chemical Assessment
- Probability Based Biological Assessment
- Biology of Nontidal Streams in the Piedmont (Abridged PDF)
- Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP)
Western Streams and Rivers Statistical Summary, June 2005 (pdf, 18.5 MB, 1762pp)
Abstract (pdf, 134 KB, 2pp) - An Ecological Assessment of Western Streams and Rivers, Sept 2005 (pdf, 3.5 MB, 56pp)
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