United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Acid Deposition,
Environmental Monitoring and
Quality Assurance
Washington DC 20460
EPA/600/M-90/001
April 1990
Research and Development
&EPA AERP status
Eooia
I
5U604
The Aquatic Effects Research Program (AERP) status provides information on AEF
projects dealing with the effects of acidic deposition on U.S. surface waters.
Our objectives are to:
• assist organizations involved in acidic deposition research to avoid duplicator
of efforts and to make maximum use of related research,
• promote communication among the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
state agencies, and organizations involved in acidic deposition monitoring
activities, and
• provide a mechanism to distribute available AERP information.
AQUATIC EFFECTS RESEARCH PROGRAM-AN OVERVIEW
In 1980, Congress passed the Acid Precipitation Act, thus establishing the
Interagency Task Force on Acid Precipitation. Given a 10-year mandate, the Task
Force implemented the National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP) to
investigate the causes and effects of acidic deposition. NAPAP includes task groups
formed to study emissions and controls, atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric
transport, atmospheric deposition and air quality, terrestrial effects, aquatic effects,
effects on materials and cultural resources, and direct and indirect human health
effects.
The AERP, formed in 1983 as part of the NAPAP Aquatic Effects Task Group, is
responsible for assessing the effects of acidic deposition on aquatic ecosystems.
Already, published AERP reports have described the chemical characteristics of lake
and stream resources in regions of the United States potentially sensitive to acidic
deposition. Complementing these findings, a report to be published in early 1990
summarizes correlative relationships between watershed and surface water chemica
characteristics and projects future conditions for two deposition scenarios in the
Northeast and two in the Southern Blue Ridge Province. (See Direct/Delayed
Response Project article, page 5. For a complete list of published AERP documents
see the mail order form attached to this status.)
By 1990, the end of the 10-year mandate, Congress requires NAPAP to provide a full
assessment of the acidic deposition phenomenon. An important aspect of current
AERP efforts involves synthesizing results from past and current research to
describe the state of the science for acidic deposition effects on aquatic systems.
Another aspect involves integrating the state-of-science information with illustrative
emission control scenarios to provide an assessment useful for policy decisions
concerning alternative control strategies. A group of AERP scientists is now workin
on this task, which will provide valuable aquatic information for the NAPAP reports
Congress. A summary of these activities can be found on page 9.
Status of AERP Activities-This issue of the status includes sections that provide
information about recently published AERP materials and projects in progress.
Table 1 summarizes the present status of projects within the AERP.
-------
AERP status
Project
National Surface Water Survey
National Lake Survey-Phase I (East and West)
National Lake Survey-Phase II (Northeast)
National Stream Survey-Phase I
Direct/Delayed Response Project
Northeast and Southern Blue Ridge Province
Mid-Appalachian Region
Watershed Processes and Manipulations
Watershed Manipulation Project
Watershed Recovery Project
Little Rock Lake Experimental Acidification Project
Episodic Response Project
Episodes
Regional Episodic and Acidic Manipulations Project
Temporally Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems
Biologically Relevant Chemistry
Indirect Human Health Effects
Design
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Ongoing
Complete
Complete
Ongoing
Ongoing
Complete
Implementation
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
1991
Ongoing
Complete
Reporting
Complete
1990
Complete
Complete
Fall 1990
Dec. 1992
Fall 1990
Annually
1990/1991
Summer 1990
Annually
Summer 1990
Fall 1990
Table 1. Present status and projected dates for stages of major AERP projects.
AERP FEATURE ARTICLE
Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) and Temporally
Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems (TIME)
Projects
Long-term monitoring of surface water resources
plays a pivotal role in the assessment of acidic
deposition effects. The Long-Term Monitoring (LTM)
and Temporally Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems
(TIME) projects represent two responses by the AERP
to establish a data base on trends in aquatic effects
of acidic deposition on acid-sensitive surface waters.
LTM was initiated in 1983, prior to initiation of the
National Surface Water Survey (NSWS) and the
establishment of the AERP. LTM incorporated sites
from other ongoing or planned monitoring networks
involved in studies of acid-sensitive surface waters
across a regional and national range of acidic
deposition. The LTM network, whose current
configuration is shown in Figure 1, is composed of 85
sites in six regions of the United States. Samples for
chemical analysis are collected and analyzed on a
monthly or seasonal schedule by individual
cooperators (Table 2). The quality assurance program
is coordinated at the EPA Environmental Research
Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon and includes
participation in an international round-robin, natural
audit program coordinated by the Canadian Long-
Range Transport of Atmospheric Pollutants (LRTAP)
program. A description of the 1985 configuration of
the LTM project is given in Newell et al. (Analysis of
Data from Long- Term Monitoring of Lakes, EPA/600/4-
87/014; to obtain copies of this report and others
mentioned in this article, contact the Technical
Director listed at the end of this article.) Despite the
short data record (4 to 7 years), some trends in water
quality at LTM sites have been detected (Figure 2),
including decreases in sulfate concentrations in the
Northeast and decreases in acid neutralizing capacity
(ANC) in some of the New York and Upper Midwest
sites. Sediment cores for paleolimnological
examination have recently been collected from many
LTM lakes. These cores will help corroborate recent
trends observed in these lakes and put recent
changes into the perspective of long-term (>100
years) trends.
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AERP status
LTM SITES IN COLORADO
deposition ca. 0.67
Figure 1. Location of Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) sites in Maine, Vermont, New York, Colorado (inset), and the Upper Midwest. Isopleths
of sulfate wet deposition (g/m */yr, 1980-84) are overlaid to indicate the range in deposition that these sites experience.
The foundation for many of the AERP projects is the
use of randomly selected probability sample sites to
provide population estimates on a regional basis.
Since the LTM sites were not selected statistically, the
questions of how or whether results from this
network could be used in regional assessments gave
rise to the TIME project. TIME was designed with
four goals in mind: (1) to provide regional early
warning signals of surface water acidification or
recovery; (2) to provide an ongoing assessment of
regional patterns or trends in surface water
acidification or recovery; (3) to assess the extent to
which observed spatial and temporal patterns in
surface water chemistry correspond with model
forecasts; and (4) to assess the relationships
between patterns in surface water chemistry and
patterns in atmospheric deposition. The current TIME
design combines temporally intensive monitoring at a
small number of trend sites in each region with
spatially extensive, regional resurveys of sites selected
from a statistical population frame.
Planning for the TIME project has emphasized the
need to evaluate statistical techniques for data
analysis as part of the design process to ensure that
the final design will produce data that specifically
address the four goals of TIME. Planning activities
have included:
• Evaluations of over a dozen statistical
techniques, both univariate and multivariate,
for trend detection in time series data.
Seasonal Kendall tests, and analysis of
covariance on ranked data, were selected as
the trend detection methods of choice
(discussed further in Loftis et al., An
Evaluation of Trend Detection Techniques for
Use in Water Quality Monitoring Programs,
EPA/600/3-89/037).
• Reviews of the potential for using biological
indicators in the assessment of surface wate
acidification. Successful monitoring plans for
fish, amphibians, zooplankton, algae
(periphyton, chrysophytes, dinoflaggelates,
diatoms, greens and bluegreens), and
macroinvertebrates will be presented in an
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AERP status
Location
Adirondacks
Vermont
Maine
Upper Midwest
Rocky Mountains
Catskill
Mountains
Principal
Invest igator(s)
Charles Driscoll
Wallace McLean
Doug Burnham
Jim Kellogg
Terry Haines
Steve Kahl
Patrick Brezonik
Katherine Webster
John Turk
Pete Murdoch
Affiliation
Syracuse University
Vermont Agency
of Environmental
Conservation
U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service; University
of Maine
University of
Minnesota; Wiscon-
sin Department of
Natural Resources
U.S. Geological
Survey, Denver
U.S. Geological
Survey, Albany
Number
of Sites
15 lakes
24 lakes
5 lakes
27 lakes"
10 lakes
4 streams
Start
Spring
1985
Winter
1981
Fall
1982
Fall
1983
Summer
1985
Fall
1983
Sampling
Schedule
Monthly
4 seasons
per year
3 seasons per
year
3 seasons per
year
Monthly in
summer
9 times
per year
Comments
Historical data are
available (sampled monthly,
from 1982-1984)".
Changes in sampling and
analytical methods were
made in spring 1985 which
may affect trend
interpretation.
Historical data are
available (sampled
sporadically on a seasonal
basis, from 1978 to 1983)c.
Sampling is flow
directed.
a Data collected by Syracuse University for most of these lakes between 1982 and 1985 were funded by the Electric Power Research
Institute under the Regional Integrated Lake Watershed Acidification Study.
b Four lakes in Minnesota; 12 lakes in Wisconsin; 11 lakes in Michigan.
c Data collected by the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources through a cooperative
agreement with the Environmental Research Laboratory-Duluth are available for most of these lakes for the period 1978-1983. The
sampling schedule for these lakes was variable, ranging from twice a year to seasonally, and included multiple samples per lake.
Table 2. EPA Long- Term Monitoring Project.
upcoming EPA report, The Role of Biomonitoring
in Assessing the Aquatic Effects of Acidic
Deposition.
• Multivariate analyses of NSWS data sets and
development of conceptual models which will
allow correlation of nonrandomly selected sites
(as in LTM) to probability samples such as the
NSWS and the regional resurveys planned for
TIME.
Other areas identified for development have included
assessing the adequacy of existing deposition
networks for the TIME objectives, developing
statistical techniques to relate patterns and trends in
one monitoring network (e.g., deposition) to another
network with different spatial and temporal resolution
(e.g., surface waters), developing statistical
techniques for analysis of biological data, and
developing an approach for evaluating model
forecasts of surface water acidification. Several
papers on these topics will appear in the Proceedings
of an International Symposium on the Design of
Water Quality Information Systems (in press, to be
published by Colorado State University). In 1989, the
TIME and LTM projects were reassigned from the
AERP to the EPA Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment Program (EMAP). EMAP has the broad
mission to provide periodic descriptions of general
ecosystem health across the United States. Thus,
EMAP treats several different target resources (near
coastal environments, forests, wetlands, agroeco-
systems, deserts, grasslands, tundra, and air) in
addition to surface waters. EMAP intends to monitor
a range of stressor indicators (unlike current
monitoring aimed specifially at acidic deposition), and
a range of exposure and response indicators, with a
particular emphasis on biological responses. The
EMAP design is a tiered, hierarchical approach whose
foundation is an evenly spaced sampling grid of about
12,500 points. For more information about EMAP
contact:
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AERP status
LTM LAKES
Maine, New York, Upper Midwest
cr
0.10) are shown with slopes of zero.
Jay Messer
EMAP Deputy Director
EPA/Atmospheric Research and
Exposure Assessment Laboratory
Mail Drop 75
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711
(919) 541-0150
One of EMAP's goals is to provide assessments of
the effectiveness of regulatory programs, such as the
proposed amendments to the Clean Air Act. Under
EMAP, the TIME and LTM projects will evolve to meet
this goal. The general EMAP design will be
augmented to allow the monitoring of a specific
stressor (acidic deposition) and a set of regulatory
programs (emissions reductions).
For more information about the TIME and LTM
projects, and to obtain copies of reports cited in this
article, contact:
Jesse Ford
EPA/Environmental Research Laboratory-Corvallis
200 S.W. 35th Street
Corvallis, Oregon 97333
(503) 757-4666
FTS: 420-4666
John L. Stoddard
TIME/LTM Technical Director
EPA/Environmental Research Laboratory-Corvallis
200 S.W. 35th Street
Corvallis, Oregon 97333
(503) 757-4666
FTS: 420-4666
CURRENT AERP ACTIVITIES
Summarized below are the AERP activities that are
currently in progress.
Direct/Delayed Response Project (DDRP)
The Direct/Delayed Response Project (DDRP) was
designed to examine critical scientific and policy
questions regarding potential future acidification [loss
of acid neutralizing capacity (ANC)] in eastern
watersheds (April 1989 status). The final report for
lakes in the Northeast and stream reaches of the
Southern Blue Ridge Province was released in July
1989; major findings were reported in the July status.
The report, entitled Direct/Delayed Response Project:
Future Effects of Long- Term Sulfur Deposition on
Surface Water Chemistry in the Northeast and
Southern Blue Ridge Province, Volumes I-IV
(EPA/600/3-89/061 a through d) will be available in earl
1990.
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AERP status
Data analyses continue for 36 DDRP watersheds
being studied in the Mid-Appalachian Region (October
1988 status), and results will be reported as part of
NAPAP 1990 Integrated Assessment. These analyses
are focusing on the Level II (Single Factor Response
Time Estimates) and Level III (Integrated Watershed)
modeling activities analogous to those performed for
the Northeast and Southern Blue Ridge Province
regions. Only a single Level III watershed model-
Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments
(MAGIC)--is being used in the Mid-Appalachian
studies, because the three models used for the
Northeast and Southern Blue Ridge Province analyses
yielded similar results.
Correction to DDRP article in September 1989
status:
Tables 2 and 3 on page 5 of the September issue of
the AERP status (EPA/600/M-89/022) contained a
number of erroneous entries with regard, principally,
to the 95 percent confidence estimates of the
projections of the DDRP. The corrected values appear
in the accompanying tables published here. Figure 3
Number of Lakes8
Time from
Present
Year
0
20
50
Constant
ANC <0
162b
5%
161 (245)
5% (8%)
186 (251)
6% (8%)
Deposition
ANC <50
880b
27%
648 (319)
20% (10%)
648 (329)
20% (10%)
Decreased
ANC <0
162b
5%
136 (230)
4% (7%)
87 (237)
3% (7%)
Deposition
ANC <50
880b
27%
621 (313)
19% (10%)
586 (331)
18% (10%)
a % is percentage of the target population of 3,227 lakes; ( )
indicate 95 percent confidence estimates.
b Indicates estimate from National Surface Water Survey-Phase I
sample for the same 123 lakes; target population = 3,227
lakes.
c Projections are based on 123 lake/watersheds successfully
calibrated by MAGIC.
d See Figure 3 for definition of the deposition scenarios used.
Table 3, Lakes in the Northeast Projected to have ANC Values
< 0 and < 50 /xeq/L for Constant and Decreased
Sulfur Deposition Cid
Number of Stream Reaches8
Time from
Present
(year)
0
20
50
Constant Deposition
ANC <0
Ob
0%
0
0%
129 (295)
10% (22%)
ANC <50
3b
0.2%
187 (310)
14% (23%)
203 (333)
15% (25%)
Decreased
ANC <0
Ob
0%
0
0%
159 (291)
12% (22%)
Deposition
ANC <50
3b
0.2%
187 (314)
14% (24%)
340 (359)
26% (27%)
' % is percentage of the target population of 1,323 stream
reaches; () indicate 95 percent confidence estimates.
b Indicates estimate from National Surface Water Survey, Pilot
Stream Survey sample for the same 30 streams; target
population = 1,323 stream reaches.
0 Projections are based on 30 stream/watersheds successfully
calibrated by MAGIC.
d See Figure 3 for definition of the deposition scenarios used.
Table 4. Southern Blue Ridge Province Stream Reaches Projected
to have ANC Values < 0 and < 50ueq/L for Constant
and Decreased Sulfur Deposition C|°
w
o
CO
c
0>
0
CO
c
o
'55
O
Q.
0)
O
3
>*-
3
*
X
X
X
X
xx Current
'\
\
\
"x^
\
\
\
*\
\
s
SBRP + 20%
(Base Case)
NE - 30%
- i .0
-1.4
-1.3
- 1 9
I .^
-1.1
O
+rf
-0 9
-0.8
-0.6
10
20
30
40
50
Time (yr)
Figure 3. Sulfur deposition scenarios for the Northeast (NE) and
Southern Blue Ridge Province (SBRP) for Level H and
Level III analyses. Ratio of total sulfur deposition at
time t (SJi to current total sulfur deposition (Sc).
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STATE
INFORMATION
The AERP status provides a forum for
states to exchange information and update
activities. Highlighted state activities are
presented below.
California
As part of the five-year Atmospheric Acidity
Protection Program, the California Air
Resources Board recently funded three
major projects to investigate the effects of
acidic deposition on aquatic ecosystems of
the Sierra Nevada. These projects include:
• Watershed Monitoring--^ contract
was awarded to the University of
California, Santa Barbara, to monitor
watershed and lake geochemistry
year-round at seven high-elevation
locations in the Sierra Nevada. The
focus of this project will be the
collection of long-term data on
watershed characteristics and lake
dynamics to determine the impacts
of acidic deposition.
• Alpine Wet Deposition Network--~tt\Q
University of California, Santa
Barbara, was selected to install and
operate a 10-station network for a
period of 4 years to monitor the
variability of wet deposition on the
alpine zone in the Sierra Nevada on
both spatial and temporal scales.
This network will include snowpack
sampling and rain event collections
at elevations above 9,000 feet.
These deposition data will be used
to improve regional lake acidification
assessments.
• Aquatic Biota Stud/es-Contracls
were awarded to investigators to
carry out surveys and dose-response
studies of aquatic species in lakes
and streams in the Sierra Nevada.
Both economically important species and
indicator species will be studied during the
1990-91 field seasons.
Address inquiries on the above information
to:
Kathy Tonnessen
Research Division
Air Resources Board
P.O. Box 2815
Sacramento, California 95812
(916) 324-1744
Florida
The Florida Department of Environmental
Regulation has been conducting studies of
Florida's sensitive lakes in order to
characterize their chemistry and biology,
evaluate historical changes in water
chemistry, and evaluate factors contributing
to their acid neutralizing capacity (ANC).
The Florida Soft Water Lakes Study project,
completed in the fall of 1989, evaluated the
fish status and water chemistry of 12 acidic
soft water lakes. The Florida Sensitive
Lakes Reassessment Study project is
evaluating whether historical water
chemistry changes have occurred among
Florida lakes. The Florida Seepage Lakes
Study is currently evaluating the factors that
regulate ANC, including groundwater
contributions.
Address inquiries on above information to:
Curtis E. Watkins
Florida Department of
Environmental Regulation
2600 Blair Stone Road
Twin Towers Office Building
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(904) 488-0782
S-1
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AERP status
Announcement
Due to AERP budget reductions and prioritization of research dollars within the program, publication of the
status will end with the next issue, which is scheduled for September 1990.
In the final issue of the status, a reader-contribution section will replace the state activities section. The new
section will include articles on state activities but will also present reader-contributed articles as well. The reader-
contribution section is intended to be an open forum for exchange of information among acidic deposition
researchers. All researchers are invited to contribute brief articles on monitoring and research activities in which
they are involved. The deadline for submission is May 7 for publication in the September issue.
Please submit information or inquiries to:
J.Y. Aoyama
AERP State Information Coordinator
1050 E. Flamingo, Suite 209
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
(702) 734-3288
S-2
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AERP status
(referenced in footnote c/of both tables) is also
presented here. The corrected values will appear in
the published version of the final report for the DDRP
and do not affect the conclusions and discussion
presented in the previous issue of the AERP status.
Address inquiries concerning DDRP to:
M. Robbins Church
DDRP Technical Director
EPA/Environmental Research Laboratory-Corvallis
200 S.W. 35th Street
Corvallis, Oregon 97333
(503) 757-4666, ext. 304
FTS: 420-4666, ext. 304
Watershed Processes and Manipulations
The Watershed Manipulation Project, Watershed
Recovery Project, and Little Rock Lake Experimental
Acidification Project are watershed studies that were
undertaken to investigate the processes that
control the effects of acidic deposition on surface
waters. Progress in each of these projects follow:
Watershed Manipulation Project (WM^- Process-
oriented research in the WMP was designed to
examine the quantitative and qualitative responses of
watershed soils and surface waters to altered levels
of acidic deposition. Manipulation studies have been
conducted at laboratory, plot, and catchment scales.
Using a paired catchment approach, one catchment
was artificially acidified by applying ammonium
sulfate, with the other serving as a control. The first
manipulation occurred in November 1989. At
catchments located in southeastern Maine, hypothesis
tests have been conducted through the cooperative
efforts of a site team, six scientific task teams, a
modeling team, and an EPA management team. The
laboratory and plot studies have yielded several
preliminary findings. Results through June 1989 were
incorporated into a draft findings report that was
completed in December 1989.
Address inquiries concerning WMP to:
Jeffrey J. Lee
WMP Technical Director
EPA/Environmental Research Laboratory-Corvallis
200 S.W. 35th Street
Corvallis, Oregon 97333
(503) 757-4666, ext. 318
FTS: 420-4666, ext. 318
Little Rock Lake Experimental Acidification Pro/ect--~The
first year of the Little Rock Lake treatment basin
acidification to the lowest intended pH level of 4.6 is
progressing smoothly. Approximately the same
amount of acid (400 liters) was added during the
summer of 1989 as was required to establish pH
levels of 5.6 and 5.1 in 1985 and 1987, respectively.
This is approximately twice the amount of acid
required during the second year at each pH level, or
approximately 4 and 2 times the background levels of
acidic deposition, respectively. A Mougeotia-
dominated algal complex appeared in greater
quantities this year than last (the second year at pH
5.1) but was still substantially less prevalent than
during the first year at pH 5.1. An inconsistent
response of Mougeotia growth to low pH also has
been observed in Max Lake, a system located near
Little Rock Lake with a natural pH of 5.1. Blue-green
algae essentially have been eliminated in the
treatment basin but remain common in the reference
half of the lake. The treatment basin continues to be
more transparent on the average and more blue in
color than the reference basin. The reduction in
zooplankton species has accelerated at pH 4.6, with
only 5 of the approximately 20 or so original, dominan
species remaining. Many indirect as well as direct
effects on zooplankton have been observed.
Reproduction of largemouth bass and rock bass
ceased at pH 4.6. Although adults nested and some
spawning occurred, no fry were produced. Adults of
both species appear physiologically and
morphologically normal, but population levels are
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AERP status
dropping due to declining recruitment. Complementary
laboratory studies have demonstrated that survival of
young-of-the-year largemouth bass is reduced under
water quality conditions (temperature, Ca2+, AI3+)
simulating the treatment basin of Little Rock Lake at
pH 5.1 during the winter (113 days of exposure).
Yellow perch appear to be surviving and reproducing
as well or better in the treatment basin as in the
reference basin. Results from the summer of 1989 for
many chemical and biological studies will be
presented in a subsequent issue of the status.
Several reports on the Little Rock Lake project became
available during the summer, including presentations
made in Geneva, Switzerland; Freiburg and Munich,
Germany; Toronto, Canada; Anchorage and Fairbanks,
Alaska; and Madison, Wisconsin.
Address inquiries concerning the abovementioned
reports and presentations or the Little Rock Lake
Experimental Acidification Project to:
John Eaton
Little Rock Lake Experimental Acidification Project
Technical Director
EPA/Environmental Research Laboratory-Duluth
6201 Congdon Boulevard
Duluth, Minnesota 55804
(218) 720-5557
FTS: 780-5557
Episodic Response Project (ERP)
Episodic acidification is the process by which lakes
and streams experience short-term decreases of ANC.
An episode is an occurrence of a short-term decrease
of ANC, usually during hydrological events (periods of
increased streamflow due to rainstorms or snowmelt)
and over time scales of hours to weeks. Typically,
changes in other water quality parameters, such as
pH, base cations, or species of dissolved aluminum,
accompany episodes. Changes in calcium and
aluminum have the potential to impact aquatic biota.
In the past, most approaches to quantifying episodes
have been only partially successful, primarily because
of the unpredictable nature of rainstorms and
snowmelt. As a result, the ERP is being conducted to
answer key questions about episodic acidification.
The ERP goals are to (1) quantify the occurrence of
episodes in four or five streams in each of three
areas, the Northern Appalachian Plateau in
Pennsylvania and the Adirondack and Catskill
Mountains in New York state, (2) describe biological
responses to episodes, and (3) develop and evaluate
regionally applicable models of episodic acidification.
Eastern Episodes-One year of field research has beer
completed, the results of which are being analyzed
and will be included in the upcoming NAPAP State-of-
Science reports and Integrated Assessment.
Cooperating research groups at the Adirondack Lakes
Survey Corporation, Pennsylvania State University, and
the United States Geological Survey conducted
intensive biological and hydrochemical research during
the fall of I989. Biological experiments include wild
fish transplants and population-level assessments,
field bioassays, and radiotelemetry work.
Hydrochemical data are being collected with a
combination of automated and manual sampling
approaches.
Address inquiries concerning ERP to:
Parker J. Wigington, Jr.
ERP Technical Director
EPA/Environmental Research Laboratory-Corvallis
200 S.W. 35th Street
Corvallis, Oregon 97333
(503) 757-4666, ext. 354
FTS: 420-4666, ext. 354
Regional Episodic and Acidic Manipulations Project
(f?EAMJ~AHer manipulation of whole catchments by
enhancing acidic deposition, REAM studied and
provided data of its effects on surface water quality.
At the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Forest Service at Fernow Experimental Forest near
Parsons, West Virginia, scientists monitored the
responses of streams to acidification on both chronic
and episodic time scales.
Using a paired catchment approach, one catchment
was artificially acidified by applying ammonium
sulfate, with the other serving as a control.
Manipulations began in January 1989. Subsequent
applications followed in July and October. Application
rates of sulfate were approximately three times the
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AERP status
seasonal ambient rate. Annual ambient sulfate
deposition at Fernow was about 790 eq/ha. Monthly
ambient sulfate deposition was about 25 eq/ha in
January, 150 eq/ha in July, and 40 eq/ha in October.
Observations in both streams at the site have shown
episodic depressions in pH and increases in sulfate
concentrations associated with storms. For the most
part, these changes were not associated with the
manipulations. The only changes in stream chemistry
caused by the applications of ammonium sulfate were
transient increases in ammonium and sulfate
concentrations during the first storm following each
application. These changes were caused by runoff of
ammonium sulfate, and were an artifact of the
application methods. Oxygen-18 data for stream
water, soil water, and precipitation was used to
examine hydrologic routing in the catchments.
Biological studies have been funded and initiated by
the USDA Forest Service at the site.
Address inquiries concerning REAM to:
Jeffrey J. Lee
REAM Technical Director
EPA/Environmental Research Laboratory-Corvallis
200 S.W. 35th Street
Corvallis, Oregon 97333
(503) 757-4666, ext. 318
FTS: 420-4666. ext. 318
SYNTHESIS AND INTEGRATION
ACTIVITIES
State-of-Science/Technology (SOS/7} Reports-The
seven Aquatic Effects Task Group SOS/T reports will
be presented in February at an international meeting
at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Summaries for
each of the 28 NAPAP SOS/T reports, including the
aquatic effects reports, will be distributed to all
participants at the meeting. Each participant will
receive a copy of one SOS/T report of their choice.
Additional reports can be purchased. To receive a
copy of the Summaries document or to purchase
individual SOS/T reports, please contact:
Patricia Irving
Office of the Director
National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program
722 Jackson Place, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20503
(202) 395-5771
Technical Information Project~Jbe Technical
Information Project disseminates information on AERP
activities to state agencies, organizations, and
technical audiences. Distributed information includes
the following items:
• Major Report with Companion Documents -
These document sets consist of a compilation
of the manuals and reports used during or
prepared as a result of a particular AERP
project. Companion documents to each major
data report include field operations and quality
assurance reports, quality assurance plans, and
analytical methods manuals. Document sets
for the Eastern Lake Survey - Phase I, Western
Lake Survey, National Stream Survey, and DDRP
are available through the mail order form in this
status.
• Data Bases - Each data base consists of two
components: (1) a computer diskette or tape
containing the validated data base for a
particular AERP project, and (2) a user's guide
with instructions on how to use the disk or
tape. Information about how the quality of the
data was assessed is included. Data bases fo
the Eastern Lake Survey - Phase I and Western
Lake Survey are available through the mail orde
form in this status.
• Handbooks - Handbooks are guidance
documents that contain procedures for field am
laboratory operations for surface water and soi
chemistry sampling. They are beneficial to
those organizations involved in designing and
implementing monitoring activities related to
acidic deposition. The Handbook of Methods
for Acid Deposition Studies, Laboratory Ana/ysi
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AERP status
for Surface Water Chemistry is available through
the order form in this issue.
NOTE: Due to a printing error, a draft version of
the Handbook of Methods for Acid
Deposition Studies, Field Operations for
Surface Water Chemistry, EPA/600/4-89/020,
was published and distributed. If you
have received a copy of this document,
please destroy it. The correct copy will be
sent to you as soon as it is available.
Address inquiries concerning the AERP Technical
Information Project to:
Daniel T. Heggem
AERP Technical Information Project
Technical Director
EPA/Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory
P.O. Box 93478
Las Vegas, Nevada 89103
(702) 798-2358
(FTS): 545-2358
AERP ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Eastern Lake Survey-Phase II (ELS-II)
zooplankton data are now available on magnetic
computer tapes and in two reports by A.J. Tessier and
R.J. Horowitz.
The first report, entitled Analysis and Interpretation of
Zooplankton Samples Collected During Phase II of the
National Lake Survey (Academy of National Sciences
of Philadelphia (ANSP) Report #88-18), contains data
and analyses of samples collected from 146 lakes in
the Northeastern United States: the abundance of
each species and each size class of zooplankton,
lake variance in zooplankton assemblages, and the
composition of zooplankton assemblages in relation
to physical/chemical features of the lakes.
The second report, entitled Zooplankton Community
Patterns and Relationships to Environmental
Parameters in High Elevation Lakes in Maine (ANSP
Report #88-25), includes data on zooplankton samples
taken from 83 lakes in Maine, and the relationships
between zooplankton assemblages and the
physical/chemical parameters of the lakes.
Address inquiries about acquisition of the ELS-II
zooplankton data and reports to:
Donald Charles
EPA/Environmental Research Laboratory
200 S.W. 35th Street
Corvallis, Oregon 97333
(503) 757-4666, ext. 428
FTS: 420-4666, ext. 428
COMPLETED AERP ACTIVITIES
Listed below is an AERP document that is now
available through the order form in this status.
The Direct/Delayed Response Project: Quality
Assurance Plan for Preparation and Analysis of
Soils from the Mid-Appalachian Region of the
United States addresses the design and
implementation of a quality assurance program
and the verification of the analytical data base for
the Mid-Appalachian Soil Survey. It is addressed
primarily to users of the data base who will be
analyzing the data and making various
assessments and conclusions relating to the
effects of acidic deposition on the soils of the Mid-
Appalachian Region, the third and final region
characterized during the project.
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AERP status
DATE DUE
If you would like to receive any of the following
AERP products, please check the appropriate
box(es) and fill in your name and address below.
MAJOR REPORT/COMPANION DOCUMENTS
Eastern Lake Survey - Phase I
Major Report - Characteristics of Lakes in the Eastern United
States
Volumes Mil 600/4-86/007 —
Volume I 600/4-86/0073 —
Volume II 600/4-86/007b —
Volume III 600/4-86/007C
Quality Assurance Plan 600/4-86/008 —
Analytical Methods Manusl 600/4-86/009 —
Field Operations Report 600/4-86/010 —
Quality Assurance Report 600/4-86/011 —
Western Lake Survey - Phase I
Major Report - Characteristics of Lakes in the Western United
States
Volumes I-II (Volume I out of print) . . . 600/3-86/054 —
Volume II 600/3-86/054b —
Quality Assurance Plan 600/8-87/026 —
Analytical Methods Manual 600/8-87/038 —
Field Operations Report 600/8-87/018 —
Quality Assurance Report 600/4-87/037 —
National Stream Survey - Phase I
Major Report - Characteristics of Streams in the Mid-Atlantic
and Southeastern United States
Volumes I-II 600/3-88/021 —
Volume I 600/3-88/0213 —
Volume II 600/3-88/021b —
Pilot Survey Major Report 600/4-86/026 —
Pilot Survey Field Operations Report .... 600/8-87/019 —
Quality Assurance Plan 600/4-86/044 —
Field Operations Report 600/4-88/023 —
Processing Lsboratory Report 600/4-88/025 —
Quality Assurance Report 600/4-88/018 —
Direct/Delayed Response Project
Quality Assurance Report
Southern Blue Ridge Province 600/8-88/100 —
•• ~> protection
U"J '' *.'".'!' - .1:0
Analytical Methods Manusl 600/8-87/020 —
* Quality Assurance Plan
Mid-Appalachian Region 600/4-89/031 —
Field Operations Report
Southern Blue Ridge Province
Volume I-II 600/4-87/041 —
Volume I 600/4-87/041a —
Volume II 600/4-87/041b —
Quality Assurance Plan 600/8-87/021 —
DATA BASES
Western Lake Survey Data Base
(special order form will be sent)
Eastern Lake Survey - Phase I Data
Base (special order form will be sent)
HANDBOOKS
. 600/4-87/027
. 600/4-88/032
Handbook of Methods for Acid Deposition
Studies, Laboratory Analysis for Surface
Water Chemistry 600/4-87/026
Handbook of Methods for Acid Deposition
Studies, Field Operations for Surface
Water Chemistry 600/4-89/020
PROJECT DESCRIPTORS
Research Activity Descriptors, FY 1988 .
Research Activity Descriptors, FY 1989 .
ABSTRACTS
Biennial Publications and Presentations
1985-86
600/9-88/006
600/9-89/059
600/9-88/018 —
Name
Address
City/State/Zip,
Return to:
CERI, AERP Publications
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
26 W. Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati. Ohio 45268
*Publication listed for the first time.
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