United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research and
Development
Washington, DC 20460
EPA/625/R-93/012
September 1993
xvEPA R-EMAP
Regional Environmental
Monitoring and
Assessment Program
sediment to.mcity
assemblages
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EPA/625/R-93/012
September 1993
R-EMAP
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING AND
ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office Of Research And Development
Office Of Science, Planning And Regulatory Evaluation
Center For Environmental Research Information
Cincinnati. OH 45268 @> Printed on Recycled Paper
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DISCLAIMER
This document has been reviewed in accordance with U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency administrative review policy and approved
for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products
does not constitute endorsement or recommendation of their use.
II
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CONTENTS
IV
Fish Tissue Contamination in the State of Maine
Characterizing Sediment Quality in the New York/New Jersey
Harbor System 9
Surface Water Quality Indicators in the Central Appalachian
Ridges and Valleys Ecoregion 19
Ecological Risk Assessment of Mercury Contamination
in the Everglades Ecosystem 25
Three Proposals for Monitoring and Assessing Ecological Resources 37
Toxics Characterization of Selected Texas Estuaries 4!
Measuring the Health of Fisheries 49
REGION VIII
Assessing Water Resources in the Mineralized Area of the
Southern Rocky Mountains Ecoregion 55
Assessing Aquatic Ecosystems in a Highly Modified,
Agriculturally Influenced Environment: California's Central Valley 59
Biological Assessment of Wadable Streams in the Coast Range
Ecoregion and the Yakima River Basin 67
75
82
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many individuals contributed to the preparation and review of this publication. Daniel Mur-
ray, EPA. Office of Research and Development. Center for Environmental Research Infor-
mation, managed the development of the document and provided overall technical direction.
Eastern Research Group Inc. of Lexington. Massachusetts, prepared the document. Jennifer
Helmick, Lynn Knight, and Kara Berdik wrote and edited the text; Carol Drew, Karen Ellzey,
and Darrell Judd provided the graphic design and artwork
Appreciation is expressed to the following individuals for their contributions to this document:
Darvene Adams
Jerry Anderson
David Bottimore
Kathy Bowles
Gwenda Copeland
David Courtemanch
Lyle Cowles
Tom DeMoss
Gretchen Hayslip
Delbert Hicks
Evan Hornig
Laura Jackson
Phil Johnson
Valerie Jones
Judy Kertcher
Carol Langston
Rick Linthurst
John Macauley
Barry Mower
Peter Nolan
Tony Olsen
Thomas Pheiffer
Donald Porteous
Bruce Potter
Ron Preston
David Smith
John Spence
Susan Rumsey
Daniel Scheidt
Jerry Stober
Diane Switzer
Maggie Thielen
Ray Thompson
Natalie Wagner
EPA Region II
EPA Region VII
Versar, Inc.
Versar. Inc.
California Department of Water Resources
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
EPA Region VII
EPA Region III
EPA Region X
EPA Region IV
EPA Region VI
EPA EM AP Research and Assessment Center
EPA Region VIII
EPA Region V
EPA Office of Regional Operations and State/Local Relations
EPA Region VI
EPA EM AP Research and Assessment Center
EPA Environmental Research Laboratory-Gulf Breeze
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
EPA Region I
EPA Environmental Research Laboratory-Corvallis
EPA Office of Regional Operations and State/Local Relations
EPA Region I
American Management Systems
EPA Region III
EPA Region VIII
EPA EMAP Research and Assessment Center
University of California
EPA Region IV
EPA Region IV
EPA Region I
EPA Office of Regional Operations and State/Local Relations
EPA Region 1
EPA Region III
IV
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INTRODUCTION
1 he Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program
(EMAP) is an innovative, long-term research, monitoring,
and assessment program designed to measure the cur-
rent and changing condition of the nation's ecological re-
sources. EMAP represents a new direction for the U.S.-
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Responding to
the EPA Science Advisory Board's 1988 recommendation to moni-
tor ecological status and trends, EPA initiated EMAP to help provide
answers to questions such as:
9 What is the current geographic extent of
ecological resources?
9 What resources ore degrading or improving,
where, and at what rate?
9 Are affected resources responding as pre-
dicted to changing control and regulatory
programs?
EMAP is assessing the condi-
tion of the nation's ecological
resources-surface waters, es-
tuaries, wetlands, agroecosys-
tems, arid ecosystems, forests,
the Greot Lokes, and land-
scapes.
The ultimate goal of the program is to provide decision makers with
sound ecological data to improve environmental risk management
decisions.
This publication describes the Regional Environmental Monitoring
and Assessment Program (R-EMAP), a new partnership among
EMAP, EPA's Regional offices, other federal agencies, and states.
R-EMAP adapts EMAP's broad-scale approach to produce ecologi-
cal assessments at regional, state, and local scales. The introduction
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
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Surfoce water
below briefly describes the overall EMAP approach, including its in-
novative statistical sampling design and use of ecological indica-
tors. Following this EMAP overview are descriptions of the
R-EMAP projects currently under way and in the planning stages.
THE EMAP APPROACH
EMAP is "a new way of doing business." It addresses the larger
scale, longer term environmental problems occurring at regional and
national scales. Instead of taking the traditional single-chemical or
single-site approach to environmental assessment, EMAP adopts a
comprehensive, multimedia perspective of the environment to an-
swer questions about overall ecological condition. EMAP has been
designed to serve ultimately as "America's Ecological Report Card."
It has four strategic objectives:
To estimate the current status, trends, and
changes in selected indicators of the condi-
tion of the nation's ecological resources on
a regional basis with known statistical confi-
dence.
To estimate the geographic coverage and
extent of the nation's ecological resources
with known statistical confidence.
To seek associations between selected indi-
cators of natural and anthropogenic
stresses and indicators of the condition of
ecological resources.
To provide annual statistical summaries and
periodic assessments of the nation's ecologi-
cal resources.
While EMAP is a multiagency effort, it is the scientific foundation
for EPA's risk-based approach to protecting ecological resources.
The Agency's goal is to focus resources on those problems that pose
the greatest risks to the environment. To identify high-risk problems,
it is important to understand the magnitude and extent of degraded
resources. Once identified, high-risk problems can receive priority
for intensive investigation of probable causes, followed by risk reduc-
tion through such methods as regulatory controls and joint efforts
with resource management agencies. The success of these risk re-
duction methods is then measured and evaluated. EMAP's role in
this strategy is to help identify high-risk environmental problems and
to measure the cumulative effectiveness of environmental protection
efforts.
VI
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EMAP Sampling Design
EMAP uses a. statistical sampling design with three major compo-
nents: the EMAP grid, a two-tier sampling approach, and a rotating
sampling schedule. EMAP uses a systematic grid covering the co-
terminous United States. Alaska, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. The
uniform spatial coverage provided by a grid ensures that each eco-
logical resource is sampled in proportion to its geographical pres-
ence across the country. The EMAP grid consists of a set of points
which, if connected, would form a series of adjacent equilateral trian-
gles (Figure 1). The base density of the grid is one grid point per 635
2
square kilometers (km ) (a linear point-to-point distance of 27 km),
resulting in 12,600 grid points in the coterminous United States. The
grid's placement is determined by a formal randomization to en-
sure strict adherence to requirements for probability sampling.
The base density can be easily intensified for subregional studies
(such as R-EMAP projects).
Figure )
EMAP SAMPLING GRID, with enhancements to increase grid density
base density
3-fold
4-fold
7-fold
VII
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EMAP obtains a probability-based sample of an ecological re-
source in two stages: a Tier 1 sample followed by a Tier 2 sample.
The Tier 1 sample is based on the EMAP base grid density shown
in Figure 1. EMAP scientists use the Tier 1 sample, in conjunction
with other information, to estimate resource extent and distribution
(number of lakes, total area of lakes, acreage of forest, etc.) and to
select the Tier 2 sample. In Tier 2. EMAP uses samples based on
hexagonal areas centered at the grid points, each having an area of
9
40 km (see Figure 1). The Tier 2 sample allows scientists to obtain
detailed data on indicators of resource condition.
Estuary
The EMAP sampling schedule is designed to meet two objectives:
assessing the status of a resource by sampling as much of the re-
source as possible at a given time, while detecting trends by repeated
sampling at the same locations at regular time intervals. EMAP ro-
tates through a 4-year sequence: During the first year, one quarter of
the total grid points are Tier 1 points and potential Tier 2 points for
that year: during the next year, sites designated as "second-year" are
available for sampling, and so on. In this manner, all grid points are
covered during a 4-year period. A second monitoring cycle begins in
the fifth year by revisiting the first-year sites.
VIII
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Ecological Indicators
EMAP combines its statistical sampling strategy with indicators of
the condition of ecological resources. Traditionally, monitoring pro-
grams have measured pollutants in the environment to determine
good or poor ecological condition. EMAP takes a different ap-
proach: It examines the condition of plant and animal communities
through biological and ecological indicators. This approach recog-
nizes that ecological resources are affected by multiple strcssors in g
cL
all environmental media (water, air, and soil), and these stressors £
n
can produce cumulative effects on entire populations and communi- 3
ties. EMAP measures two types of ecological indicators: |
® Condition indicators, which are charac-
teristics of the environment that provide
quantitative estimates of the state of ecologi-
cal resources and that are Important to soci-
ety. Examples include tree crown density
and the number of species and individuals in
fish communities.
• Stressor indicators, which are characteristics
of the environment that are suspected to
elicit a change in the state of ecological re-
sources. They include both natural and hu-
man-induced stressors. Examples include
acid deposition rates and ambient pollutant
concentrations.
EMAP scientists then determine whether statistical associations ex-
ist between indicators of ecosystem condition and indicators of natu-
ral and anthropogenic stress, including stressors. Through these
correlation studies, scientists can formulate hypotheses about po-
tential causes of change for further study.
Wetlands
Agroecosystem
IX
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Ecological Resource Groups
EMAP has established resource monitoring groups that are assess-
ing the condition of eight ecological resources in the United States:
Arid Ecosystem
Dynamic ossoa'otions of crops, pastures,
livestock, other flora and fauna, soils,
water, and the atmosphere.
Jerrestrial systems characterized by a cli-
mate regime where annual precipitation
ranges from less than 5 to 60 cent/meters,
evapotranspiration exceeds precipita-
tion, and air temperatures range from -40°
to 50°C. The vegetation is dominated by
woody perennials, succulents, and drought-
resistant trees.
Regions of interact/on between rivers and
nearshore ocean waters, where tidal action
and river {low mix fresh and sa/t water. Ex-
amples include bays, mouths of rivers, salt
marshes, and lagoons.
Lands with at least 10 percent of their sur-
face area stocked by trees of any size, or
formerly having had such trees as cover and
not currently built up or developed for agri-
cultural use.
The resource that encompasses Lakes Supe-
r/or, Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario, in-
cluding river mouths up to the maximum
extent of influence.
The in/and surface waters consisting of all
the nation's lakes (other than the Great
Lakes), rivers, and streams.
Areas saturated by surface or ground water
with vegetation adapted for life under those
soil conditions. Examples are swamps, bogs,
fens, marshes, and estuaries.
Areas where interacting ecosystems are
grouped and repeated in similar form.
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Each resource group uses compatible sampling designs, indicators,
methods, and information management approaches to facilitate inte-
grated assessments of ecological condition. Ecological assessments
produced by the program identify the magnitude and extent of prob-
lems, indicating areas that need more intensive research and moni-
toring. In addition, EMAP data will be integrated with data from
other research and monitoring programs, as appropriate.
Collaborative Activities
An ambitious effort such as EMAP requires the participation of the
nation's best scientists. To date, collaboration has been established
among 12 federal agencies, 28 states, and 50 universities. In addition
to contributing to EMAP activities, many of these groups are also
conducting more in-depth studies using EMAP's statistical and eco-
logical approach. Because enhanced diagnostic monitoring generally
takes place on a more refined geographic scale than that of EMAP,
other federal agencies, states, and EPA Regions will play lead roles
in following EMAP research with intensive site studies.
Forest
NATION*!
AERONAUTICS
ANd SPACE
AdmiNISTRATION
NATION*!
OCEANJC
ANd ATMOSphiRJC
AdMINisTMATJON
INTERAGENCY COOPERATION
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND
ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
R-EMAP was initiated to test the applicability of the EMAP ap-
proach to answer questions about ecological conditions at regional
and local scales. Using EMAP's statistical design and indicator con-
cepts, R-EMAP conducts projects at smaller geographic scales and
in shorter time frames than the national EMAP program.
Evaluate and improve EMAP concepts for
state and local use.
Assess the applicability of EMAP indicators
at differing spatial scales.
Demonstrate the utility of EMAP for resolv-
ing issues of importance to EPA Regions
and states.
REGIONAL
XI
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R-EMAP proposals are submitted to EMAP by the EPA Regional
offices and undergo a competitive peer-review process before being
approved for funding. This publication describes seven projects that
were selected for funding in Fiscal Year 1993:
Region I:
Fish Tissue Contamination in the State of
Maine
Region II:
Characterizing Sediment Quality in the New
York/New Jersey Harbor System
Region 111:
Surface Water Quality Indicators in the Cen-
tral Appalachian Ridges and Valleys Ecoregion
Toxics Characterization of Selected Texas
Estuaries
Great Lakes (Lake Superior)
Measuring the Health of Fisheries
n IX:
Assess/ng Aquatic Ecosystems in a Highly
Modified, Agriculturally Influenced Environ-
ment: California's Central Valley
igion X:
Biological Assessment ofWadable Streams
in the Coast Range Ecoregion and the
Yakima River Basin
Each of these descriptions discusses the problem addressed by the
project, activities, schedule, technical approach, and a contact for ad-
ditional information.
Three additional R-EMAP projects, currently in the planning stages,
are also described:
Region IV;
Ecological Risk Assessment of Mercury Con-
tamination in the Everglades Ecosystem
Developing an EMAP Signature for a Rare
and Imperiled Ecosystem, Assessing Corn
Belt Rivers and Streams, and Assessing Har-
bors and Embayments in a Great Lakes
Area of Concern
Region ¥Sli;
Assessing Water Resources in the Mineral-
ized Area of the Southern Rocky Mountains
Ecoregion
XII
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REGION I
FISH TISSUE CONTAMINATION
IN THE STATE OF MAINE
PA and the stale of Maine are concerned that Maine's
fishery resources might be at risk from toxic chemicals in
the environment. High mercury and organic contaminant
levels have been found in fish collected from some of the
state's pristine, remote lakes. Fish-eating birds and other
animals higher in the food chain, as well as humans, might
also be at risk. Significant levels of mercury, chlorinated organic
compounds, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been found
in Maine bald eagles. Maine's bald eagle population is recovering
at a substantially slower pace than elsewhere in the nation.
High levels of mercury and
organic contaminants have
been found in fish collected
from some of Maine's
remote, pristine lakes.
St. Crolx
River Basin
Androscoggl:
Saco
• Marine Costal Basins
^Presumpscol
STUDY AREA
Good data to confirm these concerns, however, are lacking. The Re-
gion I R-EMAP project, the Maine Fish Tissue Contamination Project,
will use fish tissue analysis to estimate the levels of contamination in
fish populations and the risks that these levels pose to humans and
wildlife. The study will also allow investigators to identify the con-
taminant levels and risks associated with factors such as species,
lake type, geographic region, land use, and air transport regions and
to project this analysis across the entire population of Maine lakes.
This will help environmental and fishery managers focus their re-
source protection efforts on the areas at greatest risk.
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
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The study will address the
following questions:
l) What is the current status offish tissue con-
tamination by certain chemicals in the state
of Maine?
•>> What do the concentrations offish tissue
contaminants imply about ecological risk
(related to food chain biomagnification)
and human health risk (related to fish con-
sumption)?
y What percentage and number of Maine
lakes are contaminated, with what chemi-
cals, and to what extent?
9 What are the distribution patterns offish
tissue contamination? How is fish tissue
contamination associated wfth possible
stressors related to geography, popula-
tion density, bedrock geology, and air flow
patterns?
y What are the processes and patterns that
determine the sensitivity of different lake
types to contamination (such as water chem-
istry, sediment chemistry, hydrology,
and trophic state/7
A state field worker
uses a viewscope to take
Secc/ii disk measurements
to determine water dority
in a study lake.
A multidisciplinary team, including personnel from EPA Region I»
x* ~, - -
EPA's Office of Research and Development, the Maine Department
of Environmental Protection,.and thfe Maine Department of Inland
i '
Fisheries and W|ldlife, will manage and implement the Maini Fish
Tissue Contamination Project Representatives frbfn EPA's Env%>n-
mental Research Laboratpne*s in Di^uth, Minnesota^ and Corvqjis,
O^6n, and the U.S. Rsh'ajaef Wildlife Service will provide technical
guidance. The Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory
and the University of Maine (Orono) will perform sample processing
and analysis. The EPA Region I Environmental Services Division will
provide quality assurance/quality control support.
REGION
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Using me
statistical design, the pro-
* /I'-pn 'I'Trr* e
AL 1 IV II ILO ject wjl, sarnpje approximately 150 Maine
lakes for fish tissue contaminants. Fish tissue will be analyzed for
mercury, cadmium, lead. PCBs, and selected pesticides. In addition,
lake sediments will be analyzed for metals, and -water column
measurements will be made for certain water quality parameters
and trophic status indicators. The investigators will use the sediment
and water column data to aid in the interpretation of fish tissue data.
Where possible, investigators will also determine the air flow pat-
terns, geology, lake conditions, and other factors that mi|ht influence
the geographical distribution of fish tissue contamination statewide.
Table 1-1 presents the milestones and schedule for the Maine Fish
Tissue Contamination Project.
The expected benefits of these
activities include:
* Baseline data to evaluate the status of
Maine fishery resources, to assess trends,
and to identify potential actions to protect
those resources.
• Demonstration of how the EMAP design can
address issues in targeted geographic
areas at the state and subregional levels.
9 Input to a national data base for stressors of
concern, such as mercury, PCBs, and
pesticides.
* Information for use by other programs, such
as monitoring Maine eagles for chemical con-
tamination.
Table 1-1
MILESTONES
AND SCHEDULE
1992
1993
1994
1995
Initiate development of data management system September
Finalize statistical design—EHAP February
Draft quality assurance project plan (including sampling and
analysis standard operating procedures and logistics) February
Conduct preliminary sampling run for fish tissue analysis March
Hake final lake selection April
Initiate sampling/analysis Hay
Complete sampling . October
Complete analyses December
Complete quality assurance/quality control February
Complete summary report Hay
Initiate Year 2 sampling/analysis (as needed) May
Draft assessment report (Year I) September
Complete report March
REG/ON I 3
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Table 1-2
ORDER OF PRIORITY FOR FISH
COLLECTION
Lake trout
Safvelinus namayaish
!
9^
81
14-18 inches
•M-18lnch«
Burbot
Lota lota
Landlocked salmon
Salmo solar
Brown trout
Salmotrutta
Brook trout
Sa/velinus fbntinolis
Chain pickerel
Esox niger
Smallmouth bass
Micropterus dolomieui
Largemouth bass
Micropterus solmoides
Yellow perch
Perca flavescem
White perch
/Worone americana
White sucker
Cotostomus commersoni
Brown bullhead
Ictalurus nebulosus
Lake Selection
i
:-!•
EPAs Office of Research and Development
tlV_/r\!L/i I Laboratory in Corvallis. Oregon, will select
approximately 150 study lakes using EMAP's probability design.
These lakes will be selected from among the 1,800 lakes that have
been surveyed and found to have significant fisheries. The lake se-
lection process will ensure that small, medium-sized, and large lakes
have an equal probability of being included. This is important be-
cause large lakes (greater than 500 hectares) and medium-sized
lakes (50 to 500 hectares) comprise about 65 percent of the total
population and significantly more than that in surface area-
Using a geographic information system (CIS) and existing
data, the investigators will classify the study lakes according to ge-
ography, geology, land use, human population densities, air flow pat-
terns, and lake conditions. This information, together with the fish
tissue data, will assist in the identification of geographic areas at risk.
figure 1-1
HISTORIC SPECIES DISTRIBUTION IN LAKES - The R-EMAP project wiflprowde updated information on species distribution.
LargemoutK bass
Mkrapterus salmoides
Lake trout
Salvelinus namaycush
Yellow perch
Perca flavescens
All dots indicate the presence of the species. 8/ackened dots indicate principal fisheries.
4 REGION I
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Fish Species
The Maine Fish Tissue Contamination Project will target fish spe-
cies for collection based on their trophic level. That is, for any given
water body, the primary objective will be to collect both the top
predator species in the system and a widely distributed omnivore.
Because of the difficulty of collecting sufficient numbers of common
species in all the study lakes, the project has developed a list of spe-
cies to be collected in order of preference (Table 1-2), based on their
distribution, trophic status, and desirability as game fish. (Figure 1-1
shows the distribution of fish in Maine lakes.) Because cold water
and warm water lakes support different species, fish collections will be
ordered according to trophic level for both types of lake. The project has Sca/es °f •** brook tmut are
measured to determine the
also specified target fish sizes (length) in order to obtain specimens of age Ofthe ^ specimen.
comparable age.
Field Program
The Maine Fish Tissue Contamination Project's field program con-
sists of fish collecting, sediment sampling, and water quality sam-
pling. Field activities will be conducted from May 1993 to
mid-October 1993. If needed, a second field sampling season will be-
gin in May 1994. The field sampling is a cooperative effort by the
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Maine De-
partment of Environmental Protection, and EPA Region I. Field
sampling is organized according to the seven fishery districts in
Maine, with resident district biologists responsible for coordinating
fish collections in each of the study lakes within their districts.
Smallmouth bass
Micropterus dolomieui
Brook trout
Sc/ve/iVws fontinalis
Landlocked Atlantic salmon
Salmo solar
All dots indicate the presence of the species. Blackened dots indicate principal fisheries.
REGION I 5
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To collect fab specimens
from Maine lakes, field crews
will use gill nets (shown)
and other equipment.
To characterize the water
chemistry in each lake, the
field crew will return water
samples to the laboratory.
Here a field worker pours
water into a beaker for dis-
solved organic carbon analysis.
To collect the fish specimens, field crews will use experimental gill
nets and other equipment, as needed, to obtain 10 of the targeted
predator species and 5 omnivores from each of the selected lakes.
The age of each specimen will be determined by measuring scales
or fin rays, depending on the species.
Bottom sediment samples will be collected from the deepest hole in
each of the study lakes. Sediment analysis will help the investigators
interpret the fish results and establish associations with other factors
such as geology, hydrology, and air transport patterns.
To assess the water quality in each lake, the field crew will measure
water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity at 1 -meter in-
tervals over the deepest hole in the lake, then sediment samples will
be collected at that location. A Secchi disk will be used to measure
water clarity. To characterize the water chemistry in each lake, the
crew will determine alkalinity and pH in the field and return water
samples to the laboratory for additional analyses.
Laboratory Analyses
Fish Tissue Analyses Because fish tissue contamination has both
ecological and human health implications, two types of fish tissue
analyses will be performed: whole body fish analysis for metals and
organic chemicals, and fish fillet (muscle) analysis for mercury only.
(Mercury tends to concentrate more in the fillet, the part of the fish
consumed by humans.)
For whole body analysis of predator and omnivore species, five fish
of the same species will be ground up, combined, and homogenized.
This tissue will be analyzed for the following substances:
:s Metals (mercury, cadmium, and lead).
i;!: Chlorinated organic compounds/pesticides
(total PCBs, aldrin, alpha-BHC, delta-BHC,
gamma-RHC, chlordane, DDD4.4', dieldrin,
endosulfan /, endosulfan II, endosulfan sul-
fate, endrin, endrin aldehyde, heptachlor,
heptachlor epoxide, and toxaphene).
® Lipids and percent moisture.
6 REGION
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For fish fillet analysis (for predators only), fillets from five fish of the
same species will be ground up, combined, and homogenized. The
tissue will be analyzed for mercury and percent moisture.
Sediment Analyses The laboratory will conduct a chemical analy-
sis on a homogenous mix of the sediment samples collected from
each lake. Samples will be analyzed for metals (mercury, cadmium,
and lead), total organic carbon, sediment grain size, and percent
moisture.
Water Quality Analyses Water samples collected from three
depths from each of the lakes will be analyzed for total phosphorus.
dissolved organic carbon, anions, and cations.
A field worker prepares a
probe to collect lake water
quality data.
Sediment samples will be
collected from each of the
study lakes. In this photo
a field worker dumps
sediment deposits from
an Ekman dredge
into a pan for testing.
REGION I 7
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Don Porteous/Roy Thompson
Environmental Services Division
Region I
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
60 Westview Street
Lexington, MA 02173
(617)860-4300
David Courtemonch
Maine Deportment of
Environmental Protection
State House Station #17
Augusta, ME 04333
8 REGION
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REGION II
CHARACTERIZING SEDIMENT
QUALITY IN THE NEW YORK/
NEW JERSEY HARBOR SYSTEM
he New York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) Harbor system is an
important economic, recreational, and aesthetic re-
source, supporting many habitats and species of fish,
shellfish, and migrating birds. Existing data suggest that
a number of areas in the NY/NJ Harbor estuary are
highly contaminated with metals and organic chemicals.
Some of the consequences of this
contamination have included:
• A moratorium on commercial fishing for
striped bass due to elevated levels of poly-
chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in these fish.
® Advisories against consumption of blue claw
crabs from parts of the harbor because of
unacceptob/e levels of PCBs and dioxin in
crab tissue,
* Risk to nesting birds due to hydrocarbons en-
tering the harbor system from oil spills.
Study areafs)
STUDY AREA
Because of these problems. EPA Region II and the NY/NJ Harbor
Estuary Program have placed a high priority on developing a sedi-
ment management strategy. The existing data, however, are insuffi-
cient for developing this strategy.
The Hegion I! R-EMAP prefect wai,
provfde the needed information by
addressing the following question,,,
c) What are the extent and magnitude of sedi-
ment degradation in the NY/NJ Harbor sys-
tem?
9 Is the degree of degradation similar through-
out the system, or is it more severe or wide-
spread in particular sub-basins or areas?
^ Can the degradation be associated with par-
ticular contaminants or physical charac-
teristics of the sediment?
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
-------
This study is an intensified version of the EMAP-Estuaries (EMAP-
E) sampling effort in the Virginian Province, an area covering the
mid-Atlantic coastal states from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Cape
Henry, Virginia The study will demonstrate the usefulness of
EMAP-like data for regional and subregional environmental man-
agement. It will also be a case study for evaluating EPA's strategy of
integrating risk-based monitoring, assessment, and management
programs. The project will provide critical information to help re-
source managers and the Harbor Estuary Program develop a con-
taminant management strategy. By providing baseline data against
which to measure trends in sediment conditions, the project will also
produce a means for evaluating the effectiveness of management
strategies that are eventually implemented. In addition, it will bring
together the many groups responsible for managing the NY/NJ
Harbor system in an integrated, harborwide monitoring effort.
The project design is a cooperative effort by scientists from EPA
Region II: EPA's Office of Research and Development: the NY/NJ
Harbor Estuary Program: resource management agencies from
New York City and the states of New York, New Jersey, and Con-
necticut; the National Marine Fisheries Service; the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Status and
Trends Program: and Rutgers University. In addition, several indi-
viduals from EPA's Environmental Research Laboratory in Narra-
gansett, Rhode Island, who participated in EMAP monitoring in the
Virginian Province, will assist in the project.
10
REGION II
-------
To assess sediment condition, researchers
FS
Li-A-* wj|| obtain water and sediment samples
from each of the six sub-basins in the NY/NJ Harbor system (Figure
2-1). Sampling will be performed in the summer because pollution
stress is highest then and because this sampling period ensures
comparability with EMAP-E data. Half of the stations in all basins
will be sampled the first year and the remainder in the second year
to minimize variability between sampling years.
The investigators will conduct biological analyses of the sediment
samples to determine the health of the benthos in the six sub-ba-
sins. Chemical analyses will indicate the presence of various types of
pollutants. The investigators will then determine whether biological
impairment or risks to benthic life are associated with particular con-
taminants or physical characteristics of sediment. Finally, the re-
searchers will use the data obtained on benthic communities to
produce an index of environmental quality for the NY/NJ Harbor
system that is useful for environmental managers.
Table 2-1 shows the milestones and schedule for the Region II R-
EMAP program.
Tob/e 2-1
MILESTONES
AND SCHEDULE
A field worker obtains a
water column profile for dis-
solved oxygen, temperature,
salinity, pH, and oxidation-
reduction potential
1993
1994
1995
Hold design workshop February
Complete workshop summary March
Year I field work July - September
Year I laboratory work July through .... March
Year I data analysis March - June
Complete data summary June
Year 2 field work July - September
Year 1 data analysis July through .... March
Complete final report July
REGION fl
II
-------
Figure 2-1
MAP OF THE STUDY AREA SHOWING EACH OF THE SUB-BASINS
D Jamaica Bay
D Upper New York Harbor
O Newark Bay
D New York Bight Apex
D Western Long Island Sound
HI Raritan Bay/Lower Bay/
Sandy Hook Bay
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
Long Island Sound
Hudson Rive
Long Island
Jamaica Bay
RticKaways
Transect ATLANTIC OCEAN
Newark Bay.
Dividing line
between sub-basins
Miles
12
REGION II
-------
The Region li R-EMAP project has
three objectives:
I To estimate the percentage of area in each
of the six sub-basins m the NY/NJ Harbor
system in which the benthic environment is
"degraded," "not evidently degraded," or
"marginal."
2 To identify statistical associations between
particular chemical contaminants and de-
graded benthos or toxic sediments.
3 To develop and validate an index of environ-
mental quality for the NY/NJ Harbor sys-
tem based on the condition of benthic
macroinvertebrate assemblages.
Objectives I and 2:
Characterize the Condition of the Benthos and Investi-
gate Links Between Contamination and Benthic Condi-
tion
The study will obtain data on the extent and distribution of three indi-
cators of sediment condition: benthic macroinvertebrate assem-
blages, sediment toxicity. and the concentrations of sediment
contaminants. The study will use a probability-based sampling de-
sign similar to that of EMAP. The six sub-basins of the NY/NJ Har-
bor system (Figures 2-2 through 2-7) will be the six strata. Each
sub-basin is affected by a separate watershed.
?
Field workers use a grab sam-
pler to collect sediments for bio-
logical and chemical analyses.
REGION II 13
-------
Table 2-2
ANALYTICAL MEASUREMENTS
FOR SEDIMENT SAMPLES
Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
DDT and its metabolites
Chlorinated pesticides other than DDT
Major and trace elements
18 PCB congeners
Organotins
Total organic carbon
Ammonia
Twenty-eight sampling stations have been selected in each sub-ba-
sin. Stations in all sub-basins except Newark Bay were selected by
enhancing the EMAP base grid and placing sampling sites ran-
domly in the resulting hexagons. The Newark Bay design is compat-
ible with that of the other sub-basins but differs slightly to allow
incorporation of NOAA data from that sub-basin. Figures 2-2
through 2-7 show the sites from which the 28 sampling stations for
each sub-basin were selected.
To obtain the samples, the field crew will use the water column and
sediment sampling procedures used in the EMAP-E program. To
meet the first objective of the study, the investigators will evaluate
the condition of the benthos using measurements of benthic
macroinvertebrate species composition, abundance, and biomass.
To meet the second objective, researchers will test for sediment tox-
icity and concentrations of sediment contaminants (Table 2-2).
Areas in the sub-basins will be classified as degraded, not evidently
degraded, and marginal by comparing the data to critical ("thresh-
old") values determined for each indicator (such as 80 percent sur-
vival of organisms in sediment toxicity tests). The researchers will
also use statistical methods to evaluate whether the presence of con-
taminants is linked to the conditions observed in the biological sam-
pling. This analysis will help researchers identify which
contaminants are of greatest ecological significance. It will also help
distinguish between contaminated areas that are clearly harmful to
the ecosystem and those that pose a limited risk to aquatic life (for
example, where chemicals are tightly bound to the sediment and are
therefore "biologically unavailable" to organisms). Such information
is important for developing effective contaminant management
strategies: In areas where contaminants are biologically unavailable,
it might be possible to leave sediments in place and implement pollu-
tion prevention to avoid further degradation. Remediation may be
needed, however, in areas where contaminants are toxic and biologi-
cally available.
14
REGION II
-------
figure 2-2
JAMAICA BAY
figure 2-3
UPPER NEW YORK HARBOR
2km
Figure 2-4
NEWARK BAY
Figure 2-5
NEW YORK BIGHT APEX
REGION II I 5
-------
Figure 2-6
WESTERN LONG ISLAND SOUND
5km
figure 2-7
LOWER NEW YORK HARBOR/RARITAN BAY/SANDY HOOK BAY
16 REGION II
-------
Objective 3:
Develop an Index of Environmental Quality for the
NY/NJ Harbor System
The third objective is to develop an index that allows environmental
managers to classify sites based on the degree to which they have
been stressed by contamination. The index will be based on proper-
ties of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages. The investigators
will begin with EMAP-E's index and calibrate it to the conditions
within the NY/NJ Harbor system. The result will be an index scaled
from 0 to 10 that allows environmental managers to recognize the
degree of degradation that has occurred at a site without having to
examine and interpret a more complex data base.
To accomplish this objective, between 20 and 30 index development
sites (in addition to the 28 sites in each sub-basin) will be chosen to
represent the regional range of conditions, including salinity, concen-
tration of sediment contaminants, organic enrichment, sediment
grain size, and dissolved oxygen concentration. The sites will be cho-
sen based on existing data and professional judgment. Once data
from these sites have been collected, the EMAP-E list of measures
for differentiating between nondegraded reference sites and de-
graded sites (measures of biodiversity, community condition, individ-
ual health, trophic groups, and species composition) will be applied
to the index development sites. This list of differentiating measures
will be expanded based on experience with measures useful in site-
specific evaluations of the NY/NJ Harbor system.
A member of the field crew
sieves benthic macroinverte-
brate samples. Samples will
be analyzed for species com-
position, abundance, and
biomass.
REGION I
-------
Dorvene Adorns
Environmental Services Division
Region //
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
2890 Woodbridge Avenue
Edison, NJ 08837
(908)327-6700
18 REGION II
-------
REGION HI
SURFACE WATER
QUALITY INDICATORS FOR
THE CENTRAL APPALACHIAN
RIDGES AND VALLEYS
ECOREGION
treams in the mid-Atlantic Highlands, an area that in-
cludes the Central Appalachians, the Central Appala-
chian Ridges and Valleys, and the Blue Ridge Mountains
5, Ecoregions, are subject to heavy environmental
stresses. Over a century of coal mining, deforestation,
and urbanization have caused erosion, silting, and acid
drainage in streams. This area also receives the highest rates of acid
deposition in the United States. It is estimated that 12 percent of for-
ested upland mid-Appalachian streams are acidic. More than half of
all stream reaches are sensitive to acid deposition and may be
subject to low pH episodes that are harmful to biota. The extent to
which stream resources are affected by urbanization and nonpoint
source pollution is unknown.
The Region HI R-EMAP project focuses on the Central Appalachian
Ridges and Valleys Ecoregion, which is affected by agriculture, some
mining activity, urban nonpoint source pollution, and acid deposition.
Study area(s)
STUDY AREA
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
The project goals are tew
® Establish a baseline for assessing biological
impairment of streams.
© Evaluate EMAP indicators for use in re-
source management in the Ridges and Val-
leys Ecoregion.
® Develop a comprehensive, probability-
based assessment of streams in the Ridges
and Valleys.
Promote Regional and state cooperation.
-------
The Region HI R-EMAP project is part of the mid-Atlantic High-
lands Assessment (MAHA). MAHA combines a number of com-
plex state. Regional, and national environmental monitoring designs,
including those of the EMAP mid-Atlantic streams monitoring pro-
ject and the Temporally Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems
(TIME) project, an EPA program to measure water quality in acid-
sensitive environments. When fully developed. MAHA will provide a
suite of environmental assessment tools to integrate land cover infor-
mation, other measures of human-caused environmental stress, and
the biological assessment of stream and fish communities and agri-
cultural and forest ecosystems.
Region III R-EMAP field teams will include EPA biologists and bi-
ologists from the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and
West Virginia Experts from universities in Region III will participate
in data analysis and overall assessment of the project. The U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service was a cooperating agency in the initial field in-
vestigation, and other federal agencies are expected to participate in
the future.
A field team uses electrofish-
ing equipment to collect fish
samples.
Table 3-1
MILESTONES
AND SCHEDULE
1992
1993
1994
1995
Select sites
Set methods
Field sampling
Sample processing and analysis
Integration and assessment . .
. Sept. - Oct . . . . Sept. - Oct.
Sept. - March . . . Sept - March
Spring/Fall .
Fall/Winter .
Spring/Fall
Fall/Winter
June through
December
20
REGION I
-------
Tpf F? C
Hb *
The investigators will select and sample 100
sites in the Central Appalachian Ridges and
Valleys Ecoregion. The sampling will include water quality, fish, ben-
thic macroinvertebrates, and habitat quality. The response of
indicators to environmental stresses will be tested at 10 additional
sites selected for the presence of stresses (such as agricultural non-
point sources, point sources, habitat disturbance, and acid deposi-
tion).
Investigators will also sample reference sites chosen to represent
the least impaired conditions in the subecoregions. This sampling
Field workers process sam-
will require that the researchers refine and calibrate stream bio- pies. Region in R-EMAP sam-
,, , , . i » , . . T, pling will include benthic
assessment methods and protocols for use in this ecoregion. 1 he . , ...
macroinvertebrates, habitat
states currently sample invertebrates with a variety of gear and pro- quality, fish, and water quality.
tocols. A comprehensive set of ecological protocols will be used in
this project. The investigators will assess the methods used in this
project and develop recommended standard methods for future use.
The data from all sites will be analyzed to produce an assessment of
streams in the ecoregion and to perform a regional analysis of associa-
tions between stream conditions and environmental stressors. Table 3-
1 lists the project milestones and schedule; Table 3-2 shows the tools and
products to be developed.
Table 3-2
PRODUCTS
A set of consistent biological indicators and methods that
have been tested and evaluated for use in stream bioassessment
in the Ridges and Valleys Ecoregion.
Definition of ecoregion-specific reference conditions for use in
state and Regional monitoring and assessment
An integrated biological assessment of streams in the Ridges and Valleys.
This assessment will estimate the magnitude and extent of
different environmental problems and determine linkages
between problems and biological effects on a regional scale.
Data and assessments that will form a baseline for analyzing trends;
unified monitoring plan for state and Regional agencies.
BENEFITS
Improved knowledge of the geographic limits of environmental effects.
Recommended for implementation of biological water quality criteria;
needed for assessing the status of streams in the ecoregion.
Improved understanding of the significance and application
of ecoregion boundaries for environmental management.
Uniform assessments, reduced costs, and increased coverage.
REGION 1
21
-------
The project is designed to answer
the following questions:
91
What are the biological reference condi-
tions for the Central Appalachian Ridges
and Valleys Ecoregion?
To develop ecoregional reference condi-
tions, investigators will obtain regional data
based on sampling of reference sites, using
stream bioassessment methods developed
for application in this ecoregion.
Do biological communities differ among
subregions?
Ecoregions and subregions are based on
soils, geology, geomorphology, and vegeta-
tion. The invest/gators will determine
whether biota differ among subregions hav-
ing similar stream conditions. (If biota are
similar, data analysis would be more power-
ful if data from similar subregions are
lumped together.)
Figure 3-1
31 REFERENCE SITES
What is the status of mid-Atlantic Highlands
streams biota?
Determining the current status of stream re-
sources will provide the baseline for assessing
the effectiveness of best management
practices (BMPs) for pollution sources.
What relationships can be established be-
tween biological impairment and possible
causes of impairment?
The project will not test causal relationships
directly but will identify associations be-
tween impaired conditions and causal fac-
tors, such as acid deposition, acid mine
drainage, nonpoint sources, and point
sources. This information will help resource
managers decide which problem is most im-
portant to address (for example, would it
be most effective to mitigate acid mine
drainage, to lobby for stricter regional con-
trols on SOz emissions, or to educate the ag-
ricultural sector to use BMPs?). It will also
identify critical areas for protection and res-
toration efforts.
Con trends be observed in the chemistry of
mid-At/antic Highlands streams since the Na-
tional Surface Water Survey in 1986?
Together with the TIME and EMAP projects,
the Region III R-EMAP project will provide
data for assessing trends in stream acidifica-
tion from deposition. The project will de-
velop information on biological integrity and
acid-base chemistry at the same sites.
How can the EMAP approach be used to
help restore and manage stream resources
on a regional scale?
The Region III project will attempt to inte-
grate ecoregion-based assessments with
state monitoring programs, using the EMAP
design approach.
22
REGION III
-------
Selecting Reference Sites
Thirty-one sites (Figure 3-1) considered the least affected by environ-
mental stresses represent the baseline against which to compare the
test sites. State biologists will select reference streams based on their
knowledge of site conditions, mapped information, and field visits.
Sampling Design
The investigators will use probability-based sampling design to se-
lect 44 R-EMAP test sites (Figure 3-2). The study will use a seven-
fold magnification of the EMAP grid. Additional test sites will be
used from the EMAP mid-Atlantic streams monitoring project and
the TIME project.
Field workers take stream
flow and habitat assessment
measurements.
Figure 3-2
44 R-EMAP TEST SITES - sues (mm EMAP and TIME wtiako be used.
REGION III 23
-------
Table 3-3
WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS
TO BE MEASURED
Temperature
Conductivity
pH
Iron
Calcium
Total suspended solids
Total organic carbon
Phosphate
Total phosphorus
Dissolved oxygen
Acid neutralizing capacity
Sulfate
Magnesium
Aluminum species
Total dissolved solids
Nitrite and nitrate
Total nitrogen
Chloride
Table 34
HABITAT ASSESSMENT
VARIABLES
PRIMARY-INSTREAM HABITAT
Instream Cover (fish habitat)
Benthic Substrate
Embeddedness
Velocity/Depth Combination
SECONDARY-CHANNEL MORPHOLOGY
Channel Alteration
Bottom Scouring and
Deposition
Riffle/Pool, Run/Bend Ratio
Channel Flow Status
TERTIARY-RIPARIAN AND BANK STRUCTURE
Bank Stability
Bank Vegetation Protection
Grazing/Disruptive Pressure
Riparian Vegetation Zone
Width
Indicators
Fish and macroinvertebrate communities will be collected as indica-
tors of the response of ecological resources to habitat and exposure
variables. Response measurements include species composition.
abundance, and biomass. Investigators will assess the water quality
parameters shown in Table 3-3 and will assess the habitat quality
variables listed in Table 3-4. Finally, information will be obtained
about industrial or other point source discharges, watershed land
uses, human population density, fish stocking, urban development in
the watersheds, barriers, and logging or other recent disturbances.
Integrated Bioassessment
The sampling results will allow investigators to characterize and
measure reference conditions for each subregion. The status of
stream quality will be assessed by comparing the data collected
from reference sites, impaired sites, and probability sites. Investiga-
tors will analyze associations among biological indicators, habitat
quality, water quality, and external stressor information.
MCT
Ron Preston
Environmental Services Division
Region ///
U. 5. Enwronmento/
Protection Agency
303 Methodist Building
11th and Chapline Streets
Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0245
24
REGION III
-------
REGION IV
ECOLOGICAL RISK
ASSESSMENT OF MERCURY
CONTAMINATION IN THE
EVERGLADES ECOSYSTEM
incc 1989, mercury has been found in elevated concentra-
tions in various biota of the Florida Everglades, includ-
ing fish, the Florida panther, raccoons, wading birds, and
alligators. The state of Florida has issued a fish con-
! sumption advisory due to mercury contamination, ban-
ning or restricting the consumption of largemouth bass
and other freshwater fish from 2 million acres encompassing the Ev-
erglades and Big Cypress National Preserve (Figure 4-1). Mercury
contamination in Florida, although highest in the Everglades, also
occurs in largemouth bass in many other lakes and streams across
the state. Mercury in its most toxic form, methyl mercury, accumu-
lates in aquatic life, and may pose increased risks to consumers at
the top of the food chain (birds, mammals, and humans).
Everglodes wading birds, such
as this Great White Heron,
have been shown to have e/e-
rated mercury concentra-
tions.
Study area(s)
STUDY AREA
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
Scientists currently know little about the sources, extent, transport.
transformation, and pathways of mercury in South Florida ecosys-
tems. Possible mercury sources in South Florida include natural
mineral and peat deposits, atmospheric deposition (global and re-
gional), fossil fuel fired electrical generating plants, municipal waste
incinerators, medical laboratories, paint, and agricultural operations.
None of these individual sources, however, appears adequate to ex-
plain the vast area apparently contaminated.
25
-------
The proposed Region IV R-EMAP study will identify and coordi-
nate research, monitoring, and regulatory efforts to address this is-
sue, using EPA's ecological risk assessment framework The
study will focus on the Everglades ecosystem, composed of the larg-
est deposit of near-neutral peat in the world, encompassing a region
about 40 miles wide by 100 miles long south of Lake Okeechobee to
Florida Bay (Figure 4-2). The study area includes the Everglades Ag-
ricultural Area (EAA). three Water Conservation Areas (WCAs) in-
cluding the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (WCA-1), Big
Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park (ENP), and
other areas drained for urban and agricultural development, result-
ing in massive hydrologic modifications.
Figure 4-1
LARGEMOUTH BASS MERCURY TISSUE CONCENTRATIONS IN FLORIDA, 1989 TO 1993
Mercury exceeding 1.5 ppm
Mercury exceeding 0.5 ppm
Mercury less than 0.5 ppm
26 REGION IV
-------
Figure 4-2
DETAIL OF STUDY AREA
Seven policy-relevant questions
!e
Everglades
Water
Conservation
Area
Big Cypress
National
Preserve
V
Study Area
Canal or Levee
Everglades National
Park Boundary
have
development of this complex
research and monitoring effort:
9 What is the magnitude of the problem?
What are the current levels of mercury con-
tamination in various species? What ecologi-
cal resources of interest are being adversely
affected by mercury?
9 What is the extent of the mercury problem?
What is the geographic distribution of the
problem? Is it habitat-specific?
9 Is the problem getting worse, getting better,
or staying the same?
7 What factors are associated with, or contrib-
ute to, methyl mercury accumulation in sen-
sitive resources?
'•) What are the contributions and importance
of mercury from different sources?
9 What are the risks to different ecological sys-
tems and species from mercury contamina-
tion?
9 What management a/ternatives are avail-
able to ameliorate or eliminate the mercury
contamination problem?
Structures such as this mas-
sive pump move water from
the Everglades Agricultural
Area southward to the Ever-
glades.
REGION IV
27
-------
Drainage water being
pumped from a sugarcane
field in the 1,000-squore mite
Everglades Agricultural Area.
^ The proposed Region IV R-EMAP project will focus on the first four
12
H questions above and will initiate an ecological risk assessment proc-
§ ess. The project will integrate and coordinate the efforts of various
r state and federal agencies, including EPA's Office of Research and
cc
uj
< Development and Region IV Environmental Services Division; Flor-
g ida's Department of Environmental Protection, Freshwater Game
o
i and Fish Commission, Department of Health and Rehabilitative
° Services, and South Florida Water Management District, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers; the U.S. Geological Survey; and industry
representatives. Dr. Ron Jones of the Southeastern Environmental
Research Program at Florida International University is cooperating
closely with both the Everglades National Park and Region IV on
this R-EMAP project.
Soil core from Water
Conservation Area 3A,
showing periphyton overlay-
ing peat. A critical aspect of
the Everglades mercury study
is quantifying the mercury
pool in these soils and under-
standing mercury cycling
processes.
Critical path analysis is an im-
portant component of the
study. Top predators, such as
the alligator with which the
Everglades are so closely iden-
tified, recently have been
shown to have elevated mer-
cury concentrations.
1
REGION IV
-------
Cycling of Mercury in the Everglades Ecosystem
Significant quantities of mercury cycle through the air, water and
solid phases of the global environment. Mercury cycling through
the atmosphere is estimated at 6 billion grams per year. Within this
global background, certain regional areas may have higher atmos-
pheric background concentrations due to nearby urban or indus-
trial activity. In South Florida, the operation of solid waste
incinerators and fossil fuel power plants has increased since 1940.
It is possible, therefore, that regional atmospheric mercury might
also have increased over this time period. Figure 4-3 depicts atmos-
pheric deposition of mercury from urban sources into the Ever-
glades. Figure 4-4 shows a conceptual model of the biogeochemical
cycling of mercury in the Everglades ecosystem.
Important components of the
mercury cycle include:
19 Sequestering of mercury
Because the abundant organic matter in
wetlands sequesters mercury, Everglades
soils contain a substantial mercury pool
even without continuing atmospheric deposi-
tion. These soils are a suspected source of
the mercury contaminating fish in associ-
ated waters. The subsidence (loss of surface
elevation) of peat and muck in the Ever-
glades Agricultural Area over the years may
have resulted in the concentration of mer-
cury at the soil surface, facilitating methyla-
tion, transport of mercury downstream,
and/or evaporation of mercury.
® Mercury methylation
Inorganic mercury is convened to methyl
mercury primarily through the actions of mi-
croorganisms. Sulfur-reducing bacteria have
been implicated in mercury methylation.
Methylation greatly increases the toxidty of
mercury, its ability to be bioaccumulated,
and its mobility in the environment.
t Eutrophication
One of the most noticeable changes in the
Everglades ecosystem in recent years is
eutrophication. Phosphate enrichment
in Everglades soils has triggered microbial
consumption of organic matter, resulting in
anaerobic conditions and a change from
oligotrophic to eutrophic ecosystems in
some oreos. Under eutrophic conditions,
inorganic mercury may be converted to
methyl mercury and bioaccumulated In the
food chain.
® Surface flow of water
This may be an important transport mechanism
that moves sediment, phosphorus, and inor-
ganic and organic mercury o/fthe Everglades
Agricultural Area via canals to the downstream
Water Conservation Areas and toward Ever-
glades National Park. An average of 200 tons of
phosphorus flow from the ZOO.OOOacre agricul-
tural basin into downstream habitats each year,
resulting in systemic changes in wetland fora
and fauna.
« Evasion (soil degassing)
Evasion from South Florida wetland habi-
tats, other land uses, and open waters is a
component of the mercury cycle that has
not yet been quantified.
Aquatic and terrestrial bioaccumulation
pathways
Critical path analyses for the top terrestrial
and aquatic predators (birds, reptiles, and
mammals) in several habitat types are an
important part of an ecological risk assess-
ment for mercury contamination in the Ever-
glades ecosystem.
REGION IV
29
-------
Figure 4-3
ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION OF MERCURY FROM URBAN SOURCES INTO THE
EVERGLADES
Prevailing wind direction
Everglades
Urban area
Near field models
Atlantic
Ocean
Far field models
Figure 4-4
CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLING OF MERCURY IN THE
EVERGLADES ECOSYSTEM
4. Evasion
Hg°
1. Global and regional
atmospheric input
Hg°, Hg", MeHg
nitrogen and phosphorus
9. Critical path analysis
(birds and mammals, etc.)
"7. ,
Hg
'X
Sulfur-reducing
bacteria
6.
Methylation/
dernethylafon .,
Hammock
Sawgrass
Wet prairie
Slough
Methylation/
demethylation
Canal/Pond
30
REGION IV
-------
The Region IV R EMAP study is designed
to answer questions that focus on the extent,
magnitude, and trends of the mercury problem, as well as to provide
information for the initial phase of the ecological risk assessment
process. All the activities are part of a larger interagency effort to
study mercury contamination in the Everglades. Habitat types that
will be sampled include canals, ponds, sloughs, wet prairies, saw-
grass marsh, and hammocks/tree islands. Canal sampling is sched-
uled to begin in September 1993, with other tasks to follow in fall and
winter 1993-94.
Water, soil, sediment, and biota will be sampled using the EMAP
sampling strategy. Regional air monitoring is being conducted by the
Florida Atmospheric Mercury Study, supported by Florida Power
and Light. Electric Power Research Institute, Florida Department of
Environmental Protection, and EPA Region IV. In addition, the Re-
gion IV Environmental Services Division is initiating studies of the
sources, fate, and transport of mercury emissions. Data from these
studies will be integrated into the Region IV R-EMAP study. Finally,
the Region IV R-EMAP study and other projects are jointly develop-
ing analytical capabilities to allow researchers to measure mercury
at the parts per trillion level in water and air.
The Everglades Agricultural
Area (EAA) encompasses
700,000 acres of former Ever-
glades wetlands. Each year
an average of 800,000 acre-
feet of drainage water con-
taining 200 tons of
phosphorus is pumped from
the EAA southward into the
Everglades. The moss of mer-
cury contained in this en-
riched water is currently
unknown.
REGION IV 3 I
-------
The Region IV R-EMAP study will test a
number of hypotheses regarding mercury
contamination in the Everglades ecosystem.
These include the following:
• Mercury concentrations are significantly in-
creased by human-induced (global and lo-
cal) releases to the air and subsequent wet/
dry deposition to the Everglades ecosystem,
© The Everglades Agricultural Area is loading
the downstream Water Conservation Areas
and the Everglades National Park with mer-
cury and/or methyl mercury.
® Eutrophication of the Everglades is resulting
in conditions conducive to the methylation
of mercury of geologic origin in peat soils.
The Region IV R-EMAP results and findings will provide a basis for
defining an ecological risk assessment of the impact of mercury on
the entire system, as well as on selected rare and endangered spe-
cies. This assessment will help researchers determine the factors
and processes to be incorporated into a mathematical model of the
mercury cycle in the Everglades ecosystem.
Sampling Site Selection and Indicators
Region IV R-EMAP scientists will use a random, probability-
based sampling strategy, based on the EMAP approach. The strat-
egy will be designed to be integrated with the assessment strategy of
the South Florida Geographic Initiative, a Region IV program to ad-
dress crucial environmental issues in South Florida. The sampling
grid is a seven-fold enhancement of the EMAP base grid, resulting
in points distributed across the entire 4,000-square-mile study area
The distance between the individual points with the full grid density
tj
is about 4 km, with a hexagon area of about 13 km around each
grid point. Grid points in the Everglades Agricultural Area, Water
Conservation Areas, and Everglades National Park have an equal
probability of inclusion. The intensity of sampling will be decreased
in the areas outside this primary study area
Table 4-1 summarizes the indicators to be measured during the Re-
gion IV study.
32 REGION IV
-------
Everglades marsh sampling
stations can be accessed by
airboat during the wet seo-
son. Roots equipped with etec-
troshock/ng equipment, such
as this National Park Service
boat, are used to collect fish
for mercury analyses.
Table 4-1
MEASUREMENT PARAMETERS
CANALS
(50 RANDOMLY SELECTED SITES)
Conventional Parameters
Water
Sediment
Biota
CANAL STRUCTURES
(7 SITES: BI-WEEKLY TIME SERIES
FOR ONE YEAR)
Water
TRANSECTS
(4 TRANSECTS-70 SITES)
Water
Soil (3 depths)
Biota
MARSH GRID
(I79 RANDOMLY SELECTED SITES)
Water
Soil (3 depths)
Biota
Temperature, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, dissolved
organic carbon (DOC), total phosphorus (TP), $04, total suspended solids
(TSS)
% mineral content, TP, pH, redox potential (Eh)
Gambusia (a fish), length (L) and width (W)
Temperature, turbidity, conductivity, DO, pH, DOC, TP, $04, TSS
Temperature, turbidity, conductivity, DO, pH, DOC, TP, $04, TSS
Bulk density, % mineral content, TP, pH, Eh
Gambusia. L,W
Temperature, turbidity, conductivity, pH, DOC, TP, $04,
alkaline phosphatase, TSS
Bulk density, % mineral content, TP, pH, Eh
Gambusia. L W
Hg
Total mercury (T),
methyl mercury (MeHg)
T, MeHg
T
T, MeHg
T, MeHg
T, MeHg
T
T, MeHg
T. MeHg
T
REGION JV
33
-------
Samples will be taken in the
following order of priority:
® Randomly selected canal samples (Figure 4-5).
Samples based on the enhanced base grid
will be token systematico/iy at 50 sites in a
north-to-south sequence over a one-week pe-
riod. These sites will be accessed by helicop-
ter or boat. This sequence will be carried
out twice each year during the wet (May-Oc-
tober) and dry (November-April) seasons.
After four cycles, sampling at the initial set
of 50 stations will be repeated. This sampling
will allow researchers to gain an initial spatial
understanding of total mercury and methyl
mercury in water, sediment, and biota.
® Water monitoring at seven canal structures
(Figure 4-6).
The South Florida Water Management Dis-
trict will carry out this sampling at bi-weekly
intervals for one year. Four of the canal
structures to be sampled are the main dis-
charge points for water from the Everglades
Agricultural Area. The other three canal
structures, located at progressive intervals
down the canal system toward Everglades
National Park, will help the researchers de-
termine whether a spatial gradient exists.
© Sampling at 70 sites in four marsh transects
(straight lines with fixed sampling points)
(Figure 4-6).
These transects are located across known
nutrient gradients. Water, soil, and biota
will be sampled to test the eutrophication
hypothesis. Depending on the strength of
the relationship of total phosphate to
methyl mercury, this effort will be used to
evaluate the design and practicality of the
marsh grid sampling effort.
® Marsh grid sampling (179 randomly se-
lected sites).
The initial cycle of the marsh sampling is
shown in Figure 4-1 a; Figure 4-76 shows the
density after four cycles. Water, soil, and bi-
ota will be sampled, when available, at each
site. Soil will be sampled at depths of 0 to
5 cm (surface), 20 to 25 cm (middle), and
40 to 45 cm (maximum depth). The maxi-
mum depth was deposited approximately
WO years ago. Other information, such as
the habitat type in which each station is lo-
cated and the depth of water present, will
be recorded as each site is sampled.
Figure 4-5
CANAL SAMPLING LOCATIONS
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
10 20 30 40
Region boundaries
34
REGION IV
-------
Analytical Methods
To determine the sources and fluxes of mercury in the Everglades
ecosystem, the investigators will need to accurately measure mer-
cury at ultra trace levels (parts per trillion) in air, water, sediment,
soil, and fish tissue. To accomplish this, researchers will use a tech-
nique called automated cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry.
The study will employ "clean" sampling protocols for air and water
to prevent contamination of the samples during the collection, trans-
port, and storage phases. "Clean" protocols for laboratory analysis
of total and methyl mercury in air, water, soil/sediment and tissue
are also being developed by related projects.
figure 4-7a
SAMPLING SITES FOR INITIAL CYCLE OF MARSH
SAMPLING
Everglades
Agricultural
Ana
Water
Conservation
Ar*a1
Water
Conservation
Area 2
Big Cypress
National
Preserve
Everglades
National
Park
Figure 4-6
CANAL STRUCTURE AND
TRANSECT SAMPLING SITES
WCA-2a
Everglades [WCA-1/T2
Agricultural*. i
Everglades N
Water >
Conservation
Areas
Flordla Bay
• Structures Monitored
• Transect
Canal or Levee
Everglades National
Park Boundary
REGION IV
35
-------
Figure 4-76
MARSH SAMPLING DENSITY AFTER FOUR
SAMPLING CYCLES
. Water
'••V '. V * Conservation
t* - *. A Areal'l
'•*•'/: *:••' •'•.**••*
. •'**.".. V'/'':*;.''
. .'. % •% • \" ' '.. fe Watef '"
. •V • • «r Conservation
% . • » . « «s« . «.
Big Cypress
National
Preserve
'ION,
Jerry Stober, PhD
Environmental Services Division
Region (V
U.S. Environmental
Protect/on Agency
CoWege Station Road
Athens, GA 30613
(706) 546-2207
36
REGION IV
-------
REGION V
THREE PROPOSALS FOR
MONITORING AND ASSESSING
ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES
egion V is developing three proposals for consideration
as R-EMAP projects. Following evaluation by the Re-
gion's R-EMAP Technical Steering Committee, one or
more of these proposals will be submitted to EPA's Of-
fice of Research and Development for funding.
Developing an EMAP Signature for a Rare and
Imperiled Ecosystem
This proposed project will establish a protocol ("signature") for iden-
tifying, monitoring, and assessing the rare and imperiled Oak Sa-
vanna and Woodland Ecosystem. This terrestrial ecosystem
ranges from the Great Lakes Basin to the Gulf Coast. Because of
economic development and exploitation, it is estimated that less than
0.01 percent of this ecosystem remains.
STUDY AREA
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
The approach proposed for this project involves obtaining data
through remote sensing to characterize ecological resources in the
ecosystem. These data will be important for efforts to preserve and
restore the ecosystem and to promote biological diversity. It will also
help efforts to protect the Karner Blue Butterfly, an endangered spe-
cies that inhabits this woodland ecosystem.
The Karner Blue Butterfly, an
endangered species that in-
habits the Oak Savanna and
Wood/and Ecosystem.
REGION V
37
-------
The rare and imperiled Oak
Savanna and Woodland
Ecosystem
Assessing Corn Belt Rivers and Streams
This proposed project will evaluate the use of the EMAP sampling
design for establishing reference conditions, evaluating stream
status, and developing biocritcria in the Eastern Corn Belt Plain
Ecoregion (Figure 5-1), which stretches across the states of Michi-
gan, Ohio, and Indiana. The study will also compare the EMAP
grid design with an intensive design being developed by the state of
Ohio. Testing the EMAP design for biocriteria development will as-
sist the states in developing reference conditions and may help them
develop status and trends reports required under the Clean Water
Act at a significant cost savings.
figure 5-1
THE EASTERN CORN BELT PLAIN ECOREGION
Eastern Com Belt
Plain Ecoregion
38
REGION V
-------
Assessing Harbors and Embayments in a Great Lakes
Area of Concern
This proposed project will establish a monitoring framework that
can be used by all states in the Region to meet monitoring require-
ments under the Clean Water Act. A total of 43 Areas of Concern
(AOCs) in the Region have been found to have impairments posing
ecological and human health risks. The areas most affected are the
harbors and embayments of major tributaries entering the Great
Lakes.
Figure 5-2
DULUTH - SUPERIOR HARBOR, including St.
Public utilities and agencies
"I Public recreation
Residential
| [ Dedicated open space
REGION V
39
-------
This project will address the St. Louis Bay AOC (Figure 5-2). be-
cause it is typical of other harbors and embayments that are AOCs.
The St. Louis River Drainage Basin covers approximately 4,900
square miles in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The pro-
posed approach involves the use of the EMAP probability-based
sampling frame (perhaps in combination with another sampling
frame to accommodate distinct physiographica.1 sections of the
study area) on a subregional scale. The project will follow the sam-
pling and collection protocols of the EMAP-Surface Waters and the
EMAP-Great Lakes Resource Groups. Indicators will be selected
that address the most frequently impaired uses for all 43 AOCs in
the Region.
© Valerie Jones
Environmenta/ Services Division
Region V
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604
(312)8864571
40
REGION V
-------
REGION VI
TOXICS CHARACTERIZATION
OF SELECTED TEXAS ESTUARIES
ince 1991. a full-scale EMAP study has been under way
in the Louisianian Province, encompassing the Gulf
Coast from northern Florida through Texas. This study.
known as EMAP-Estuaries or EMAP-E, has generated
concerns about contaminants in fish and sediments in
several estuaries along the Texas coast. The Region VI
R-EMAP project, R-EMAP-TX. is using the EMAP sampling de-
sign to address waterbody-specific questions arising from the 1991
EMAP-E study. R-EMAP-TX is focusing on potential problems in
several estuarine systems: contaminated sediments in the Galveston
Bay estuary, biological impairment (fish pathology and sediment
toxicity) in the East Bay Bayou of Galveston Bay, and contamination
in tidal reaches of the Arroyo Colorado River and the Rio Grande
River.
R-EMAP-TX collects fish sam-
ples to obtain data on fish pa-
thology and fish tissue
contamination.
East Bay Bayou
Galveston Bay
Arroyo Colorado
Rio Grande
Study area(s)
STUDY AREA
The goals of R-EMAP-TX are to:
® Collect additional data to characterize the
extent and severity of potential waterbody-
specific problems identified by EMAP-E.
® Obtain the scientific information that envi-
ronmental managers need to identify toxic
pollutants of most importance in specific
geographic areas.
6 Era/note the usefulness of coupling the
EMAP regional approach as a screening
tool with the R-EMAP approach of obtaining
refined measurements in specific water-
bodies.
:-' Design and implement procedures that link
an EMAP and a R-EMAP project and that
maximize data comparability between the
projects.
Test whether the EMAP approach (statisti-
cal design and indicators) is appropriate for
addressing waterbody-specific questions.
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
41
-------
^^ "*»,
Field workers use on elec-
tronic probe to measure dis-
solved oxygen ond other
water quality parameters.
Table 6-1
MILESTONES
AND SCHEDULE
Planning for R-EM AP-TX is provided by an interagency team repre-
senting the Environmental Services and Water Quality Manage-
ment Divisions of Region VI, the Texas Water Commission, and
EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD). To ensure that
the data from R-EMAP-TX are comparable to the data from
EMAP-E, R-EMAP-TX is employing the EMAP-E protocols,
personnel, equipment, and laboratories. Texas A®M University in
College Station, Texas, will conduct the field activities. The labora-
tories for R-EMAP-TX are the EPA/ORD Environmental Re-
search Laboratory in Gulf Breeze, Florida; the Gulf Coast Research
Laboratory in Biloxi, Mississippi: and Texas A&M University.
Table 6-1 presents the milestones and
schedule for R-EMAP-TX. The activities of
R-EMAP-TX in each of the four study areas are described below.
1993
1994
Quality assurance project plan completed March
All funding/personnel/equipment in place June
Field crew trained July
All sampling activities conducted September
Field activity report completed October
Sample processing/analysis completed March
Data audited and transmitted to state and Region April
Data entered into state data base May
Draft report completed June
Final report completed August
42
REGION VI
-------
Galveston Bay Sediments
The results of the 1991 EMAP-E study found tributyltin (TBT), a
substance highly toxic to aquatic life, in 11 of 12 EMAP sediment
samples collected from Galveston Bay and its associated tributaries
and embayments. Five of the samples had concentrations higher
than 5 parts per billion (ppb). In contrast, only 13.3 percent of the
183 sites sampled in the Louisianian Province taken in that year's
EMAP study had TBT sediment levels higher than 1 ppb.
R-EMAP-TX will attempt to confirm these preliminary findings
and further document the extent of contamination and the severity
of effects on aquatic life resulting from contamination by TBT and
other pollutants.
Further sampling in Galveston Bay
will be conducted to determine:
® The extent of sediment in the Galveston
Bay estuary with TBT concentrations
exceeding 1 ppb and 5 ppb.
9 Whether high concentrations of TBT and
other contaminants in sediment are corre-
lated with degraded fauna conditions.
f? How TBT concentrations in the water col-
umn are related to TBT concentrations in
the underlying sediment.
Members of the field crew
use a grab sampler to collect
sediment samples.
Biological Impairment in the East Bay Bayou of
Galveston Bay
In the 1991 EMAP-E study, the East Bay Bayou, a small tidal river
of Galveston Bay, exhibited a high fish pathology rate (45 percent for
Atlantic croaker and 65 percent for sand seatrout). The background
pathology rate for the whole Louisianian Province was less than 1
percent. In addition, the toxicity tests of the sediment from this area
showed significantly high mortality rates for benthic invertebrates.
R-EMAP-TX will conduct more
intensive sampling in the East Bay
Bayou to determine:
"' Whether there is, in /act, a significant differ-
ence between the fish pathology rate found
in the East Bay Bayou and that found across
the Louisianian Province.
* Which specific areas in the East Bay Bayou
have the highest fish pathology rates.
& What the contaminant levels are in fish and
sediment in the East Bay Bayou.
C; Whether the sediments in the East Bay
Bayou are toxic to sediment organisms in
laboratory tests.
'- Whether the sites with the highest contami-
nant levels correspond to the sites where the
greatest biological impairment is found.
REGION VI
43
-------
Toxic Contamination in Tidal Reaches of the Arroyo
Colorado River
Measurements taken during the 1991 EMAP-E study from one site
in the tidal portion of the Arroyo Colorado River showed high fish
tissue concentrations of agriculture-related contaminants, particu-
larly toxaphene. R-EMAP-TX will take additional measurements to
determine whether the results from the one site are indicative of con-
ditions throughout the tidal portion of the river. This part of R-
EMAP-TX will focus on the levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons in
fish tissue, chemical and toxicity tests of sediments, and benthic
community analyses.
Toxic Contamination in Tidal Reaches of the
Rio Grande River
R-EMAP-TX is also sampling the tidal reaches of the Rio Grande.
another major tributary in southern Texas. During the EMAP-E
survey, investigators were not able to sample the Rio Grande. To de-
termine whether or not the Rio Grande has problems similar to
those in the Arroyo Colorado, R-EMAP-TX is performing the same
tests in the Rio Grande as in the Arroyo Colorado. In addition,
R-EMAP-TX will take water column samples to complement a
separate toxics study being conducted by EPA and Texas on the
nontidal reaches of the Rio Grande.
R-EMAP-TX is designed to obtain unbiased
statistical estimates of the ecological condi-
(jon of the four estuarine systems under
study. R-EMAP-TX will collect field samples during August and
September 1993 to coincide with the field sampling season used by
EMAP-E. Sampling is limited to a time period in which environ-
mental stress is expected to be most severe. A second sampling sea-
son is planned for September 1994. This will allow investigators to
further assess problems confirmed by the 1993 sampling, to expand
sampling to additional estuaries, and to address any unusual cli-
matic conditions (such as hurricanes or high freshwater runoff) that
could bias the results during a single sampling season.
44 REGION VI
-------
Sampling Design
The areas to be sampled by R-EMAP-TX are Galveston Bay and its
adjacent embayments and tributaries, with the exception of the
Houston Ship Channel: the East Bay Bayou: the Arroyo Colorado
River from the mouth to Port Harlingen, TX; and the estuarine por-
tion of the Rio Grande from the mouth to a point 5 kilometers inland.
To obtain data that provide unbiased estimates of the status of these
estuaries. R-EMAP-TX is randomly selecting sample sites using an
extension of the EMAP-E sampling design.
In Galveston Bay. sample site selection is based on a randomly
placed hexagonal grid. The sampling scale for this project calls for a
grid of 31 hexagons of 70 square kilometers each (four times the
density of the sampling conducted in the 1991 EMAP-E survey).
Sampling sites are chosen randomly within each hexagon. Figure 6-
1 shows the sampling sites for the Galveston Bay estuary.
For the three small tidal rivers—the East Bay Bayou, the Arroyo
Colorado, and the Rio Grande—a systematic linear grid is used to se-
lect sampling sites. The linear grid defines the spine of the rivers,
starting at the mouth and extending upstream to designated points.
Sampling segments are placed every 2.5 km along the spine (four
times the density used in the 1991 EMAP-E project). Sampling sites
are chosen randomly within each segment. The sampling design re-
sults in 6 segments in the East Bay Bayou (Figure 6-1), 10 in the Ar-
royo Colorado (Figure 6-2), and 3 in the Rio Grande (Figure 6-2).
Indicators
R-EMAP-TX is measuring the following indicators to assess the en-
vironmental status of the estuaries under study:
Fish pathology
•' Species richness in benthic communities
Levels of contaminants in fish tissue
' Levels ofTBT and other contaminants in
sediments
;"' -ftif. Sediment toxicity
A sorting troy is used to process
sediment samples in the field.
REGION VI
45
-------
figure 6-1
GALVESTON BAY AND EAST BAY BAYOU SAMPLING SITES
N
Site map
Sampling station
Roads
I I City boundaries
I I Water
46
REGION VI
-------
figured
ARROYO COLORADO AND RIO GRANDE SAMPLING SITES
Sampling station
Roads
City boundaries
Water
Rio Grande
sampling sites
Site map
REGION VI 47
-------
Hypothesis Testing
To address questions of concern to environmental managers.
R-EMAP-TX will test several hypotheses. Some of the questions
to be addressed and hypotheses to be tested are listed below.
East Bay Bayou
Questions of Interest:
y What is the frequency of pathologies in the
East Bay Bayou?
9 What are some of the potential sources for
these observed pathologies?
Hypotheses:
® The incidence rate of pathologies observed
at the East Bay Bayou does not differ from
the rates found across the Louisianian Prov-
ince.
© The incidence rote of pathologies observed
at specific East Bay Bayou sites does not dif-
fer from the rate of pathologies found over-
all in the East Bay Bayou.
(If the high rates of pathology found by
EMAP-E are confirmed, managers will need
to consider follow-up investigations of poten-
tial sources. The R-EMAP-TX results will
help managers focus on areas where biologi-
cal impairment is greatest.)
Tidal Reaches of the /In-oyo Colorado
and Rio Grande Rwers
Question of Interest:
9 Are the anoxia (lack of oxygen) and high
concentrations of agriculture-related con-
taminants found by EMAP-E in the Arroyo
Colorado of deep south Texas indicative of
conditions throughout the tidal portion of
the river? Do similar contamination prob-
lems exist in the tidal reaches of the Rio
Grande River?
Hypothesis:
; Tissue levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons in
the tidal rivers of south Texas do not exceed
human health criteria.
(If this hypothesis is rejected, further studies
of the potential sources, fate, and transport
of agriculture-related contaminants in these
rivers would be warranted. The Texas De-
portment of Health would also be advised
to consider fish advisories or fish bans in
these areas.)
Ge?JVestort Say Ssdiensnts
Questions of Interest:
cf What is the extent and distribution of high
TBT levels in Galveston Bay sediments?
respond to the condition of the bottom
fauna?
Hypotheses:
* Less than 20 percent of Galveston Bay sedi-
ments contain greater than 1 ppb TBT.
* Less than 20 percent of Galveston Bay sedi-
ments contain greater than 5 ppb TBT.
(If either of these hypotheses is rejected, en-
vironmental managers will be a/erted to the
need for additional controls on TBT releases
to Galveston Bay.)
ff There is no positive association between spe-
cies richness and concentrations of TBT and
other contaminants found in Galveston Bay
sediments.
(If this hypothesis is rejected, precautions re-
garding TBT use and/or further studies on
the biological effects of TBT and other con-
taminants would be warranted.)
Evan Hornig
Environmental Services Division
Region VI
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
First Interstate Bank Tower
at Fountain Place
1445 Ross Avenue
12th Floor, Suite 1200
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
(214) 655-8353
48
REGION VI
-------
REGION VII
MEASURING THE
HEALTH OF FISHERIES
egion VII is concerned that concentrations of contami-
! nants in fish tissue may be impairing the quality of Re-
gion VII fisheries. The purpose of the Region VII
R-EMAP study is to determine the health of the fisher-
ies in the Region and to establish baseline data and
i methods that could be used to assess long-term trends
in fishery health throughout the Region.
The Region VII R-EMAP project
will address the following ques-
tions:
"•> What is the current fish community struc-
ture (biological integrity), and does it indi-
cate poor or good fishery health?
9 Are the fish diseased, parasitized, or de-
formed? If so, to what extent?
9 Do the fish contain toxic substances? If so,
to what extent?
9 Are the water and sediment polluted? If so,
to what extent?
9 What ore the distribution and extent of the
sport and commercial fishes?
9 What is the condition of Region VII fishery
habitats?
Study area(s)
STUDY AREA
The answers to these questions may be helpful to the states in Re-
gion VII in developing biocriteria.
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
The Region VII study is a collaborative effort between EPA's Office
of Research and Development, the Region VII Environmental Serv-
ices Division (ESD), and the states of Missouri, Kansas, and Ne-
braska.
49
-------
_.„.,, .,...„. To assess the status of fisheries in Region
M "n vi'i IPS
x~i^ i a V i. i. I.L/S.J YH, researchers will obtain water, sedi-
ment, and fish samples and will assess habitat quality from ran-
domly selected lakes, ponds, and streams in the four-state Region.
The samples will be taken from July through September 1994. The
investigators will perform statistical analyses on the data obtained
from each sampling site. They will use these analyses to formulate
conclusions related to fishery health, such as "Twenty percent of the
streams in Region VII have an Index of Biological Integrity (IBI)
score greater than 45."
Table 7-1 presents a schedule of milestones and deliverables for the
Region VII R-EMAP program.
Water sample collection
along the Wood River near
Grand Island, Nebraska.
Table 7-1
MILESTONES
AND SCHEDULE
1993
1994
1995
Develop Cooperative Agreements (CAs) with states or work
contracts with contractors February - May
Submit CAs and/or contracts June
Contracts approved; begin site reconnaissance process September
Equipment purchased, field crews organized December
Conduct training session for all sampling team leaders and
finish site reconnaissance process May
Data collection July - September
Data reporting October - December
Draft report issued
Draft report reviewed by states, ORD, and others
Final report issued
. April
. May
September
50
REGION VII
-------
Statistical Design and Sampling
Site Selection
r%)r jr ox//~ioi I To determine the sample sites, investigators
will randomly select 120 hexagons. 40 square kilometers each, from
the 1,100 EMAP hexagons in Region VII. An additional 15 sites will
be selected by the three states participating in the study. These 15
sites can be used to evaluate known or suspected water quality or
habitat problems, measure reference conditions in ecoregions,
or serve as additional random sampling sites.
Once all the randomly selected hexagons have been identified, all
waterbodies identified in EPA's River Reach File Version 3 (RF3)
data base will be included as part of the random sample popula-
tion. From this population, the investigators will randomly choose
sampling sites. Because ponds are believed to be an important fish-
ery resource in the Region, at least 25 percent of the sampling sites
will be located at ponds.
The randomly selected waterbodies will be screened for legal and lo-
gistical accessibility. For streams, investigators will determine sam-
ple sites of between 150 and 300 meters based on characteristics of
fluvial geomorphology. For lakes and ponds, in general, 10 sam-
pling stations will be established at evenly spaced intervals around
the perimeter of the lake or pond.
In addition to the randomly selected sites and the 15 sites selected by
the states, another 12 sites will be used to study reference conditions
in the ecoregions (such as forested land in Missouri and rangeland in
Nebraska). To determine the natural variability of biological commu-
nities, both in time and in space, each state will designate two eco-
logical reference sites (one lake/pond and one stream site). Each
site will be duplicate-sampled in July and duplicate-sampled again in
September. (Duplicate sampling involves bisecting each sampling
site and sampling the fish community in each subarea.) Determining
the variability of the biological data will be important for long-term
monitoring because it will allow researchers to recognize both natu-
ral and human-induced changes and perhaps distinguish one from
the other.
•> —^
13W41
130
1320861 -
. "*, W
*• <•*
Sect/on of mop showing
R-EMAP stream and lake sam-
ple locations. Numbered dots
indicate selected sample loca-
tions.
REGION VII
51
-------
Indicators
The Region VII R-EMAP project
will measure several indicators to
assess the health of fisheries:
* The biological integrity of the fish commu-
nity. For streams, the investigators will ob-
tain Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) scores
using the metrics in Table 7-2. The metrics
for lakes and ponds, as well as the exact
scoring criteria, will be determined later in
the study.
® The presence, number, and sizes of fishes of
game, sport, or commercial value.
® The percentage of individual fish that are
free of external anomalies (disease, deform-
ities, and parasites). The field workers will
check specimens for the anomalies listed in
Table 7-3.
<* The degree of water, sediment, and fish tis-
sue contamination from pesticides and met-
als (Table 7-4).
® General water quality parameters related to
nutrient levels and sediment loading in
streams and eutroph/c conditions in lakes
and ponds (Table 7-5).
® Habitat quality. The field crew will assess
habitat quality at a sampling site based on
the parameters listed in Table 7-6.
Table 7-2
METRICS FOR BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY IN
STREAMS
CATEGORY METRIC
Species richness and composition Total number of fish species
Number and identity of darter species
Number and identity of sunfish species
Number and identity of sucker species
Number and identity of intolerant species
Proportion of individuals as green sunfish,
carp, bullheads, and goldfish
Trophic composition Proportion of individuals as omnivores
Proportion of individuals as insectivorous cyprinids
Proportion of individuals as piscivores
(top carnivores)
Fish abundance and condition Number of individuals in sample
Proportion of individuals with anomalies
Table 7-3
EXTERNAL FISH ANOMALIES
Deformities Can affect the head, spinal vertebrae, fins, stomach shape,
scales, operculum, and eyes. Deformities include pugheadness,
barbel and jaw deformities, and dubtail.
Eroded or frayed fins Includes necrosis at the base of the caudal fin (peduncle
disease) and erosions of the preopercle and operculum.
-Lesions or ulcers Appear as open sores, exposed tissue, or prominent bloody
areas.
Tumors Result from proliferative cellular growth; tissue is firm and
not easily broken.
Fungus Appears on the body or eyes as a white, cottony growth
and usually attacks an injured or open area of the fish.
Disease Any readily apparent diseases, such as "pop-eye," "Ich,"
columnaris, gas bubble disease, or blindness in either eye.
Parasites (heavy) Includes leeches, anchor worm, spinyhead worm, and
copepods. Parasites can cause soft, tumor-like masses and
heavy black spot infestations.
52
REGION VII
-------
Table 7-4
FISH TISSUE (T), WATER (W), AND SEDIMENT (S) ANALYSES
T W S T W
PESTICIDES PESTICIDES
Chlordane
cis-Chlordane
trans-Chlordane
cis-Nonachlor
trans-Nonachlor
Oxychlordane
Propachlor
Heptachlor
Heptachlor epoxide
Aldrin
Dieldrin
p,p'-DDE
Metolachlor
Trifluralin
Atrazine
Alachlor
Cyanazine
Endrin
PCBs
Hexachlorobenzene
alpha-HCH (Lindane)
• • • beta-HCH
• • gamma-HCH
• • p,p-DDT
• • p,p-DDE
• • Chlorpyrifos
• • Diazinon
• • Disulfoton
• • METALS
• • Silver
• • Barium
• • Nickel
• • Selenium
• • Chromium
• • Lead
• • Zinc
• • Arsenic
• • Cadmium
• • Copper
• • Mercury (total)
• • OTHERS
• • Total organic carbon
• •
• •
•
•
• • •
• • •
• • •
• •
• • •
• •
• • •
• • •
• • •
• • •
• • •
• • •
• •
• • •
,
REGION VII 53
-------
Table 7-5
GENERAL WATER QUALITY
PARAMETERS
Total phosphorus
Total suspended solids
Turbidity
Dissolved oxygen
Temperature
PH
Ammonia
Nitrite-nitrate-nitrogen
Total organic carbon
Chemical oxygen demand
Conductivity
Sample Collection
Fish will be collected from each sampling site using electrofishing
and seining techniques. The field crew will identify and count large
fish of specified sizes and species and will examine 30 specimens
from each sampling site for the presence of external anomalies.
Small fish will be preserved and sent to a laboratory for counting
and identification. If fish of sport or commercial value are present,
one species or family of species will be composited into a sample for
fish tissue analysis. Water and sediment samples will be collected ac-
cording to Region VII standard operating procedures for this sampling.
Table 7-6
HABITAT QUALITY PARAMETERS
STREAMS
AND RIVERS
Bottom substrate type
and quality
Embeddedness
Channel alteration and
morphology
Bottom scouring and
deposition
Pool/glide and
riffle/run quality
Bank stability
Bank vegetative stability
Instream cover and riparian
corridor condition
Stream velocity
Stream flow
Surrounding land use
Gradient
LAKES
Bank stability
Bank vegetative stability
Substrate
Percentage of emergent
vegetation (area! coverage)
Land use in basin
(human influences)
Size
Maximum depth
Fish
Littoral habitat
Ly/e Covv/es
Env/ronmenta/
Services Division
Region VII
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
25 Funston Road
Kansas City, KS 66115
(913)551-5042
54
REGION VII
-------
REGION VIII
ASSESSING WATER RESOURCES
IN THE MINERALIZED AREA OF
THE SOUTHERN ROCKY
MOUNTAINS ECOREGION
egion VIII is concerned that the release of toxic metals
from abandoned mines and mills into the environment
could cause widespread destruction of aquatic re-
sources. The proposed Region VIII R-EMAP project
\ will focus on Headwater streams in mineralized areas
Slii, (areas that have been subjected to extensive mining ac-
tivity) in the Southern Rocky Mountains Ecoregion.
Mine tailings in French Gulch,
Summit County, Colorado
Study area(s)
STUDY AREA
The project will address the follow-
ing questions:
9 What is the current condition of biological com-
munities in headwater streams in the ecore-
gion, and what proportion of affected streams
can be linked to high metals loadings?
9 What biological indicators are suitable for
detecting the impact of metals in headwater
streams?
'•/ What constitutes a reference condition
against which to judge the status of streams
in mineralized areas of the Rocky Moun-
tains?
: Can the EMAP scale be appropriately ad-
justed to target and analyze problems in
this ecoregion?
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
55
-------
Region VIII is working to establish partnerships with state and fed-
eral agencies and the academic community to conduct this R-EMAP
project.
Investigators will conduct pilot work on indi-
cators in 1993: the full project, including
sampling of biological, chemical, and physical parameters in se-
lected headwater streams, will be conducted in 1994 and 1995.
A
j. i.5. i.
A f The population of interest will be streams
^ T within the Southern Rocky Mountains
1 Ecoregion, with sampling limited to mineral-
ized areas. During the initial selection process, streams will be
stratified according to stream size. After sampling takes place, an
analysis of stream flow and stream morphology may help investi-
gators refine the stratification of streams into meaningful groups for
statistical analysis of the data.
Taking stream flow measure-
ments, French Gu/ch, Summit
County, Colorado
A minimum of 50 sites will be sampled during 1994 and 1995. This
total includes three types of sites:
Reference sites
These sites will be selected in consultation
with state government and federal land
management agency staff.
"Test" sites
To distinguish minimally affected or unaf-
fected sites from affected sites, ft is impor-
tant to collect measurements from sites
with known impacts—that is, streams vvi'th
high metals loadings. Investigators will se-
lect several test site locations within the
study area representing different ecological
conditions.
Probability sites
These sites will be selected using EMAP's
systematically arranged grid design, com-
bined with a probability-based selection
process. The investigators will use the
EMAP-Surface Waters method for selecting
probability samples.
56
REGION VIII
-------
The 1993 pilot study will consist of sampling at approximately 15
sites irv the Southern Rocky Mountains Ecoregion.
The goals of the pilot study are to:
® Field-test sampling protocols and logistical
constraints (including sampling in remote ar-
eas).
© Evaluate the ability of different protocols to
differentiate between test sites and refer-
ence sites.
® Obtain a preliminary indication of the range
of variation associated with biological com-
munities in two major basins in the ecore-
gion.
For the pilot study, sampling is planned in two basins: the Arkansas
River and the Eagle River in Colorado. Sites for the pilot study will ft
be selected based on stream characteristics (not probability sam-
pling). A mix of reference sites and test sites will be identified in each
basin.
Indicators
Investigators will field-test the indicators shown in Table 8-1 during
the 1993 pilot work. After review of the 1993 pilot data. Region VIII
scientists will decide whether to use this full suite of parameters dur-
ing project implementation in 1994 and 1995.
Sampling protocols will be based on the written protocols developed
for the joint EMAP 1993 Surface Waters and Region III R-EMAP
Project, modified for Rocky Mountain headwater streams.
u&i
Aline dump and tailings pile
along Chalk Creek, Chaffee
County, Colorado
Table 8-1
PROPOSED ENVIRONMENTAL
INDICATORS
Fish community structure and abundance
Macroinvertebrate community structure and abundance
Periphyton community structure and abundance
Benthic metabolism
Sediment toxicity
Quantitative physical habitat measures
"Rapid" habitat measures
General water quality parameters
Metals: water column concentrations
Metals: sediment concentrations
REGION VIII
57
-------
Sampling period The sampling period will be limited to a maxi-
mum of 45 days to ensure that the samples can be considered to
come from a single population. Sampling will take place in August
and September to take into account both biological and logistical
considerations:
© Headwater streams ore accessible during
these months.
Lower stream flows will minimize dilution of
metals to help ensure that high concentra-
tions will be sampled. Lower flows will also
maximize the effectiveness ofelec-
troshocking.
Macro/nvertebrate populations should be
large enough to facilitate identification.
August and September will be an appropri-
ate time for measuring physical habitat char-
acteristics of the stream and riparian zones.
Data analysis and reporting The investigators will evaluate sev-
eral methods for data analysis and reporting, including multivariate
statistics and multimetric measures. The methods selected must
be able to effectively distinguish between reference sites and test
sites. Geographic information system (CIS) technology will be
used for data analysis and presentation.
i 'uJifT' r ' *"*,r [
Phil Johnson
Water Quality Division
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
999 18th Street
Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202
(303)293-1581
58
REGION VIII
-------
REGION IX
Assessing Aquatic Ecosystems In
A Highly Modified, Agriculturally
Influenced Environment:
California's Central Valley
alifornia's Central Valley, which comprises more than
If 48.000 miles of surface water and 16 percent of the land
area of California, is one of the nation's most productive
, agricultural areas. EPA and the state of California are
concerned, however, that agricultural practices might be
jeopardizing the nealth of wildlife and the quality of
aquatic ecosystems throughout the Central Valley. The Central Val-
ley contains ecologically critical and highly impaired habitat for
both aquatic and terrestrial resources. As a result of pesticide runoff,
resident fish populations such as striped bass, chinook salmon, and
delta smelt have experienced sharp declines in the last decade, and
some are now listed as threatened or endangered species. Many
wildlife deaths and deformities have been linked to selenium that is
dissolved from soil by irrigation and enters surface water. In addition,
many bird populations are in a steep decline due to the lack of high-
quality wintering habitat.
Pacific
Ocean
Study area(s)
STUDY AREA
Previous studies focusing on the Sierra foothill streams and the San
Francisco Bay Delta have indicated that human-related activities,
such as contamination by agricultural wastes, have contributed to the
decline in environmental conditions for aquatic life. However, the
aquatic biological communities in the waters of the Central Valley
have not been comprehensively evaluated. The Region IX R-EMAP
project seeks to assess the current condition of aquatic resources in
the Central Valley, focusing on constructed agricultural drains
(ditches) and natural waterbodies affected by agricultural manage-
ment practices. The geographic target area of the project is the
whole watershed of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley, approxi-
mately 24,000 square miles.
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
-------
The objectives of the Region IX
R-EMAP study are to:
® Assess the current biotic condition of sur-
face waterbodies in the Centra/ Valley.
® Establish baseline conditions for different wa-
terbody types in the Centra/ Valley.
* Correlate R-EMAP data with other data col-
lected by the California Regional Water
Quality Control Board (such as biotoxidty
monitoring).
® Modify existing indices to allow better as-
sessment of the current biotic condition of
surface waters in the Central Valley.
® Demonstrate to the Region and states the
usefulness ofEMAP indicators and sampling
design for various environmental programs.
« Use the results of the study to develop scien-
tifically supported enw'ronmenta/ quality
standards to measure the health of ecosys-
tems.
® Assist other states and Regions wrth the de-
velopment of meaningful, realistic water
quality standards for agricultural drains.
The Region IX R-EMAP project will be jointly managed by staff
from the EPA Region IX Environmental Services Branch and
Water Management Division. California's Department of Fish and
Game will be responsible for most of the data collection and taxo-
nomic work.
The Region IX R-EMAP project will assess
the biotic integrity of agriculture-dominated
waterbodies in the Central Valley. Some drains are thought to pro-
vide extremely important habitat, supporting biota where the origi-
nal habitat has been highly modified or destroyed. Even before the
concentrations of agricultural chemicals reach toxic levels, sensitive
species may disappear and native biotic diversity may decrease. To
assess the health of aquatic communities, the Region IX R-EMAP
project will categorize these waterbodies based on:
& Certain physical features, such as mileage,
stream order, and waterbody type.
v Habitat condition, using physical indicators
and basic water chemistry indicators.
'» Biological indices offish and mocro/nver-
tebrate ossemfa/oges.
This will allow the investigators to assess the overall health of the
resources and the biological condition of each waterbody. Depending
on the results, the sampled waterbodies may be re-categorized ac-
cording to additional critical features.
Fish populations such as the
chinook salmon have experi-
enced sharp declines in the
last decade as a result of pes-
ticide runoff.
JOE VAN OS. THE IMAGE BANK
60
REGION IX
-------
To accomplish the project objec-
tives, the investigators will under-
take the following activities:
® Conduct biological and chemical sampling
and field assessment of the physical integ-
rity of drains, sloughs (marshy areas),
streams, and wetlands in the Sacra-
mento/San Joaquin Valley.
• Design baseline biological monitoring to pro-
vide information on the biological health of
the waters, including species diversity and
populations ofmacroinvertebrates.
Water and sediment chemistry monitoring
will provide baseline data and identify the
magnitude of the problem for chemicals of
concern.
© Identify waters potentially at risk from cur-
rent or future water diversions by assessing
streams, rivers, sloughs, and wetlands im-
paired by lack ofinstream flows.
© Make the data generated through these ac-
tivities available to other interested agencies.
Table 9-1 shows the schedule and milestones for the Region IX
R-EMAP project.
Table 9-1
MILESTONES
AND SCHEDULE Iyyz Iyyi
Complete planning Oct. - Dec.
Implement the hexagon frame January
Classify and select waterbodies Feb. - March
Pilot/logistics/site access April - June
Train field crew June
Conduct field sampling activities July - Sept.
Complete assessment of data Oct. -Nov.
Complete interim report December
Complete field activity report January
Select waterbodies for Year 2 February
Conduct field sampling activities March - May
Complete assessment of data June - Aug.
Begin field activity report August
Complete final report September
REGION IX 61
-------
Sampling Design
The Region IX R-EMAP project will focus
exclusively on California's Central Valley.
The monitoring network will be established by overlaying the na-
9
tional EMAP 12,600 40-km hexagon frame over the California Cen-
tral Valley. Figure 9-1 illustrates this for an example watershed, the
Middle San Joaquin. (Agricultural drains are shown as dotted lines.)
The investigators will then randomly select sampling sites within the
hexagons for field monitoring. These sites will be selected to repre-
sent all classes of waterbodies highly affected by agricultural land
use. During the first year, the investigators will select and sample ap-
proximately 80 sites in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley. An addi-
tional 10 to 20 sites will be selected and sampled to reflect
representative agricultural waters throughout the Valley. At each site,
measurements will include fish and macroinvertebrate collections,
physical habitat assessments, and basic water chemistry analyses.
(Macroinvertebrates will be collected using a standard D-frame dip
net; fish will be collected using electrofishing equipment.)
In the project's second year, the field crew will revisit the same sites,
one-half during the same index (sampling) period and one-half dur-
ing a different index period. The researchers will evaluate how the
measurements vary between seasons and how the target communi-
ties vary between the two sampling years.
Indicators
The Region IX R-EMAP project will use fish and macroinvertebrate
assemblages as indicators of response to environmental strcssors.
The study will assess these organisms (number, species, length and
weight, and presence of external abnormalities) to determine if they
have been affected by chemical, physical, or biological changes in
their habitats. The response indicators used in this study will not di-
rectly identify the causes of problems originating from certain land-
use practices. Rather, they will allow investigators to determine asso-
ciations between measured indicators and potential stressors. Sub-
sequent studies could investigate further to determine the probable
causes of impacts such as contamination from agricultural pesti-
cides, habitat alterations, and nutrient loadings.
62
REGION IX
-------
Figure 9-1
MONITORING NETWORK FOR THE MIDDLE SAN JOAQUIN
o
REGION JX
63
-------
Two nationally recognized indices of biotic integrity, the Rapid Bio-
assessment Protocol and the Index of Biotic Integrity, were devel-
oped using very different streams and communities than those in
the Central Valley. This project will determine what modifications to
these indices are needed to accurately assess the current condition
of aquatic biota in the Central Valley.
The study will use the habitat parameters listed in Table 9-2 (for non-
tidal coastal plain streams) and Table 9-3 (for reaches where glides
and pools are prevalent). Water chemistry indicators will include
temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, and flow.
Agricultural practices might
be jeopardizing the heaKh of
wildlife and the quality of
aquatic ecosystems in CaRfor-
nia's Central Valley.
Table 9-2
HABITAT PARAMETERS FOR
NONTIDAL COASTAL PLAIN
STREAM ASSESSMENT
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
INSTREAM MEASUREMENTS
STREAMBANK MEASUREMENTS
RIPARIAN ZONE MEASUREMENTS
Channel modification
Instream habitat
Pool variety
Bank stability
Bank vegetative type
Dominant vegetation
Shading
Riparian vegetative
zone width
Tob/e 9-3
HABITAT PARAMETERS FOR
REACHES WHERE GLIDES AND
POOLS ARE PREVALENT
Bottom substrate/instream cover
Pool substrate characterization
Pool variability
Canopy cover (shading)
Channel alteration
Deposition
Channel sinuosity
Lower bank channel capacity
Upper bank stability
Bank vegetative protection
Grazing or other
disruptive pressure
Streamside cover
Riparian vegetative zone
width (least buffered side)
64
REGION IX
-------
Hypotheses
The Region IX R-EMAP project will test the following hypotheses:
«* Biotic integrity indices based on fish and
macroinvertebrate assemblage data can dis-
tinguish satisfactory from unsatisfactory con-
ditions of aquatic ecosystems in the Centra/
Valley.
6 The current conditions of aquatic biota in
the Central Valley, as measured by these b'h
otic indices, show little variation among the
waterbodies sampled.
© Multivariate analysis of the data will de-
lineate subregional groupings of the selected
waterbodies.
@ Biotic conditions, as measured by biotic indi-
ces, will differ significantly between agricul-
tural drainage ditches and supply canals.
© Conditions of the fish and mocroinverte-
brotes differ according to the following fac-
tors:
© Whether the waterbody dries up after
the irrigation season.
© Whether the waterbody is on agricul-
tural return ditch or supply canal.
® Whether the water source is in the Sac-
ramento-San Joaquin River Valley delta
or the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The results of this study will help states with irrigated agriculture to
assess their agriculture-dominated waterbodies and develop mean-
ingful, realistic water quality standards for agricultural drains. The
study will also help meet the need for scientifically supported envi-
ronmental quality standards to measure the health of these ecosys-
tems.
REGION IX
65
-------
Gary Wolinsky
Water Management Division
Reg/on IX
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
Mail Code W3-1
75 Hawthorne Street
Son Francisco, CA 94705
(415) 744-2015
66 REGION IX
-------
REGION X
BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF
WADABLE STREAMS IN THE
COAST RANGE ECOREGION
AND THE YAKIMA RIVER BASIN
any rivers and streams in the Pacific Northwest
cannot support beneficial uses, such as salmonid
spawning and cold water biota, because of silta-
tion and other forms of pollution. The problems
observed in these streams include elevated tem-
peratures. high fecal coliform and nutrient levels,
and altered habitat and stream flow. The primary causes of these
problems are nonpoint source pollution and physical distur-
bances to riparian vegetation and stream banks from adjacent agri-
cultural, forestry, and grazing land uses. The Region X R-EMAP
project will characterize the extent and severity of these environ-
mental disturbances to the streams in two areas of the Region: the
Coast Range Ecoregion and the Yakima River Basin.
Study area(s)
STUDY AREA
In 1990, Region X established the Biological Assessment Work-
group, consisting of representatives from EPA Headquarters, Re-
gion X, and the Office of Research and Development; the U.S.
Forest Service; the U.S. Geological Survey: the U.S. Bureau of Land
Management; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation
Service; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the states of Washing-
ton, Oregon, and Idaho; and several universities in the Region. The
Workgroup was convened to address the identification and monitor-
ing of water resource problems in the Region.
Words defined in the glossary (page 75) are in
bold type the first time they appear in this section.
67
-------
Oregon Deportment of Envi-
ronmental Quality conducting
macroinvertebrate sampling.
As part of this effort, the states identified their top geographic priori-
ties for future biological assessments of stream ecosystems
Among these priorities were the Coast Range Ecoregion and the
Yakima River Basin (Columbia Basin Ecoregion). The Coast Range
represents a forested ecosystem, while the Yakima River Basin is in
an area used for agriculture, grazing, and forest harvest. These two
ecosystems are the focus of the Region X R-EMAP project.
The goals of the Region X project
are to:
Evaluate the usefulness of applying EMAP
indicators and sampling design to Regional
and statewide water and other environ-
mental programs.
Assist states in building consistent and accu-
rate programs for biological assessments of
stream ecosystems.
Provide the states and Regions with tools
for evaluating the success ofnonpoint
source programs, particularly those address-
ing agriculture, forestry, and grazing.
Assist the states in developing biological
criteria for water quality programs.
The questions to be addressed re-
garding the condition of the Coast
Range Ecoregion and the Yakima
River Basin include:
9 What is the status of randomly selected
small wadable streams (streams in which
sampling can be performed by wading into
the water) in the Coast Range Ecoregion
and the Yakima River Basin?
9 How does the status of these randomly se-
lected streams compare to that of refer-
ence sites, selected to represent the least
affected stream condition?
9 Is there a direct association between the
status of the streams in the study area and
the surrounding land uses and land cover?
68
REGION X
-------
The answers to these questions will help the Region and the states
focus on priority watersheds and evaluate the effectiveness of pro-
grams addressing nonpoint source pollution and habitat alteration
(such as best management practices, public education, and res-
toration).
The Region X R-EMAP project is a joint effort by the Region X En-
vironmental Services Division, EPA's Office of Research and Devel-
opment, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the Oregon
Department of Environmental Quality.
Figure fO-t
PROPOSED SAMPLING SITES
Coast
Range Ecoregion
Yakima River Basin
R-EMAP Sites
REGION X 69
-------
, r,It n TMno ^° con(^uct biological assessments of wad-
1 1 V 1 I 1 LO able streamSj the Region X project will sam-
ple randomly selected streams in the Coast Range Ecoregion and
the Yakima River Basin. Field measurements will be taken to charac-
terize macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages, physical habi-
tat, and physical and chemical water parameters. Sampling will take
place from July to October in both 1994 and 1995.
Table 10-1 lists the project milestones and schedule.
Table 10-1
'»" "»< "»S '»»*
Quality assurance/quality control plan ............ April
Site selection using EMAP grid ....... - ....... June
Cooperative agreements final .............. August
Compile existing landscape information ........... September
Region X Environmental Services Division (ESD) pilot to en-
sure state method comparability ............. October
Region X ESD pilot data compilation and reporting ...... December
Site reconnaissance and access approvals .......... December
Method refinement and adjustment after pilot ................. March
Year I chemical, physical, and biological sampling ................ October
Method refinement and adjustment after Year I ......................... February
Year 2 site selection using EMAP grid ............................. March
Year I data compilation and reporting ............................. May
Year I interim report to EPA from states ............................. May
Site reconnaissance and access approvals .................... . . . ..... June
Year I final report .................................. September
Year 2 chemical, physical, and biological sampling ......................... October
Year 2 data compilation and reporting .................................... February
Year 2 interim report to EPA from states ..................................... May
Final report of entire project ........................................ August
70 REGION X
-------
,T/-,| T\|T/~\ » T To randomly select sampling sites, Region X
1 EA_ 1 1 iM ILAL wjll use the EMAP-Surface Waters protocols
APPROACH developed for the EMAP mid-Appalachian
pilot study. In the first year of the project the Washington Depart-
ment of Ecology will sample approximately 20 randomly selected
streams in the Yakima River Basin (Figure 10-1). In addition, at least
60 streams in the Coast Range Ecoregion will be randomly selected
and sampled by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
and the Washington Department of Ecology. Any additional sam-
pling sites will be chosen based on the needs of state and Regional
management All the streams sampled will be small wadable
streams. The same sampling strategy will be followed in the second
year of the project.
Macroinvertebrate Assemblages
To collect representative samples of macroinvertebrates from the
study streams, the field crew will randomly select four 0.18-square-
meter (2-square-foot) areas at each riffle site. The field crew will
take four "kick samples" at these locations by disturbing a 30- to 60-
centimeter area of the stream bottom with the feet and collecting the
sample with a D-frame, fine-mesh net. They will then combine the
four samples to compose a single macroinvertebrate sample for
each riffle site. The laboratory will identify, count, and measure the
macroinvertebrates present in each sample. The investigators will
consider refinements to the macroinvertebrate sampling method.
based on the results of the EMAP Surface Water Pilot Study con-
ducted in Oregon in summer 1993.
Fish Assemblages
The field crew will collect fish using electrofishing equipment.
The fish will be identified, counted, and measured, and then returned
to the stream. Field measurements will be taken in a randomly se-
lected portion of the stream, a minimum of 100 meters to a maxi-
mum of 300 meters in length, depending on stream size.
REGION X
71
-------
Physical Habitat
At each site, field workers will measure 11 parameters pertaining to
the physical habitat of the stream (Table 10-2). An additional pa-
rameter, successional stage (type of plant communities present), will
be measured at forested sites. Both a qualitative and a quantitative
approach will be used to assess the parameters. The quantitative
measurements allow the investigators to compare the habitat quality
across the sampling sites. The qualitative information provides sup-
plemental information useful for characterizing the sites. The inves-
tigators will consider additions to or refinements of the existing
habitat parameters based on the outcome of the EMAP Surface
Water Pilot Study conducted in Oregon.
Tob/e 10-2
PARAMETERS AND MEASUREMENT APPROACHES
FOR ASSESSING PHYSICAL HABITAT
Parameter
Channel shape and landmarks
Vegetative patterns
Flow direction
Riffles and pools
Residual pool depth
Macroinvertebrate
sampling areas
Urge woody debris
Erosion and deposition
Canopy closure
Substrate embeddedness
Solar energy input
Explanation
Physical layout and characteristics of the stream
Type and density of the surrounding vegetation
Direction of stream flow
Occurrence and characteristics of riffles and pools
Depth and characteristics of residual pools.
Pool depth can be affected by surrounding land uses
and will be measured as an indicator of fish habitat
Depth and characteristics of the
macroinvertebrate sampling areas
Amount, size, and characteristics of the large woody debris (single
logs, log jams, stumps, root wads, and beaver dams) along the
stream bank at the seasonal high water level
Severity and characteristics of erosion and deposition areas
Sky area containing vegetation
Measure of how deep boulders and cobbles are embedded
into the fine sediment of the stream bottom
Direct stream insolation
Qualitative
Approach
Quantitative
Approach
72
REGION X
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Physical and Chemical Water Quality Parameters
For each sampling area, several physical and chemical water quality
parameters (listed in Table 10-3) will be measured. The field crew
will record data on conductivity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen,
high water mark, stream flow, and stream gradient. Each state labo-
ratory will analyze the remaining parameters. The states will use
comparable sampling and analysis protocols and quality assur-
ance/quality control procedures to ensure consistency.
Oregon Deportment of Envi-
ronmental Quality staff sub-
sampling mocroinvertebrates.
Table 10-3
WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS
TO BE MEASURED
Temperature
Dissolved oxygen
Conductivity
pH
High water mark
Stream flow
Stream gradient
Alkalinity (as CaCO])
Ammonia (as nitrogen)
Biochemical oxygen demand
Orthophosphate (as phosphorus)
Nitrate and nitrite (as nitrogen)
Total suspended solids
Turbidity
REGION X
73
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Gretchen Hayslip
Environmental Services Division
Region X
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
1200 Sixth Avenue, ES-097
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 553-1685
74 REGION X
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Anion
Assemblage
GLOSSARY
An ion (atom or group of atoms) with a negative electrical charge,
such as nitrate or chlorine.
A group of organisms sharing a microhabitat.
Benthic/Benthos Relating to or occurring in or on the bottom layer of a body of water.
Benthic
macroinverte-
brates
Best manage-
ment practices
(BMPs)
Bias
Bioassay
Bioaccumulation
Biocriteria
Organisms such as marine worms, sea cucumbers, crustaceans.
clams, and roundworms; commonly used as indicators due to their
direct interaction with sediments and their sensitivity to organic en-
richment and chemical contamination.
A management activity or engineered structure, or combination of
these, that eliminates or reduces an adverse environmental effect of
a pollutant. Examples of BMPs include minimal pesticide applica-
tion, careful monitoring of hazardous material storage, and erosion
and sedimentation controls.
In statistics, the systematic error or persistent distortion of a meas-
urement process which deprives the result of representativeness
(that is, the expected sample measurement is different than the sam-
ple's true value).
A laboratory or field test in which living organisms are used to detect
the presence of or test the effect of a particular substance, factor, or
condition.
Increased concentration of a substance in living organisms as they
take in contaminated air, water, or food; the concentration increases
because the substance is very slowly metabolized or excreted.
Threshold levels or guidelines that describe the desired biological in-
tegrity of aquatic communities of surface waters.
Biomagnification The process by which certain pollutants become increasingly con-
centrated in living organisms as the pollutants are passed up the food
chain.
GLOSSARY
-------
Biomarker
Biomass
Biota
Biotic
Cation
Conductivity
Correlation
Cyprinid
Ecological risk
assessment
Ecoregions
Ecosystem
Electrofishing
(electroshock-
Embeddedness
Biochemical, physiological, or histological (relating to the micro-
scopic structure of tissues) indicators of either exposure to or ef-
fects of xenobiotic chemicals (chemicals that do not occur naturally
in the environment) at the organism or suborganismal level.
All of the living material in a given area; often refers to vegetation.
The animal and plant life of a given region.
Of or pertaining to living organisms.
An ion (atom or group of atoms) with a positive electrical charge,
such as sodium or calcium.
Ability to carry heat or electricity.
A valid statistical association between two variables; correlation
does not in itself imply a causal relationship.
Any of the carp family or a related family.
A process that evaluates the likelihood that adverse ecological ef-
fects may occur or are occurring as a result of one or more stres-
sors.
Regions of relative homogeneity in ecological systems or in relation-
ships between organisms and their environment. Scientists have di-
vided the United States into 78 ecoregions by interpreting regional
patterns in land-surface form, soil, potential natural vegetation, and
land use.
The interacting system of a biological community and its non-living
environmental surroundings.
A fish collection method that uses a device to stun fish with an elec-
tric current.
The degree to which boulders, rubble, or gravel are surrounded by
fine sediment. Indicates the suitability of the stream substrate as
habitat for benthic macroinvertebrates and for fish spawning
and egg incubation.
76
GLOSSARY
-------
Estuary
Eutrophication
Evapotranspi ra-
tion
Fishery
Fluvial
geomorphology
Geographic
information
systems (CIS)
Glide
Habitat
Headwater
Hydrology
Hypothesis
Index (Indices)
Index period
Indicator
A region of interaction between a river and nearshore ocean waters.
where tidal action and river flow mix fresh and salt water. Such ar-
eas include bays, mouths of rivers, salt marshes, and lagoons. These
brackish water ecosystems shelter and feed marine life, birds, and
wildlife.
A condition in which an overload of microbial activity causes de-
pleted-oxygen conditions.
The loss of water from soil both by evaporation and by loss of water
vapor from plants growing in the soil.
A permanent body of water with sufficient volume or flow charac-
teristics to sustain a group of fish on a perennial basis.
The shape and topographic features of rivers and streams.
A collection of computer hardware, software, and geographic data
designed to capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display
geographically referenced data.
A calm stretch of shallow, smoothly flowing water.
The place where a population (e.g., human, animal, plant, microor-
ganism) lives and its surroundings, both living and non-living.
The upper tributary of a river or stream.
The study of surface and subsurface water.
A proposition set forth as an explanation for the occurrence of some
specified group of phenomena In hypothesis testing, the statement is
either proven or disproven by new evidence gathered in a study.
A mathematical aggregation of indicators or metrics.
The period of the year when measurement of an indicator yields
meaningful information.
A characteristic of the environment, either biotic or abiotic, that can
provide quantitative information on the condition of ecological re-
sources.
GLOSSARY
77
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Insolation
Intolerant
species
Lipids
Littoral
Metrics
Macroinverte-
brates
Morphology
Multimedia
Multimetric
Multivariate
Necrosis
Nonpoint
source pollution
Oligotrophic
Omnivore
Operculum
Periphyton
The radiation from the sun received by a surface.
A species that is sensitive to pollution.
Any of the group of organic compounds consisting of the fats and
other substances with similar properties.
Of or pertaining to a shore.
Numerical values that represent species composition or other quan-
titative community parameters.
See benthic macroiiwertebrates.
Form and structure.
Pertaining to more than one environmental medium (air, soil, water).
Pertaining to more than one metric.
In statistics, having more than one variable.
Death or decay of tissue.
Contamination that is diffuse and does not have a single point of ori-
gin or is not introduced into the environment from a specific outlet.
Pollutants are generally carried off the land by stormwater runoff.
Nonpoint sources can include agriculture, forestry, mining, urban
sources, construction, dams and channels, land disposal, and salt-
water intrusion.
Low in nutrients and microbial activity.
An organism that feeds relatively equally on plants and animals.
The bony covering protecting the gills of fishes.
Organisms that live attached to underwater surfaces.
Physiographical Pertaining to physical geography.
78
GLOSSARY
-------
Pilot study
Piscivores
Point source
Population
Predator
Preopercle
Probability
Probability
sample
Quality assur-
ance/quality con-
trol (QA/QC)
Randomization
A research activity that requires field work to meet a stated quality
objective. Pilot studies do not provide preliminary estimation of re-
source condition, but are used to evaluate indicators, sampling
strategy, methods, and logistics.
Organisms (such as many aquatic birds) that feed or subsist on fish.
A stationary location or fixed facility from which pollutants are dis-
charged or emitted, any single identifiable source of pollution, such
as a pipe or smokestack.
In statistics and sampling design, the total universe addressed in a
sampling effort (e.g., all lakes of a certain size within the study area);
an assemblage of units of a particular resource or any subset of ex-
tensive resources about which inferences are desired or made. In bi-
ology, a group of interbreeding organisms occupying a particular
space.
A species that preys on other species, usually for food.
The foremost opcrcular bone.
The likelihood of occurrence of a specific event. EMAP uses prob-
ability-based sampling of explicitly defined ecological resource popu-
lations. This enables resources to be sampled in proportion to their
occurrence, providing, with known confidence, statistical estimates
of status, extent, changes, and trends.
A sample chosen in such a manner that the probabilities of including
the selected units in the sample are known, and all entities that make
up a target population have an equal probability of selection.
A system of procedures, checks, audits, and corrective actions to en-
sure that all research design and performance, environmental moni-
toring and sampling, and other technical and reporting activities are
of known and highest achievable quality.
The process of imposing an element of chance on the selection of a
sample.
GLOSSARY
79
-------
Reference
condition
Reference site
Regression
Remote sensing
Riffle
Riparian
Sediment
Seining
Siltation
Stratification
Stream reach
Stressor
The set of attributes of ecological resources that assist in identifying
where a portion of the resource population is located along a
continuum from the worst possible condition to the best possible
condition, given the prevailing topography, soil, geology, potential
vegetation, and general land use of the region.
One of a population of benchmark or control sampling locations
that, taken collectively, represent an ecoregion or other large bio-
geographic area; the sites, as a whole, represent the best ecological
conditions that can be reasonably attained, given the prevailing to-
pography, soil, geology, potential vegetation, and general land use of
the region.
In statistics, techniques that describe the relationship between two
or more sets of measurements and use data from one or more sets
to predict, or estimate, another set of data
The collection and interpretation of information about an object
without physical contact with the object (for example, satellite imag-
ing and aerial photography).
A section of stream channel characterized at low flow by fast, shal-
low flow.
Situated on the banks of a river.
Solid particles that settle to the bottom of a body of water.
Using a large net to catch fish: the net is buoyed along the top and
weighted along the bottom so as to float perpendicularly.
The process by which earthen materials composed of fine particles
become suspended in or deposited by water.
The division of a target population into subsets or strata which are
internally more homogeneous with respect to the characteristic to be
studied than the population as a whole.
The straight course of a stream between two bends.
Any physical, chemical, or biological entity that can induce an ad-
verse response.
80
GLOSSARY
-------
Substrate Underlying material: in a river or stream, substrate materials may in-
clude rock, gravel, tree roots, and submerged or emergent vegetation.
Trophic Classification of taxa within a community that is based on feeding re-
a ve lationships (if aquatic and terrestrial green plants constitute the first
trophic level, the herbivores feeding on them constitute the second
trophic level).
Water column The depth of water in any waterbody measured from the surface to
the bottom sediments.
GLOSSARY 81
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FOIFI MQiRE lii^PQRiMiATlOW ABOUT
SMViRlOMME^TAL
ASSESSMENT PROGPIAMS CONTACT;
s R/ck Unthurst, Act/ng Director
EMAP Research and Assessment Center
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
(919)541-4909
82
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