United Slates Office of Wetlands, EPA 841-N-93-012 Environmental Protection Oceans and Watersheds September 1993 Agency wEPA The Water Monitor Regional and State AcnvrnES Regional Coordinators Monitoring, 305(b), Volunteer Monitoring: Diane Switzer (617) 860-4377 Waterbody System: Tim Bridges (617) 860-4603 303(d): David Pincumbe (617) 565-3544 Nonpoint Source: Bob Moorehouse (617) 565-3513 Clean Lakes: Warren Howard (617) 565-3515 VERMONT: Lake Iroquois Watershed Project: The Lake Iroquois Watershed Project, which is designed to improve lake water quality from the perspective of the lake's entire watershed, is well underway. The goals of the project are to reduce and control phosphorus pollution and to prevent new sources of pollution. The project focuses on pollution control through erosion control. A 1984 study investigating the cause of nuisance algae and plant growth indicated that the runoff of sediments from numerous small erosion sites throughout the watershed contributed to the accumulation of phosphorus in the lake. No What's Inside ... On the Bookshelf. p. 4 Headquarters Activities p. 7 Calendar Highlights p. 8 Order and Comment Form p. 11 single construction project or land use in the water- shed was identified as being a more significant source of phosphorus than the rest. The first phase of the project involved a survey of properties to identify erosion problems. Participation in the survey phase was voluntary, and only the properties of interested landowners were surveyed. Site- specific control measures are being developed and implemented in the second phase. For more information, contact the Vermont Depart- ment of Environmental Conservation, Water Quality Division, Lakes and Ponds Unit, 103 E. Main Street, 10 North, Waterbury, VT 05671-0408; (802) 244-5638. Regional Coordinators Monitoring: Randy Braun (908) 321-6692 305(b), Waterbody System: Xuan-Mai Tran (212)264-3188 Volunteer Monitoring: Regina Harrison (908) 321-6807 303(d): Rosella O'Connor (212) 264-8479 Nonpoint Source: Mack Henning (212) 264-2059 Clean Lakes: Terry Faber (212) 264-8708 REGIONAL OFFICE: Stream Bioassessments in New Jersey: During the summer of 1993, Environ- mental Services Division personnel conducted approximately 40 bioassessments on streams located in northern and central New Jersey. Benthic macroinvertebrate and fish communities were evaluated using Rapid Bioassessmcnt Protocols and the index of biological integrity (IB1). The bioassessments were conducted for routine water Region 1 Maine New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts Connecticut Rhode Island m®.vi New York New Jersey Puerto Rico Virgin Islands ------- Delaware Pennsylvania Maryland Virginia West Virginia quality monitoring purposes. in addition, fish conunu- nity data will be used to further refine an IBI proposed for use on New Jersey streams. For more information, contact Randy Braun at (908) 321-6692. Regional Coordinators Monitoring, Volunteer Monitoring: Chuck Kanetsky (215) 597-8176 305(b), Waterbody System: Margaret Passmore (215) 597-6149 303(d): Thomas Henry (215) 597-8243 Nonpoint Source, Clean Lakes: Hank Zygmunt (‘215 ) 597-3429 DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION: Watershed Management for the Delaware Scenic and Recreational River: The ationa! Park Service recently approved a grant for the integration of Water Quality Models and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Special Protection Waters. The grant was made to the Computer Graphics Center, North Carolina State University. In December 1992, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) adopted a stringent anti- degradation program that set the goal of no measur- able change in existing water quality except toward natural conditions, as statistically defined for waters classified as Special Protection Waters. Waters included under this antidegradation policy were within the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River corridor and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, as well as the waters within the 8-mile reach separating them. The antidegradation program includes policies and regulations addressing both point and nonpoint pollu- tion sources. The point source regulations were adopted in December 1993; the nonpoint source hearings were held in June 1993. Action on the nonpoint source controls is expected in the fall of 1993. The N.C. State project is essential if uniform imple- mentation procedures for point and nonpoint source controls are to be developed. The project will be conducted in three phases. Phase 1 will include selecting a water quality model appropriate for simulating watersheds in the Special Protection Waters area and specifying the GIS data layers necessary to run the model(s). Phase 2 will establish the linkage between the watershed model(s) and the GIS. The third phase will involve developing procedures for ranking watersheds and an iniplemen- tation plan. For more information, contact Richard C. Albert, DRBC, at (609) 883-9500, Ext. 256. North Carolina Kentucky South Carolina Tennesee Georgia Alabama Mississippi Florida Monitoring, 305(b), Wateibody System: Larinda Tervelt (404) 347-2126 303(d): Jim Greenfield (404) 347-2126 Volunteer Monitoring: Virginia Buff (404) 347-2126 and Connie Alexander (404)347-1740 Non point Source: Manj Ann Gerber (404) 347-2126 Clean Lakes: Howard Marshall (404) 347-2126 Region 4 Regional Coordinators Region 3 World Bank Sponsors Water Quality Conference Jim Greenfield, Region 4 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Coordinator, was invited by the World Bank to make a water quality presenta- tion at the Belarus Environmental Strategy Con- ference held on September 6-10, 1993, in Minsk, Belarus. He discussed water quality manage- ment, monitoring, and information, with em- phasis on the water quality modeling work completed during his earlier fact-finding trip to Belarus in October/November 1992. Both trips were sponsored by the World Bank. For more information, contact Jim Greenfield at (404) 347-2126. 2 ------- Indiana Illinois Michigan Minnesota Ohio Wisconsin Regional Coordinators Monitoring, 305(b): Donna VvYlliams (312) 353-6175 303(d): Robert Pepin (312)886-1505 Waterbody System: Fouad Dababneh (312) 353-3944 Volunteer Monitoiing: Donna Williams (312) 353-6175 and Tom Davenport (312) 886-0209 Nonpoint Source, Clean Lakes: Tom Davenport (3 12) 886-0209 MINNESOTA: Mississippi Headwaters River Watch Project: The Mississippi Headwaters River Watch Project (MHRWP) is a volunteer program monitoring the water quality of the Mississippi River from the headwaters at Lake Itasca to Little Falls. The MHRWP has estab- lished 35 sampling sites within this 400-mile stretch of the Mississippi River, with 10 commu- nities or individual organizations performing the monitoring. The MHRWP has recently published its 1992-1993 Water Quality Report which covers eight sampling events during the open water season from July 1992 to June 1993. The MHRWP monitors nine chemical indicators of water quality: temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, carbonaceous bio- chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, nitrate-nitrogen, and fecal coliform. In addition, several communities participating in the MHRWP also conduct semiannual surveys of benthic macroinvertebrates which provide assessments of the biological integrity of the river, For the purposes of the MHRWP’s 1992-1993 Water Quality Report, the study area was sepa- rated into four general regions based on physical characteristics, vegetation, and adjacent land uses. The four regions were the Headwaters Region, from Lake Itasca to the Bemidji area; the North Central Region, from Lake Winnibigoshish to the Grand Rapids area; the Central Region, from Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Grand Rapids to Brainerd; and the Southern Region, from Brainerd to Little Falls. This report summarizes water quality in each region, with results reported as averages for each participating organization. Data are also submitted to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for inclusion in the STORET data system. Reports on specific site data are available by calling Steve Dittman, MHRWP Coordinator, at (218) 547-3300 ext. 263. OHIO: Ohio EPA Reorganization: Effective August 16, 1993, the Ohio Environmental Protec- tion Agency’s Division of Water Pollution Control and Division of Water Quality Planning and Assessment merged to form a new Division of Surface Water. The new Division’s Acting Chief, Gary L. Martin, can be reached at (614) 644-2856. Regional Coordinators Monitoring: Charlie Howell (214) 655-8354 303(d): Mimi Dannel (214) 655-6642 305(b): Russell Nelson (214) 655-6646 Waterbody System: Paul Koska (214) 655-8357 Volunteer Monitoring: Mike Bira (214) 655-6668 and Paul Koska (214) 655-8357 Nonpoint Source: Brad Lamb (214) 655-7140 Clean Lakes: Mike Bira (214) 655-6668 REGIONAL OFFICE: Stream Habitat Assess- ment Slides: The Regional Environmental Services Division is compiling sets of 35 mm slides that depict ranges of stream habitat conditions in the ecoregions of Region 6. The slides will be used during Regional workshops and will provide a reference for investigator “calibration.” The slide sets will also be made available for general use and duplication. For more information on the slide collection or to contribute slides, contact Charlie Howell at (214) 656-8354. Region 6 Region 5 3 ------- Region 7 Iowa Nebraska Kansas ..::..: Missouri Regional Coordinators Monitoring: Jerry Anderson (913) 551-5066 305(b), 303(d): John Houlihan (913) 551-7432 Waterbody System: Jerome Pitt (913)551-7766 Volunteer Monitoring: Jerome Pitt (913) 551-7766 and Donna Sefton (913) 551-7500 Nonpoint Source: Julie E/Mng (913) 551-7475 Clean Lakes: Larry Sheridan (913) 551-7439 REGIONAL OFFICE: Monitoring Flood Areas in Missouri: The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) requested assistance from EPA Region 7 to determine the ongoing impact on water quality of major flooded waterways and their I 4 significant tributaries. As a result of the MDNR request. Region 7 prepared and implemented a sampling plan !br Missouri which included collect- ing 46 river samples and 7 samples each of raw water and finished drinking water at cities using surface water for their primary supply. Two rounds of sampling have been completed. Data analyses from the first round of sampling revealed low levels of common metals. Investiga- tors found some common herbicides, but all levels were less than the maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for drinking water. Of significance was finding chloroform in amounts greater than the MCL of 100 ug/l in three of the finished drinking waters. It should be noted, however, that all public water suppliers were very concerned about adequate disinfection and had adjusted chlorine dosages for greater in-line residuals. Data from second-round sampling have not been received. For more infor- mation, contact Jerry Anderson at (913) 551-5066. On the Bookshelf... Covering the Coasts. This guide is a one-stop resource tool to assist journalists and editors in informing and involving the public in shaping federal, state, and local programs needed to manage the coasts. It was developed under a grant provided by Coastal America and a diverse Technical Review Committee of government officials and other coastal experts. To obtain a copy, contact The National Safety Council Environmental Health Center at (202) 293-2270. Evaluation of the Experimental Rural Clean Water Program (EPA-841-R-93-OO5). This 559-page document presents the results of a comprehensive evaluation of the 10-year experimental Rural Clean Water Program (RCWP). The evaluation was conducted by North Carolina State University in cooperation with USDA, EPA, and the 21 RCWP projects. AWPD has distributed copies to USDA, EPA Regions, RCWP projects, state water quality agencies, and Regional and headquarters EPA libraries. To obtain a copy, send $6 to Publications, NCSU Water Quality Group, 615 Oberlin Road, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27605-1126. EPA Wetlands Fact Sheets. This series of 32 easy- to-read fact sheets is designed to provide basic information on issues surrounding wetlands, including wetlands delineation, consequences of wetlands loss, takings, state roles in wetlands protection, mitigation banking, wetlands and agriculture, partnerships with property owners, wetland planning programs, and more. For copies, contact EPA’s Wetlands Hotline at 1 -800-832-7828. Nonpoint Source News Notes. The August/September issue includes articles on the reauthorization of the Clean Water Act, Colorado’s stormwater program, Maine’s surface water ambient toxics monitoring program, and many other topics. To obtain a copy or to get on the mailing list, fax your request to FAX (202) 260-1517. ------- Monitoring, 305(b): Phil Johnson (303) 293-1581 303(d): Bruce Zander (303) 293-1580 Watethody System: Toriey Off (303) 293-1573 Volunteer Monitoring: Paul Mc!ver (303) 293-1552 and Phi/Johnson (303) 293-1573 Nonpoint Source: Carol Russell (303) 293-1449 Clean Lakes: Dave Rathke (303) 293-1703 REGIONAL OFFICE: TMDL Workshop: EPA Region 8 (Denver) and Region 7 (Kansas City) will co-host a TMDL Workshop in Denver on October 19-2 1, 1993. The Office of Science and Technology and the Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds in EPA Headquarters have worked with the Regions in putting together an agenda that covers both program management topics and technical topics. Technical highlights of the workshop will include nonpoint source and receiving water TMDL models, water quality monitoring approaches in support of TMDL development, sediment TMDLs, and case studies. Some of the highlights will include TMDL legal and policy issues, the status of TMDLs with respect to the Endangered Species Act, and the 1994 TMDL listing requirements. For additional informa- tion, call either Bruce Zander in Denver at (303) 293-1580 or Jerry Pitt in Kansas City at (913) 551-7766. Inventory of Critical Ecological Resources for the South Platte River Watershed: A cooperative project involving The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and EPA Regions 7 and 8 is planned to assess critical habitats and biodiversity in the South Platte River watershed from its source near the Continental Divide to its confluence with the North Platte River in Nebraska. This project will catalogue the occurrence of threat- ened and endangered species, candidate species, species of concern, critical habitats, and essential habitats, and will characterize overall biological diversity for the South Platte River Watershed. Information on populations of wetland, riparian, aquatic, and terrestrial species will be assembled from available information. The project will involve extensive data collection and summarization, including information from federal, state, and local agencies: universities: herbaria; and other sources. Researchers will report on known threats to the sites and will analyze them using an ecosystem approach. The resulting maps, map overlays, and report will serve as an important information resource for agency managers whose decisions may potentially affect critical ecological resources. The products developed during this project will also complement Region 8’s R-EMAP Project, current USFWS Gap Analysis efforts, and Region 7’s major watershed protection approach project, the Platte Basin Water- shed Protection Program. The project will include verification and assessment of data quality by way of on-site evaluation (ground-truthing). This project is one element of Region 8’s developing Watershed Inventory, with this information filling an important knowledge gap in the Inventory. The Regional Watershed Inventory will bring together, in one place, sufficient information to allow a struc- tured approach to geographic targeting of resource protection efforts. An additional benefit of the Inventory is that it will provide an overall assess- ment of the current condition of Regional water resources, including water quality and habitat information, and a description of the stressors that pose a threat to those water resources. For addi- tional information, contact Bill Wuerthele, EPA Region 8, at (303) 293-1586, or Donna Sefton, Region 7, at (913) 551-7500. Montana Utah Wyoming Colorado Regional Coordinators South Dakota The Water Monitor is produced monthly to exchange surface water assessment infor- mation among states and other interested parties. If you would like more information or want to be added to the mailing list, please fill out the order and comment form on page 11. 5 ------- Region 9 — Regional Coordinators Monitoring, 305(b), Waterbody System: Chris Faulkner (415) 744-2012 303(d): David Smith (415) 744-2019 Volunteer Monitoring: Clance Olson (415) 744-1489 and Chris Faulkner (415) 744-2012 Nonpoint Source: Jovita E. Pajarillo (415) 744-2011 Clean Lakes: Wendell Smith (415) 744-2018 CALIFORNIA: Restoring Urban Waters: Friends of Trashed Rivers Conference: A coali- tion of grass-roots organizations, environmental councils, societies, and private companies met in San Francisco on September 17-19, 1993, to share opportunities, successes, and visions for the future for the restoration of urban waterways. Many present day ditches, flood control channels, and culverts were natural free-flowing streams in the past, and it was the goal of the conference to explore ways by which those degraded urban waterways, and their associated communities or neighborhoods, might be restored through cooperative programs between citizens and government agencies. The conference included sessions on urban water- way restoration projects and methods; water quality restoration; river restoration as a strategy for com- munity restoration and restoration as flood control; pollution control; and watershed management. Other topics discussed were community economics, the infrastructure and employment opportunities of urban river restoration, and the role of the Conserva- tion Corps in Urban Waterway Restoration. In addition, 10 workshops gave participants the oppor- tunity to share experiences on a number of topics, including citizen water quality monitoring, water- shed inventories, and project monitoring. Highlights of the conference program included art and photo displays by grass-roots organizations, an open mike session, and a custom play commissioned by the conference. For more information, contact Ann Riley, Golden State Wildlife Federation, at (510) 848-2211. Region 10 Oregon - Idaho Alaska Regional Coordinators Monitoring, Watetbody System: Gretchen Haysli (206)553-1685 305(b): GretthenHayslio(206)553 -l685andJudithLeckrone (206)553-6911 303(d): Bruce Cleland (206)442-2600 Volunteer Monitoring: Susan Handley (206) 553-1287 and Gretchen Haysli 1 i (206)553-1685 Nonpoint Source: Elbert Moore (206) 553-4181 Clean Lakes: Judith Leckrone (206) 553-6911 California Nevada Arizona Ha wall International Conferences Focus on Wetlands and Coastal Issues Wetlands: A Transboundary Agenda Conference was held in White Rock, British Columbia, Canada, on September 24 and 25. It emphasized current wetlands issues and legislation in both British Columbia and Washington State. For additional information, contact Fred Weinman, EPA Region 10, at (206) 553-1414. The British Columbia/Washington Coastal Marine Environmental Conference will be held in Vancouver, B.C., in January 1994. It will highlight trends and conditions in water quality and biological resources in the marine border waters between British Columbia and Washington State. For more information, contact John Armstrong, EPA Region 10, at (206) 553-1368. 6 ------- Assessment and Watershed Protection Division (A WPD) Intergovernmental Task Force Products Soon Available for Public Review: The Intergovernmental Task Force on Water Quality Mon ing (ITFM) met September 9-10, 1993, continuing its lull agenda to recommend ways to improve nationwide water moni- toring. The Task Force heard comments on the recommendations in its first year report from Randy Young of the Advisory Committee on Water Data for Public Use (an advisory committee under USGS’s Water Information Coordination Program including business and industry, municipalities, states, and volunteer monitoring groups), Chuck Kanetsky of Region 3, and USGS representatives from several of the other 10 federal regions. These groups supported the ITFM recommendations in general. Mr. Young noted the importance of incentives in implementing the ITFM national strategy. He also pointed out that it will be important to choose measures by which to determine whether water management programs are achieving their goals; that the national monitoring strategy must also be applied on a water- shed basis; and that technology making water data available should be simple to allow broad public use. Mr. Kanetsky and other regional staff described the 10 regional meetings EPA and USGS held over the summer to discuss ITFM recommendations. More than 255 state and federal staff attended these initial meetings. Among the regional recommendations were: 1) continue to develop stronger regional coordination mechanisms; 2) dedicate resources to training, research, and implementation; 3) base program organization on watershed and ecoregional approaches; and 4) develop information mecha- nisms, such as a national clearinghouse for monitor- ing inlormation exchange. In addition, the ITFM circulated the following for final ITFM member review prior to release for public review: • Charters to establish a permanent ITFM successor and a Methods and Data Comparability Council under USGS’s Water Information Coordination Program, • A document setting forth a framework monitoring program, • Environmental indicator selection criteria, and • A matrix of environmental indicators to measure designated uses. The seven ITFM Task and Focus Groups are work- ing on additional products. The seven groups include institutional framework, indicators, methods, data sharing, assessment and reporting, groundwater, and a monitoring cost survey. ITFM Pilot Projects: The ITFM pilot program in Wisconsin has conducted joint summer sampling to compare the monitoring methods of the various participating organizations. ITFM pilot programs in the Columbia River Basin and Arizona are also in the planning stages. Watch future editions of The Water Monitor for additional ITFM information. Total Waters Estimates for 305(b): On September 3, 1993, AWPD distributed to the states and regions software containing the updated total waters data- base for individual state river miles and lake acres. AWPD staff developed these estimates for the 1994 305(b) reporting cycle; however, the total waters estimates provide EPA with consistent numbers that can be used in all water programs. OFFICE OF WETLANDS, OCEANS AND WATERSHEDS (OWOW): 7 ------- Calendar Highlights October Water Environment Federation 66th Annual Conference and Exposition, Anaheim, CA. Contact WEF ‘93, do Galaxy, 1888 North Market St., Frederick, MD 21705; (703) 584-2404. FAX: (703) 662-3579. 1st Annual Virgin Islands Conference on Nonpoint Source Pollution: Problems and Solutions. Contact Janice Hodge, Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Nisky Center, Suite 231, St. Thomas, VI 00802; (809) 774-3320. FAX: (809) 775-5706. 19-21 Region 7-8 TMDL Workshop, Denver, CO. Contact Bruce Zander, EPA Region 8, at (303) 293-1580, or Jerry Pitt, EPA Region 7, at (913) 551-7766. 23 Southeast Wisconsin Lake Confer- ence, West Bend, WI. Contact Dan Wilson, Washington Co. UW-Coopera- tive Extension at (414) 336-4480. Seeking an Integrated Approach to Watershed Management in the South Platte Basin, Fort Collins, CO. Contact Chuck Grand Pre, Colorado Division of Wildlife, (303) 291-7202, or Kathleen Klein, CWRRI, (303) 491-6308. The Future of America’s Rivers: A Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Arlington, VA. Contact Jennifer Paugh, JT&A, 1000 Connecti- cut Ave., NW, Suite 802, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 833-3380. FAX: (202) 466-8554. NADC Urban and Community Conserva- tion Symposium: Partnership for Livable Communities, Minneapolis, MN. Contact Debra Bogar, NADC Northeastern Region, P.O. Box 320, Leeds, MA 01053; (473) 585-8895. FAX: (413) 585-8697. 8-9 1993 Runoff Quantity and Quality Model Group Conference, Reno, NV. Contact Jill Bicknell, Conference Coordinator, Kennedy Jenks Consultants, at (415) 243-2454. 14-18 14th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology and Chemistry, Houston, TX. Contact SETAC office at (904) 469-1500. Wetlan 1 Issues Resources Development in the Ilestern U.S., Denver, CO. Contact Mark Holland, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Porter Admin. BIdg, 7308 E. 18th Ave., Denver, CO 80220; (303) 321-8100. 29- Dec 4 The 13th International Symposium of the North American Lake Management Society, “Lake Management and Diversity: Competing Values, Needs and Goals,”SeattIe, WA. Contact Bob Schroeder, NALMS, P.O. Box 101294, Denver, CO, 80250; (303) 781-8287. FAX: (303) 781-6538. 2-7 4-5 7-10 19 27-28 November 4-7 8 ------- Users of the soitware can flOW generate total waters estimates based on: • The entire state • USGS Cataloging Unit watersheds • Waterbody type (stream, lake, ditch, shoreline) • Intermittent versus perennial waters • Border waters • Ranges of lake size • Stream lengths grouped by stream order. The revised total waters estimates for 1994 represent the most accurate, consistent approach to estimating state and national total waters currently available. For a copy of the descriptive brochure or a copy of the software, call Barry Burgan at (202) 260-7060. Pennsylvania Project Approved for Section 319 Funding: AWPD, in coordination with Region 3, has approved the fifth long-term National Monitor- ing Program project for ftnding under Clean Water Act section 319. The Pennsylvania project, located in Lancaster and Chester Counties, incorporates a 6 to 10-year, paired-watershed study in the Mill Creek watershed to evaluate the effects of streambank fencing of pastures and associated riparian zones on surface water quality. Groundwa- ter monitoring will also be conducted, and planning for a nutrient management study is underway. AWPD and the Regions will soon select nine additional projects for section 319 funding. For more information, contact Steve Dressing at (202) 260-7110. CZARA Workshop Held in New Orleans: In coordination with EPA Regions 4 and 6 and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), staff in AWPD’s Nonpoint Source Control Branch conducted a workshop for the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program in New Orleans on August 3-5. This was the seventh in a series of eight workshops held to present and discuss with federal, state, and local officials both EPA and NOAA’s ‘Program Guidance” and EPA’s “Manage- ment Measures Guidance” developed pursuant to section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthoriza- tion Amendments of 1990 (CZARA). State and territory participants came from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, Texas, and the Virgin Islands. The remaining workshop is tenta- tively scheduled lhr November in San Francisco. For more inlormation, contact Steve Dressing at (202) 260-71 IC). EMAP-E Focus Group Meeting: A representative from the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program for Estuaries (EMAP-E) met with represen- tatives from OWOW and the Office of Science and Technology at the EPA Laboratory in Annapolis, Maryland, on August 5. EMAP-E made a commit- rncnt to assist OWOW and OST in the development of estuarine hioassessment protocols and biological criteria. These proposed protocols will be used to guide state programs in conducting assessments of the biological integrity of estuarine waters. OWOW and OST are planning a meeting of the estuarine bioassessment and biocriteria workgroup in Novem- ber or December. For more information, contact Ed Liu at (202) 260-6228. Multi-Regional TMDL Workshop: The Office of Science and Technology (OST) and OWOW are jointly developing plans for five regionalized 3-day TMDL information exchange workshops on pro- grammatic and technical issues. The first three were scheduled for Regions 1 and 2, Boston, September 8-10; Regions 7 and 8, Denver, October 19-21; and Regions 4 and 6, Atlanta, November 30-December 2. The two remaining workshops will be scheduled in January-February 1994. The workshops highlight hands-on modeling techniques, TMDL guidance and policy issues, current lawsuits, screening and targeting techniques, biomonitoring, restoration, bioaccumulation, ecoregions, and other topics selected by the Regions. States also participate in the workshops. For more information, contact Hira Biswas of OST at (202) 260-7771 or Doug Norton of OWOW at (202) 260-7017. Taxonomy Accord Nears: Efforts to work with NOAA to expand an existing NOAA file of taxo- nomic names for wider use in EPA, USGS, and state biological studies have been underway for some time. In late August, EPA staff from OW, the Office of Information Resources Management, and EMAP met in a marathon session with U.S. Geological Survey and NOAA staff to define the needs of a common system, which is necessary for STORET 9 ------- and USGS’s NWSI [ modernization and to support the growing significance of biological studies. The results of the meeting were presented to the Inter- governmental Task Force on Monitoring Water Quality (ITFM) in September in an eflbrt to expand acceptance among all federal agencies. For more information, contact Chuck Spooner at (202) 260-1314. Oceans and Coastal Protection Division (OCPD,): Management Tools for Local Governments: Staff in OCPD are conducting a series of 2-day workshops to equip local officials and citizen leaders with growth management strategies and techniques to protect coastal resources. The four workshops are scheduled as follows: Charleston, SC, October 5-6; Philadelphia, PA, October 21 -22; Berkeley, CA, October 28-29; and Houston, TX, November 2-3. A brochure announcing these workshops has been developed. To obtain copies, contact Yvonne Edwards at (202) 260-1904. National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Reports on the NEP: Under a cooperative agreement with EPA, NCSL has prepared a report and brochure that describe how state legislatures can be involved in the National Estuary Program. These documents describe the NEP and provide several case studies on legislative involvement in the development and implementation of management recommendations. NCSL has distributed the docu- ments to the chairs of legislative, environment, and natural resources committees and their staffs in each coastal state. For more information, contact Ruth Chemerys at (202) 260-9038. Innovations in Coastal Protection: A preliminary meeting/conference call for OCPD’ s new outreach project, “Innovations in Coastal Protection: Search- ing for Uncommon Solutions to Common Prob- lems,” was held August 26, 1993. The peer review committee is made up of staff from Region 3, the Gulf of Mexico Program, and Region 10, as well as groups such as World Wildlife, Coastal Zone Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Rutgers University, Alliance of Chesapeake Bay, Marine Resources Council-Florida, and the Santa Monica Bay Resource Project. The project is designed to profIle local efforts to protect coastal and ocean resources in a guide for coastal managers and leaders facing similar challenges. For more information, contact Ray Hall at (202) 260-1998. NEP-EMAP-E Coordination: OCPD has been working with the Office of Research and Develop- ment to promote coordination and cooperation between the National Estuary Program (NEP) and the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program-Estuaries (EMAP-E). Activities to date include the formation and initial meeting of the NEP/EMAP Coordination Team, composed of representatives from EMAP-E, NEP, and OCPD. The function of the Coordination Team is to: 1) promote technical transfer of EMAP data and tools to coastal managers and provide a vehicle for continued communication between EMAP-E and NEP; 2) promote several Regional collaborative projects between EMAP-E and NEPs that will be spotlighted in an upcoming NEP guide to working with EMAP; and 3) distribute an EMAP-E document list to NEP Directors. For more information, contact George Loeb at (202) 260-0670. 10 ------- |