THE GREAT RIVERS NEWS
,™
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA/620/N-06/001 Vol. 2 No. 1
January 2006
eNVIRONMBNTAU MONITORJNq ANIi ASS6SSM6NT
PROGRAM
I GIS Model Helps Identify Potential Reference Sites For the Great Rivers of the Central Basin
Ted Angradi (USEPA)
A key component of the EMAP-GRE effort is the determination of
reference expectations for each river so that the condition of the river
can be assessed. Because there are only three Great Rivers of the
Central Basin (the Upper Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers) and
each has a unique character and ecological setting, there is not a
population of rivers from which to determine reference. Therefore, an
internal "least disturbed condition" for empirical bioassessment must
be determined from the best sites on each river. EPA scientists in
Duluth, MN in collaboration with GIS programmers at Computer Sci-
ences Corporation are developing a GIS model to help identify
reaches of each river that are in the least disturbed condition.
data to determine which sampled sites belong in the reference data
set for each river. Abiotic filtering variables may include water chem-
istry, sediment chemistry, physical habitat attributes, human distur-
bance scores, and riparian habitat.
7. Validate data by comparing biotic condition between reference and
non-reference sites. Final reference sites are used to determine
threshold values for determining ecological condition of each river.
The goal of the model is to increase the likelihood of sampling least
disturbed sites in 2006 and 2007, and to increase the total number of
sites sampled in least disturbed condition reaches.
The model is based on the assumption that river
conditions improve with increasing intensity of or
distance from human disturbances (or decreasing
distance from tributaries with relatively undisturbed
watersheds). The model development and imple-
mentation includes the following steps (much simpli-
fied):
1. Identify a set of variables based on available GIS
data that can be used to score the probable condi-
tion of all possible candidate sample sites along
each river. Some example variables include: dis-
tance downriver from large and small tributaries,
distance from NPDES permits, distance from dams,
distance from urban areas, and land use adjacent to
each candidate site. Variables are not weighted
uniformly in the model.
2. Calculate the score for each variable at each site
based on distance or intensity and calculate the
overall probable condition score for each site by
combining the scores for all the variables. Normal-
ize the scores to a range of 1-10.
3. Define reference reaches from site condition
scores. For example, continuous segments of river
that are comprised of high scoring (8-10) sites are
defined as reference reaches.
4. Create a probability sample design for the refer-
ence reaches.
5. Draw sample sites from the reaches and sample
them in 2006 - 2007 using EMAP-GRE methods.
6. Filter all sites (2004-2007) using site-scale abiotic
Portion of map showing results of GIS model for Upper Mississippi River. Green
segments of river are reference reaches based on model output.
The Great Rivers Newsletter is periodic publication of the EPA's Mid-Continent Ecology Divi-
sion in Duluth, MN. The newsletter is designed to disseminate timely information about the
EMAP-GRE project among EPA investigators; state, federal, and tribal collaborators; and other
stakeholders. Contact Mark Pearson, editor (pearson.mark@epa.gov; 218-529-5205) to obtain
copies of the newsletter. The newsletter and other EMAP information can be found on this
website: www.epa.gov/emap/greatriver
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Page 2
THE GREAT RIVERS NEWS
LETTER
Great Rivers Science Advisory Committee
Janet Keough (USEPA)
The Environmental Monitoring
and Assessment Program
(EMAP) has established advi-
sory committees for each of its
ongoing programs (National
Coastal Assessment, Western
Stream Assessment), and the
Great Rivers Ecosystem EMAP
is no exception. The EMAP-
Great Rivers Science Advisory
Committee is now established
and conducting monthly confer-
ence calls. Members of the
Committee are top-level man-
agers and their representatives
within EPA's Office of Water,
Regional Offices, and Office of
Research and Development;
USGS Research Centers; US
Army Corps of Engineers; and
key organizations, such as
ORSANCO (Ohio River Valley
Water Sanitation Commission).
The purpose of the Science
Advisory Committee is to com-
municate EMAP progress and
issues to top managers within
these respective organizations,
facilitate communication and
outreach to other stakeholders,
and especially to seek the ad-
vice of the Committee on pro-
gram objectives, priorities, and
opportunities to fill important
science gaps. Conference
calls are being held on the third
Wednesday of each month at
1PM CST. Each month, we
have received excellent sug-
gestions and input from Com-
mittee members, and we view
this Committee as a very im-
portant source of advice.
CSG and EPA Co-hosting Workshops For 2006
Gene Slusher and David Bolgrien (CSG and USEPA)
EMAP has teamed up with the
Council of State Governments
(CSG) to promote the interaction
of state, federal, and university
scientists for the analysis of en-
vironmental data. Previously,
CSG has helped EMAP bridge
the gap between the science
and practice of generating data
and interpreting results to im-
prove Clean Water Acts Re-
ports. In 2006, CSG and EMAP-
GRE will co-host a series of
workshops to bring together
technical and management ex-
perts from across the nation to
focus on Great Rivers issues.
The exchange of technical infor-
mation will aid in the creation of
uniform approaches for monitor-
ing and assessing water quality
in complex, multi-jurisdictional
river systems. The first work-
shop (see announcement on this
page) will develop a framework
for characterizing and sampling
reference conditions of large
rivers. Empirical and modeled
reference conditions lead to the
standards and the public expec-
tations of river conditions that
are necessary for management
and restoration. The second
workshop, planned for March, is
being co-hosted by the EMAP,
CSG, and the EPA Regional
offices in Kansas City and Den-
ver. The focus will be water
quality issues of the Missouri
River. Objectives for other work-
shops are being developed.
Updates, Meetings, Goings On
The US EPA and CSG are pleased to formally invite you to attend the
Great Rivers Reference Condition Workshop being held January
lOth-llth at the Netherland Plaza Hotel in downtown Cincinnati.
Register at: http://www.epa.gov/emap/greatriver/refcond.html
Technical Committee Meeting
in Cincinnati
The EMAP-GRE Technical com-
mittee meeting will be held in
conjunction with the Great Riv-
ers Reference Condition Work-
shop on Jan 12th, 2005 at the
Netherland Plaza Hotel in Cin-
cinnati, OH starting at 8 AM.
EMAP-GRE Algae Coopera-
tive Makes Headlines
A recent story was printed in the
Duluth News Tribune discussing
the merits of our cooperative
agreement with Dr. Euan Reavie
(NRRI)andDr. Brian Hill (US
EPA). The complete story can
be accessed at: http://
www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/
duluthsuperior/news/
local/13049675.htm
International Conference on
Rivers to Include Presenta-
tions of EMAP-GRE Data
Ted Angradi and Debra Taylor,
two of our EMAP-GRE research-
ers will be giving presentations
at the International Conference
on Rivers and Civilization June
25-28, 2006, in LaCrosse, Wl.
Ted will speak on "A Reference
Condition Approach for Great
Rivers of the Central Basin: The
Oho, Missouri, and Mississippi
Rivers" and Debra will present a
talk titled "From Data to Informa-
tion: Development of Integrative
Habitat Indices for Great River
Ecosystems."
EPA Region VII Environmental
Scientist Visits Duluth
Larry Shepard, an Environ-
mental Scientist from the EPA
Region VII office in Kansas City,
KS is on a work detail to the
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
in Duluth, MN. Larry brings a
wealth of information about
water quality issues from the
perspective of states in the
lower Missouri River basin to the
EMAP-GRE project.
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