THE GREAT RIVERS NEWS
,™
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA/620/N-06/004 Vol. 2 No. 4
November 2006
eNVIRONMBNTAU MONITORJNq ANIi ASS6SSM6NT
PROGRAM
EMAP-GRE Indicators Workshop Is a Success
USEPA
The EMAP-GRE program held a Biologi-
cal Indicators Workshop in Duluth, MN
Oct. 24-26, 2006. The workshop was
sponsored by the Council of State Gov-
ernments and the USEPA. The workshop
was attended by over 70 people repre-
senting various state agencies, federal
agencies, and universities from the Upper
and Lower Mississippi River Basin. The
primary goal of the workshop was to de-
velop an analytical framework for data
that supports bioassessment of the Ohio,
Upper Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers.
The first day consisted of several presen-
tations covering selected topics related to
assessments. Dave Bolgrien, EMAP-GRE
Technical Lead, presented an outline of
the EMAP-GRE assessment and an over-
view of the program. Karen Blocksom
(USEPA-NERL) presented a well re-
ceived talk on developing multimetric
indices of biotic condition. Ted Angradi
(co-Pi, EMAP-GRE) discussed progress
towards EMAP-GRE reference condi-
tions.
The next series of talks covered indicator
approaches that were new to the EMAP-
GRE project. Predictive modeling (O\E)
and relative risk analysis was presented
by John Van Sickle (USEPA-NHEERL).
Euan Reavie (U of MN-Duluth-NRRI)
discussed how periphyton and phyto-
plankton indicators may be developed for
Great Rivers. Paul Bukaveckas (VA Com-
monwealth Univ.) presented some pre-
liminary data forzooplankton, chlorophyll
a, and suspended particulates, and dis-
cussed how they can be developed for
indicators of Great River ecosystems.
Terri Jicha wrapped up the first day's
presentations with a talk on information
management (IM).
The following day a discussion of stressor
variables was led by Terri Jicha (water
quality), Deb Taylor (habitat and hydrol-
ogy), Mary Moffett (landscape data), and
Jim Lazorchak (fish and sediment con-
taminants).
Breakout sessions were organized by
biotic assemblages (fish, invertebrates,
algae) and stressor variables (water qual-
ity, habitat/hydrology). Each group was
asked to answer a set of questions per-
taining to candidate metrics, autecology
files, and the integration of stressor data.
Throughout the 2 1/2 days report outs of
each group's progress was discussed in
one large group. On the last day each
group was charged to create a roadmap
showing how EMAP-GRE assessment
documents and research products would
be created.
To foster more discussion, participants
were given an opportunity for a boat
cruise on the St. Louis Harbor on Tues-
day evening. Many folks braved what we
here in Duluth affectionately call a nice
cool evening on the top deck, but still
enjoyed the sights of one of the world's
largest freshwater ports. Several people
also took advantage of curling lessons at
the Duluth Entertainment and Convention
Center in the evenings. From what I
heard we should keep an eye out for Jeff
Thomas at the next Winter Olympics.
All presentations and attendee list can be
found at the following website.
http://www.epa.qov/emap/qreatriver/
qrewkshp.html
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THE GREAT RIVERS NEWSLETTER
A selection of data slides from various presentations at the indicators workshop
Non-metric multidimensional scaling plot offish
assemblages of the Missouri, Mississippi, and
Ohio Rivers for 2004 (Irons et al.)
Stress: 0.21
MS
MO
OH
These graphs show the extent of poor condition for 8 stressors and the
relative risk of the stressors for a macroin vertebrate IBI. Note that while
riparian vegetation shows a low extent of disturbed condition, the relative
risk to the macroinvertebrate community is high. Data is from the Western
region of the Wadeable Streams Assessment (Van Sickle et al.)
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Riparian Disturbance ' Extent
Excess Fine Sediments *
Instream Habitat
Riparian Vegetation
Salinity
Acidification
0 10 20 30 40
% Stream Length in Most
Disturbed Condition
% of Stream Length
234
Relative Risk
Relative Risk ratio
NAM •NlKR.Mirel RktNW
Major landcover classes 50 km upstream of EMAP-GRE sites in the Upper
Mississippi River. Agriculture (yellow) and forests (green) are the dominant
landcover types, but note their relative percentages change throughout the river
basin.
LJM tovw Rm: Mi JMM»l S*hm H
COfl ft>0
Example of an output of a multimetric model for screening sites to determine
which are least disturbed. The model included 13 stressor or human disturbance
metrics. Condition classes (symbol types) are based on percentiles. Based on 2004
data.
Upcoming events
• 2007 EMAP Symposium, April 10-11, Washington DC
The USEPA and the Council of State Governments are sponsoring the Eighth Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Pro
gram (EMAP) Symposium on April 10-11, 2007, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in downtown Washington, DC. The Symposium will
focus on achievements in monitoring to evaluate organizational effectiveness and to shape future research and policy. Platform
and poster presentations will feature federal, state, tribal, and USEPA Regional perspectives on designing and implementing
surveys on the condition of natural resources in order to meet assessment needs at multiple scales.
Survey of the Nation's Waters Planning Meeting, January 10-12, 2007, San Antonio, TX
USEPA is planning a meeting to engage states, tribes, and other interested parties in designing a national survey to assess the
condition of non-wadable rivers and streams. For more information regarding this meeting contact Treda Smith at USEPA, 202-
566-0916 or smith.treda@epa.gov; or Krista Rinehart, CSG, at 859-244-8249 or krinehart@csg.org
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/qreatriver
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