v>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
States and Tribes Embrace
Bioassessment and Biocriteria
for Protecting Streams and
Small Rivers
The miles of streams and small rivers assessed for biological condition
increased from 65,000 in 1995 to almost 440,000 in 2001.
GROWTH OF THE NATION'S PROGRAMS
• More States, Tribes and other programs are using
bioassessment and biocriteria than ever before for
streams and small rivers
- The number of programs using bioassessment has
increased from 41 to 57.
- Puerto Rico and the Nez Perce Tribe have programs
under development.
• Use of Bioassessment in Water Resource Management
programs has increased by more than 20%
- All 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Ohio
River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO)
have incorporated bioassessment in their water resource
management programs for streams and small rivers.
MAKING PROGRESS WITH EPA SUPPORT
Since 1987, U.S. EPA has actively supported bioassessment programs
and the development of biocriteria. A close and cooperative relationship
between EPA and the state, tribal, territory, and interstate commission
programs has resulted in more rigorous and standardized biological
assessments. Significant progress was revealed in a recent study
jointly conducted by the Office of Water (OW) and the Office
of Environmental Information (OEI). The detailed findings have
been published in Summary of Biological Assessment Programs and
Biocriteria Development for States, Tribes, Territories, and Interstate
Commissions: Streams and Wadeable Rivers (EPA-822-R-02-048),
available on EPA's web site at http://www.epa.gov/bioindicators. With
this major progress on streams and small rivers, states, tribes,
territories and interstate commissions can begin to focus on developing
biocriteria for other water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, wetlands, estuaries,
large rivers, intermittent and ephemeral streams) for which EPA has
developed methods and guidance.
Biological assessments and criteria give the programs a tool for directly
determining the health of their aquatic life resources, for improving
aquatic life designated uses, and for setting biocriteria to protect
those uses. Biocriteria act as the water body "response criteria" and
complement chemical and other criteria designed to manage pollutants
and other stressors introduced into the water body.
1995 Bioassessment (52 programs)
"' D | »^5 AK | \ n Use (39 states, DC, ORSANCO)
i In Process (AL, AK, AZ, CO, HI, LA, ND, TN,
Puerto Rico, and Nez Perce)
Do Not Use (NV, SD, and UT)
2001 Bioassessment (65 programs)
I D Use (All 50 states, DC, Onelda, Pyramid Late Tribe,
J DRBC, ICPRB, ORSANCO, SRBC)
D I" Process (Puerto Rico, D Do Not Use (American Samoa, CNMI, Conf. Tribe of
Nez Perce) Colvtlle Reservation, Semlnole Tribe of FL,
Passamaquoddy Tribe
D Total Programs
• Use
D In Process
D Do Not Use
1989
1995
2001
Figure 1: Growth in Programs Using
Bioassessment for Water Quality Management
of Streams and Small Rivers.
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BlOASSESSMENT
The presence, condition, numbers and types of
fish, insects, algae, plants, and other organisms
provide direct, accurate information about the
health of water bodies. Biological assessments
measure these factors and are the primary tool
used to evaluate the condition of water bodies.
Because biological communities are affected by
all of the stressors to which they are exposed
over time, bioassessments provide information
on disturbances not always revealed by water
chemistry or other measurements.
With time and understanding,
more states, tribes, and territories
are realizing the benefits of using
biological information in their
water management programs.
| macroinvertebrates]
1989
1995
2001
1989
1995 2001
1989
combination of 2 or more
1989
1995
2001
D Use D In Process
Do Not Use
Figure 2: Growth by Types of Assemblages Used for
Bioassessment in Streams and Small Rivers.
Bioassessments help states, tribes, and other
programs develop expectations for biological
conditions, particularly for streams and small
rivers. Recent research efforts by ORD to
resolve technical issues such as determining
stream classification and setting reference
conditions has been very helpful to the
states, tribes, and territories. Direct technical
assistance by OW, ORD, and OEI has been
critical to achieving this progress. Substantial
work remains to begin using bioassessment/
biocriteria in other water bodies.
Use of multiple types of animals and plants
(assemblages) to assess water bodies has
increased from 24 in 1989 to 26 in 1995 to
45 in 2001!
Assessment of only one type of animal or plant life
leads to only 80-85% effectiveness in identifying aquatic
life use attainment or non-attainment. Assessment of
a water body's biology can include the analysis of
macroinvertebrates (insects), periphyton (algae), or fish
life. EPA recommends the use of two or more of these
groups of biological assessments.
Biological Assessment:
an evaluation of the biological
condition of a waterbody using
surveys of the structure and
function of a community of
resident biota.
Use of macroinvertebrates to assess water
bodies has increased from 39 in 1989 to 44
in 1995 to 56 in 2001!
Benthic macroinvertebrates are used in all but one
bioassessment program (Hawaii is developing its
assessment based on macroinvertebrates), but the use
offish and algae (periphyton) for evaluation purposes
is increasing. Use of all types of organisms increased
between 1995 and 2001 (see Figure 2).
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BlOCRITERIA
Biocriteria are either narrative
statements or numeric values that
describe the biological condition of
a water body necessary to protect
an aquatic life use. Aquatic life uses
are the goals for the protection and
restoration of aquatic life. Designated
uses for aquatic life can cover a range of
biological conditions to both protect intact
communities and establish restoration
goals for compromised ecosystems.
Biological Criteria: narrative descriptions or numerical
values of the structure and function of aquatic communities
in a waterbody necessary to protect the designated aquatic
life use, implemented in, or through water quality standards.
Bioassessments and biocriteria give
States a tool for directly determining
the health of their aquatic life
resources, for improving aquatic life
designated uses, and for setting
biocriteria to protect those uses.
These narrative and/or numeric
biocriteria may be formally adopted
into water quality standards along with
an anti-degradation policy intended
to protect waters from further
deterioration.
2001 Narrative Biocriteria in WQS
Narrative Biocriteria: written
statements describing the structure
and function of aquatic communities
in a waterbody necessary to protect
a designated aquatic life use.
• A total of 29 national
programs have incorporated
Narrative Biocriteria into
their Water Quality
Standards in 2001.
- Of the 29 programs,
22 have also developed
quantitative implementation
procedures or translators for
their narrative criteria to
use in their water quality
management programs.
Sixteen states are in
the process of
developing numeric or
narrative biocriteria.
The greatest increase
in the use of narrative
water quality
standards took place
between 1989 and
1995. Numeric
biocriteria has
increased steadily.
2001 Numeric Biocriteria in WQS
• Five programs have incorporated
Numeric Biocriteria into their Water
Quality Standards in 2001
- Ten programs are now in the process of
developing Numeric Biocriteria
Numeric Biocriteria: specific quanti-
tative measures of the structure and
function of aquatic communities in a
waterbody necessary to protect a
designated aquatic life use.
Maine has just completed
development of numeric
biocriteria in their water
quality standards program.
Numeric criteria were
developed for dissolved
oxygen and bacteria, and
are designed to measure
the response of benthic
macroinvertebrates to
human influences. Narrative
criteria cover habitat and
aquatic life in rivers and
streams. Maine's
numeric biocriteria
protocol provides a
statistically defensible
and reproducible
decision-making tool for
making quantitative
determination about
attainment of biological
water quality standards.
D Total Programs
• Use
D In Process
• Do Not Use
1995
2001
Figure 3: Growth in Programs Using
Bioassessment to Determine Aquatic Life Use
Attainment in Streams and Small Rivers.
AQUATIC LIFE USE SUPPORT
Aquatic Life Use Support (ALUS) is a
determination of the ability of a water body to
support aquatic life. ALUS ratings are either fully
supporting, partially supporting, or non-supporting
of aquatic life. Water bodies that cannot fully
support aquatic life are considered impaired and
listed by the states and tribes on their 303(d) list.
Use of bioassessment to determine
Aquatic Life Use (ALU) attainment has
increased from 31 States and Tribes in
1995 to 40 States and Tribes in 2001
Aquatic Life Use: a beneficial use designation in which the waterbody provides
suitable habitat for survival and reproduction of desirable fish, shellfish, and
other aquatic organisms; classifications specified in state water quality standards
relating to the level of protection afforded to the resident biological community
by the state agency.
Bioassessment can help states and tribes develop the
targeted biological condition for a waterbody. Because
chemical water quality standards alone may not ensure
a healthy biological condition, most states are integrating
biological information in their ALUS attainment
determinations.
In Idaho, for example, the designated aquatic life use of a
waterbody is dependant upon its ability to support the actual
or future use of the waterbody. Water bodies are evaluated
to determine if the quality standards are being achieved
and whether a healthy, balanced biological community is
present. Aquatic Life Use designations are divided into
two types; cold-water ALUs and warm-water ALUs. Three
types of parameters are utilized to determine beneficial use
status: Aquatic Habitat Parameters, Biological Parameters,
and Natural/Reference Conditions. ALUs are also utilized
as part of the determination of TMDLs in Idaho.
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EXAMPLES OF PROGRESS
ORSANCO
The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission
(ORSANCO) is conducting biological monitoring
of the Ohio River to develop techniques for large
rivers in general and using biological monitoring
assessment and criteria to characterize the Ohio
River's condition. The Commission is in the
process of developing numeric biological criteria,
and expanding its program into the tributaries and
reaches of the Ohio River basin.
ORSANCO collects data, develops methods, conducts
sampling and develops assessment indices from the Ohio
River for the eight states it represents. Their primary
objective is to determine the extent to which the Ohio River
will be capable of sustaining fish and other aquatic life.
Both macroinvertebrates and fish are used by ORSANCO
to assess the Ohio River basin.
ORSANCO's narrative biocriteria are supported by the
numeric biocriteria that are being developed.
ONEIDA NATION OF WISCONSIN
The Oneida Nation has recently made
great strides to implement a bioassessment
program. In 1999, the Tribe began to
sample macroinvertebrates and utilize their
findings. A formal biological monitoring
program was established in 2000, including
qualitative sampling and the development
of standardized operating procedures. Future
plans include sampling of invertebrates and
fish. The Tribe has included biocriteria in its
WQS.
• Previous to initiation of its formal biological monitoring
in 2000, the Tribe established an onsite aquatic
invertebrate taxonomy laboratory. Best management
practices have been tested and Standard Operating
Procedures have been developed.
The Tribe uses both macroinvertebrates and fish to assess
its water bodies.
Bioassessment data is being used to assess the aquatic
resources, determine the cause and effect of pollution, for
monitoring, and for watershed based management.
OREGON
Oregon has an extensive history in the use of
biological data in water quality assessments.
The program has grown since the early
1990's. Oregon's primary objectives are to
identify trends in stream conditions and
biological assemblages, identify the primary
chemical and physical parameters impairing
biological assemblages, assess the effectiveness
of restoration projects and management
activities designed to improve stream conditions,
and help standardize protocols for biological
assessments throughout the state and region.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
(DEQ) sets water quality standards to protect "beneficial
uses" such as recreation, fish habitat, drinking water
supplies, and aesthetics. DEQ monitors water quality
with regular sampling of more than 50 rivers and streams
in the 18 designated river basins found in Oregon.
Multiple assemblages are used by Oregon to assess water
bodies.
Narrative criteria were adopted in Oregon's water quality
standards and are applied using a numeric approach.
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EPA Office of Water
Washington DC 20460
EPA-822-F-03-005
June 2003
VERMONT
Vermont has been conducting aquatic biological health
assessments since the early 1970s. From 1985 to
2001, approximately 1,500 stream assessments were
completed using macroinvertebrates and/or fish from
more than 900 wadeable stream reaches. Two Vermont-
specific fish community Indexes of Biotic Integrity
have been developed. Revisions in 2000 introduced
the concept of reference-site conditions for assessment
of biological condition. Vermont's program utilizes a
biocondition gradient to establish tiered aquatic life
uses classifications.
The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VTDEC) collaborates with academic
institutions, neighboring states, special groups, and
volunteer monitors in their research.
Multiple assemblages are used by Vermont to assess
its water bodies.
VTDEC uses narrative tiered biocriteria that is
independent of the Water Quality standards. Numeric
criteria are found within the VTDEC procedural
documents.
BlOASSESSMENT PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
EPA's Office of Water declared the following goals and objectives for the biocriteria program:
Biocriteria/bioassessments will be used in ongoing
regulatory programs.
Biocriteria/bioassessments will be used to assess the
effectiveness of water quality management efforts.
Bioassessment data and biocriteria will be used to
better communicate the health of the Nation's waters.
All states/tribes will use bioassessments/biocriteria to
evaluate the health of aquatic life in all water bodies.
Bioassessment data will be used by all states/tribes to
better define aquatic life uses.
Numeric biocriteria will be adopted in all state/tribal
water quality standards to protect aquatic life uses.
Office of Water
Office of Science and Technology
Susan Jackson (202) 566-1112
William Swietlik (202) 566-1129
Treda Smith (202) 566-1128
Tom Gardner (202) 566-0386
Kellie Kubena (202) 566-0448
Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
Chris Faulkner (202) 566-1185
Laura Gabanski (202) 566-1179
Doreen Vetter (202) 566-1379
Office of Environmental Information
OFFICE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION
Wayne Davis (410) 305-3030
Elizabeth Jackson (202) 566-0626
Office of Research and Development
Susan Cormier (513) 569-7995
Sue Norton (202) 564-3246
Steve Paulsen (541) 754-4428
Glenn Suter (513) 569-7808
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