USEPA Office of Water - TMDL Program Results Analysis Fact Sheet 10 - May 5, 2009 Fact Sheet: Recovery Potential Project Landscape Screening Tools and Resources for Assessing the Restorability of Impaired Waters Project Goal: Develop tools and data to help state TMDL and restoration programs decide where best to use their limited restoration resources among large numbers of impaired waters. • Document factors relevant to recovery potential from the technical literature and practitioner insights; • Apply these findings to develop recovery potential indicators measurable from commonly available geospatial and monitoring data; • Develop a rapid and flexible recovery potential screening tool; and • Demonstrate how landscape analysis techniques, EPA data systems and statewide CIS data can help states screen and compare impaired waters for recovery potential during restoration planning. Keco very po ten tial should be a primary consideration in restoration programs whose main aim is to bring about recovery Relevance of Recovery Potential in Restoration Planning Ecological capacity - Stressor exposure \ _ Social context & to regain function past, present & future process factors Effectiveness of BMPs or restoration practices Impaired Waters Recovery Underlying Concept: Our working definition of recovery potential is the likelihood of an impaired water to reattain Water Quality Standards or other valued attributes, given its ecological capacity to regain function, its exposure to stressors, and the social context affecting efforts to improve its condition. Funding for restoration is always limited, thus priority-setting is inevitable but difficult. Traditionally, recovery potential has not been easily factored into restoration planning at the statewide scale because of limited data and technical tools. Advances in data and CIS technology have made it feasible to perform rapid, statewide, comparative screening of large numbers of waters, using geo-spatial indicators of recovery potential selected for the place and purpose at hand. Recovery potential should be a primary consideration in restoration programs whose primary purpose is to bring about recovery. Comparative methods to aid restoration planning can lead to better restoration investments that restore valuable waters earlier, more consistently, more cost-effectively, and in more places. Potential Applications of Recovery Potential • Aid state decisions in 303(d) list scheduling for TMDL development and in planning TMDL implementation; • Assist in restoration-related decisions regarding Clean Water Act Section 319 nonpoint source control projects as well as state-level restoration initiatives; • Help EPA regions develop strategies to meet performance tracking measures, such as where increases in restored waters and improved watersheds can most likely be achieved; • Assist state-level and basin-level programs that need to focus on priority places due to limited resources; and • Reveal more about underlying factors that determine TMDL or restoration successes and use these new insights to support program decisions. Recovery Potential Tools and Resources Restoration and Recovery Literature Database: 1500+ published citations in a partially annotated MS Access database. Copies are open for each user's personal customizing, key wording and adding new references. Recovery Potential Indicators: Tested over 130 metrics in three classes: ecological capacity, stressor exposure, and social context (see examples on back). The 60+ now in use have fact sheets on scientific basis and measurement. Recovery Potential Screening Methods: Indicator- specific measurement and scoring procedures, and an overall comparative screening approach (at right). Two-Part Screening: I. Total ecological and stressor indicator scoring (above) reveals waters with higher recovery potential (High E/Low S), and allows selected additions (dots). 2. This subset of waters is then scored with social indicators (right). High E/Low S waters with high total social scores (far right end) are likely the most promising recovery prospects. #1 Social Score Recovery Potential User Support Website (under development): Will contain the downloadable literature database, indicator fact sheets, data source links, analysis methods and recovery screening examples. ------- Example Recovery Potential Indicators (user selects only the metrics in each class most relevant to the place and purpose of the screening) Ecolociical Capacity Metrics natural channel form recolonization access Strahler stream order rare taxa presence historical species occurrence species range factor elevation corridor % forest corridor % woody vegetation corridor slope bank stability/soils bank stability/woody vegetation watershed shape watershed size watershed % forest proximity to green infrastructure hub contiguity w/green infrastructure corridor biotic community integrity soil resilience properties Stressor Exposure Metrics invasive species risk channelization hydrologic alteration aquatic barriers corridor road crossings corridor road density corridor % U-index corridor % agriculture corridor % urban corridor % impervious surface watershed % U index watershed road density watershed % agriculture watershed % tile-drained cropland watershed % urban watershed % impervious surface severity of 303(d) listed causes severity of loading past land use change trajectory Social Context & Process Metrics watershed % protected land applicable regulation funding eligibility 303(d) schedule priority estimated restoration cost certainty of causal linkages TMDL or other plan existence university proximity certainty of restoration practices watershed organizational leadership watershed collaboration large watershed management potential government agency involvement local socio-economic stress landownership complexity jurisdictional complexity valued ecological attribute human health and safety recreational resource State and Regional Scale Demonstration Projects Illinois Pilot Study. • screened the recovery potential of 723 Illinois 303(d)-listed waters in a statewide comparison • developed, measured and mapped 104 ecological, stressor and social indicators • provided first 'proof of concept' demonstration of indicators and methods for screening Maryland Watershed Screening (ongoing) • screening recovery potential at small watershed scale to aid restoration strategies • comparing impaired and unimpaired watersheds • exploring integration of recovery potential concepts with bioassessment and Stressor Identification GIS data reveal the common interest areas: Example statewide recovery potential maps for ecological, stressor, and social metrics, and a final sum of ranks map. EPA Region 3 Native Fisheries Recovery Screening • screening in four states to identify high potential native fish habitat restorations of interest to three key programs (303(d), abandoned minelands, fisheries restoration) • focused approach, less than ten indicators • demonstrated that very rapid statewide recovery screenings to address specific issues are feasible • stimulated cross-program collaborations and additional screening at state level in Pennsylvania Contacts • Doug Norton, EPA Office of Water, Project Co-Manager: norton.douglas@epa.gov Project design, recovery literature synthesis, indicator development, application of recovery potential concept to water programs • Jim Wickham, EPA Office of Research and Development, Project Co-Manager: wickham.iames@epa.gov Development and application of landscape indicators mapping, measurement, datasets and database design ------- |