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EMAP-WEST METRIC BROWSER
Citation:
HEGGEM, D. T., E. EVANSON, K. HERMANN, T. SELLE, R. HALL, AND S. AUGUSTINE. EMAP-WEST METRIC BROWSER. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/C-06/006, 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
There are four basic objectives of the project:
Demonstrate the application of a comparative landscape assessment in analyzing the vulnerability of surface and coastal water conditions to declines based on landscape conditions (as estimated by landscape indicators as demonstrated in the mid-Atlantic landscape atlas) in western environments;
Develop and apply landscape assessment approaches relative to specific issues, including an ability to prioritize the vulnerability of areas relative to the Clean Water Act 303(d) designations; Quantify relationships between landscape conditions (as measured by landscape indicators) and surface and coastal waters in the west to reduce the uncertainty in comparative landscape assessments, and issue-specific, landscape assessments (e.g., Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDLs);
Complete a west-wide, comparative landscape assessment relative to surface and coastal water vulnerability;
Transfer landscape assessment technologies to Regional Offices so that they can conduct landscape assessments at many scales.
Description:
This is the first step in the process to develop landscape ecological condition indicators. When fully developed, these indicators will allow state, local and federal agencies to easily and cost-effectively locate both pristine surface waters, as well as surface waters at risk of impairment from nonpoint source pollution at very large scales.