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A PHOENIX RISING: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM AND THE COASTAL 2000 NATIONAL SURVEY
Citation:
Summers, J K. A PHOENIX RISING: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM AND THE COASTAL 2000 NATIONAL SURVEY. Presented at 15th Biennial International Estuarine Research Federation Conference, New Orleans, LA, Sept. 25-30, 1999.
Description:
The purpose of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program-Coastal Resources is to estimate the current status, extent, changes, and trends in ecological indicators of the condition of the nation's coastal resources (intertidal, subtidal, and offshore) on a regional and national basis. Based on EMAP monitoring activities from 1990-1995 approximately 70% of the nation's estuarine waters were sampled focusing on suites of measurements describing the benthic community, the fish community, water quality, levels of sediment and tissue contamination, sediment toxicity, and SAV extent/condition. Estuarine monitoring was based on a probability-based sampling design implemented over a 60-day window during July-September in selected years. The results of monitoring show that 25% | 4% of the sediments of the nation had degraded biological conditions while 29% | 4% of the area showed degraded conditions in relation to human uses of the resource (e.g., water clarity, tissue contaminants, and the presence of marine debris). Biological degradation is characterized by significantly less than expected number of benthic species and diversity, high numbers of pollution-tolerant species, and low numbers of pollution-sensitive species, incidence of fish pathologies, and increased levels of selected biomarkers in target fish species. Human use degradation is characterized as decreased water and sediment quality, potential for decreased consumptive use, and incidence of characteristics limiting non-consumptive use. These estimates are based 100% of the estuarine resources spanning from Cape Henry, Virginia to Brownsville, Texas. In 2000, EPA/ORD will conduct Coastal-2000, a national survey of estuarine condition. While Coastal-2000 will be probabilistically based, its implementation will be through state-level infrastructure and be designed to address not only national and regional issues but state-level issues as well.