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A ROBUST DESIGN FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF A GREAT RIVER, ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING, AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM - UPPER MISSOURI RIVER (EMAP-UMR)
Citation:
Bolgrien, D W., T. Angradi, T D. Corry, S E. Miller, G. S. Peterson, J. V. Scharold, E. W. Schweiger, C W. West, AND J. R. Kelly. A ROBUST DESIGN FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF A GREAT RIVER, ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING, AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM - UPPER MISSOURI RIVER (EMAP-UMR). Presented at National Monitoring Conference 2002 of the National Water Quality Monitoring Council, Madison, WI, May 21-23, 2002.
Description:
Great Rivers and reservoirs are complex, trans-border resources that are difficult and expensive to assess, monitor and manage. EMAP-UMR is a five-year effort to develop the methodology for Great River assessments, using the Upper Missouri as a test case. A major early achievement of this effort has been the development of a spatially-balanced, probabilistic survey sample design capable of producing unbiased estimates of Great River and mainstem reservoir resource conditions with known statistical confidence. Compared to traditional sampling programs, the EMAP strategy increases the capacities of states and tribes to conduct large-scale multi-resource assessments because fewer sampling locations are needed to make statistically defensible statements. We present the sampling frame developed for our study, and the sample designs for resources in the riparian (sandbars and forest floodplains), river (main-channel, backwaters, and shoreline), and reservoir. Results from Lake Oahe (South Dakota) will be used to demonstrate the possible end-products of this project. We discuss the conceptual underpinning of the EMAP design, its strengths and weaknesses as applied to Great Rivers, and lessons learned from implementation of the EMAP approach on the UMR. We propose that Great Rivers should be sampled as continuous resources on an area frame. Moreover, largely because of geomorphology, Great Rivers have habitat types (open water, shorelines, backwaters) that while functionally related, vary greatly and thus are best-assessed using independent sample designs. Our work continues to research elements of the framework for eventual application on other Great River systems. This abstract does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.