Impact/Purpose:

States are required to monitor and report conditions under Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). There have been inconsistencies across the Nation in the validity of reporting by the State. The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) was initiated to help identify cost-effective indicators to assess the condition of the environment and to develop cost-effective probability-based sampling designs that allow measurements to be extrapolated in a scientifically defensible manner. This research focuses on the biological resources of the Great Lakes and Great Rivers, both of which are ecologically complex with a diversity of habitats. The overall objective of this research is to characterize ecosystem classification and reference conditions and develop suitable designs and indicators to assess the Great Lakes and Great Rivers.

Description:

The principal research objective is develop assessment methodology that can be used to report on the condition of the Great Rivers and Great Lakes that can be used for state's reporting conditions under Section 303(b) of the CWA. One component of Great River research will determine the condition of macroinvertebrate communities in the main-channel, along the shore, in backwaters of the rivers, and in the main-basin and bays of the reservoir to understand the associations of benthic communities with particular habitat characteristics or stressors. One approach will be to measure the distribution and condition of riparian vegetation and relate the trophic status of river and reservoir to tributaries, shoreline features and riparian land-cover/usage. A second program component focuses on developing the tools to report on conditions of Great Lakes resources. This research will evaluate indicators for different habitats and evaluate the efficiency of stratified sampling designs that recognize the ecological/societal significance of sub-areas of the Lakes and can separately report on their condition. This research will also focus on developing indices of biological integrity, characterizing resource classification and establishing reference conditions, as well as developing the scientific basis for understanding spatial distribution of critical habitats, and the nature and scale of tributary and wetland inputs to coastal monitoring designs. The third component of this program focuses on evaluating and developing measures for plants, macroinvertebrates and fish in coastal wetlands. This research involves field sampling, as well as developing an inventory of riverine coastal wetlands across the Great Lakes, from which probability-based sample site are drawn for monitoring studies.

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