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CHARACTERIZATION OF SMALL ESTUARIES AS A COMPONENT OF A REGIONAL-SCALE MONITORING PROGRAM
Citation:
Strobel, C J., J F. Paul, AND J. E. Brown. CHARACTERIZATION OF SMALL ESTUARIES AS A COMPONENT OF A REGIONAL-SCALE MONITORING PROGRAM. Presented at Estuarine Research Federation '99, New Orleans LA, September 25-30, 1999.
Description:
Large-scale environmental monitoring programs, such as EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP), by nature focus on estimating the ecological condition of large geographic areas. Generally missing is the ability to provide estimates of condition of individual small components of the study area. A regional monitoring program with this ability would be of great interest to many environmental managers, especially those concerned with state and local issues. In 1997 the Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA), a component of EMAP, implemented a regional study of the estuaries of the US. mid-Atlantic coast. At the request of regional environmental managers, the MAIA probabilistic design provided for the characterization of 11 individual small estuaries within this region. Five to 29 stations were sampled in each of these estuaries for a variety of water and sediment-quality indicators. Although the sampling density in most of these estuaries is insufficient to fully characterize and map conditions, the study does provide much-needed information on the general condition of these systems. Information collected on spatial variability within these estuaries can be used in designing future monitoring programs where a compromise must be developed between detailed characterization of a few estuaries and broad characterization of many.