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DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT OF AQUATIC AND ESTUARINE RESOURCES: CLASSIFICATION FRAMEWORK FOR COASTAL SYSTEMS
Impact/Purpose:
The goal of Diagnostics Research is to provide tools to simplify diagnosis of the causes of biological impairment, in support of State and Tribe 303(d) impaired waters lists. Classification of estuaries is intended to provide evidence for causes of impairment at a national scale by grouping estuaries that have similar physical and hydrological characteristics and similar biological responses to load-based stressors. We developed an initial classification framework based on physical, hydrological, and biochemical factors that affect the biological response of estuaries to stressors. A classification framework will also simplify the task of applying stressor-response models to complex coastal systems. The most useful classification framework for our purposes would group estuaries that respond similarly to stressor loads. This activity will benefit the Office of Water, EPA Regions, and States. The main benefits will be to assist the 303(d) and TMDL process by providing evidence for causes of impairment and simplifying the application of stressor-response models to complex coastal systems.
Description:
This research will produce a classification framework that groups estuaries that respond similarly to stressor loads. An extensive review of existing classification schemes was conducted and initial development of a classification framework for estuaries was completed. Physical and hydrological parameters from Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (EMAP) and NOAA's Coastal Assessment and Data Synthesis (CA&DS) data sets were compiled for 203 estuarine drainage areas (EDA) and used to classify estuaries into groups whose members had similar characteristics. Four additional databases were generated for future validation exercises and stressor-response modeling: 1) land cover statistics, 2) stressor loads, 3) in situ stressor concentrations, and 4) modifying factors. Hierarchical cluster analysis of 203 EDAs was performed on the physical and hydrological parameters and identified eleven clusters or groups of EDA/CDAs. This classification did not group estuaries explicitly by responses to stressor loads but, rather, by the hydrological characteristics thought to influence response to stressors.