Grantee Research Project Results
2003 Progress Report: Integrated Assessment of Watersheds
EPA Grant Number: R828684C003Subproject: this is subproject number 003 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R828684
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for Integrated Multi‐scale Nutrient Pollution Solutions
Center Director: Shortle, James S.
Title: Integrated Assessment of Watersheds
Investigators: Brooks, Robert P. , Rheinhardt, Rick D. , Weller, Donald E. , Jordan, Thomas E. , Whigham, Dennis F. , Wardrop, Denice Heller , O'Connell, Timothy J. , Brinson, Mark M. , Hershner, Carl
Current Investigators: Brooks, Robert P. , Weller, Donald E. , Havens, Kirk , Brinson, Mark M. , Rheinhardt, Rick D. , Hite, Jeremy T. , King, Ryan , Easterling, Mary M. , Bishop, Joseph A. , Rubbo, Jennifer , Armstrong, Brian K. , Baker, Matthew , O'Brien, David
Institution: Pennsylvania State University , Virginia Institute of Marine Science , Smithsonian Environmental Research Center , East Carolina University
Current Institution: Pennsylvania State University , Smithsonian Environmental Research Center , East Carolina University , Virginia Institute of Marine Science
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: March 1, 2001 through February 28, 2005 (Extended to February 28, 2006)
Project Period Covered by this Report: March 1, 2002 through February 28, 2003
RFA: Environmental Indicators in the Estuarine Environment Research Program (2000) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , Water , Aquatic Ecosystems
Objective:
The objectives of this research project are to: (1) develop and test indicators of the biogeochemical health and integrity of watersheds; (2) relate those indicators to environmental conditions; (3) assess the predictability of landscape characteristics to indicator responses; and (4) use those predictions to characterize the effects of watershed discharges on downstream riverine and estuarine health. This is one of four subprojects under the Atlantic Slope Consortium (ASC) Center.
Progress Summary:
Several interactive teams are working on this multi-institutional subproject. Their activities in 2003 are discussed below.
SERC Watershed and Spatial Analysis Team
As part of the overall objective to develop and verify geographical indicators to predict water, sediment, and nutrient losses from watersheds, this team’s primary goal is to improve existing statistical models predicting nutrient and sediment losses from geographic data. A secondary goal is to quantify the impact of wetlands and riparian conditions on watershed discharges. Our approach involves: (1) exploring the efficacy of additional geographic data (beyond physiographic province and land use/land cover); and (2) incorporating information about the spatial arrangement of landscape features, particularly source areas and riparian forests, to test hypotheses about nutrient and sediment transport.
Research activities for Year 3 of the project included the following:
- Explored the effects of different land cover data sets on predictions of nutrient discharge. The results suggest that choice of land cover data has a significant impact on the relative proportions of land cover classes and resulting relationships with measured nutrient concentrations. A manuscript is in preparation on these results (Baker, et al., in preparation, 2004a).
- Explored the relationship among soil properties and nutrient discharge and evaluated the correspondence between wet soils mapped by soils maps with National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) wetland maps. W e found that soil maps have the potential for predicting unmapped wetlands, but preanalysis summary and synthesis required for analysis, as well as poor resolution of State Soil Geographic data, added to predictive error.
- Explored the effects of improved hydrologic characterization on watershed predictions of nutrient export. We found that models with map-based hydrologic models as a single independent predictor accounted for nearly 60 percent of baseflow yields in Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) study watersheds. Combined with land cover estimates, such predictions may augment watershed-scale nutrient predictions.
- Evaluated the influence of wetlands in watershed predictions of nutrient discharge. Initial analyses suggested that mapped wetlands had variable and inconsistent influence on nutrient export across physiographic regions. In addition, the significance of certain hydrologic classes (saturated, seasonally inundated) varied with physiographic province and the nutrient species under consideration.
- Used geographic and hydrologic information to parameterize TOPMODEL in several watershed clusters. We used resulting saturated area predictions to model wetlands and predict nutrient concentrations and then compared these results to our NWI predictions. An analysis is in progress.
- Developed and tested new methods for automated watershed delineation and flowpath modeling. Initial assessment suggested manual watershed delineation methods could be augmented and improved by integrating digital elevation and hydrographic information. A manuscript describing this analysis is in preparation for winter 2004 submission (Baker, et al., in preparation, 2004b).
- Evaluated the effect of stream map resolution on riparian buffer summaries. Initial analyses suggested that map resolution had a significant impact on stream buffer characteristics. These results have implications for indicator studies that use stream buffers as predictors. A manuscript is currently in preparation for spring 2004 submission (Baker, et al., in preparation, 2004c).
- Explored the effects of spatial arrangement of source areas on nutrient discharge. We found that distance weights improved assessment of biotic thresholds in watersheds and improved nutrient discharge predictions by 22 percent in coastal plain watersheds. A manuscript is currently in review (King, et al., submitted, 2004).
- Explored the effects of improved mapping/characterization of riparian buffers. Analyses demonstrated that new metrics, if first constrained by flowpaths, improved predictions of nutrient discharge by nearly 18 percent across physiographic regions. NWI wetland predictions did not improve predictions significantly. A manuscript on these results is in preparation for summer 2004 submission (King, et al., in preparation, 2004).
- Finally, we developed a novel method for estimating subsurface connectivity among land cover, riparian areas, and stream channels for further analysis.
East Carolina University (ECU) Watershed Team
Using data collected from sites in the three ASC study watersheds in North Carolina and from data collected in an ongoing study for the North Carolina Wetland Restoration Program (NCWRP), ECU developed a preliminary assessment procedure for headwater riparian systems. The procedure was field tested by NCWRP personnel and presented to other members of the ASC Watersheds Group during a field trip prior to the ASC All-Hands Meeting at ECU in November. The assessment protocol is in the process of being revised to reflect reference conditions in North Carolina watersheds and to meet specific needs of the NCWRP.
From North Carolina reference data, an indicator of riparian condition was developed based on the biomass of cover types typical for headwater riparian zones in the coastal plain and nutrient signatures in stream water. The rationale for developing the indicator and supporting data were summarized in a poster presented at the December 2003 All EaGLes Meeting in Bodega Bay, California.
Data from the three ASC watersheds in North Carolina (60 sites) are being analyzed further to determine which of the measured indicators are most applicable for estimating the condition of headwater ecosystems in North Carolina. The results of the preliminary analysis were presented at the ASC All-Hands Meeting in March 2004.
During the 2003-2004 project year, ECU worked with the other members of the ASC Watersheds Working Group in developing methods and the final version of the stream/wetland/riparian field data sheets. ECU assisted the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) field crew in collecting field data from 20 random reaches in 3 watersheds in North Carolina. In the process, the assessments sheets designed for stream condition, originally developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, were overhauled to reflect reference conditions in coastal plain headwater streams and riparian zones.
PSU Watershed Team and Multi-Institutional Activities
Application of Stream, Wetland, Riparian (SWR) Protocol. In Year 2 of the project, PSU, SERC, ECU, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science collaboratively developed and pilot tested a protocol for sampling SWR areas. The sampling protocol yields an on-the-ground, rapid assessment of watershed condition, which will be used to verify and calibrate assessments performed using remote sensing. Following pilot testing and refinement of methods in the late summer/fall of 2002, 24 watersheds were selected for intensive sampling. These watersheds were chosen to represent a cross-section of physiographic provinces and land cover classes, with consideration also given to factors such as the quantity, quality, and location (e.g., headwaters vs. downstream) of existing biological data points, the geographic dispersion of watersheds, stream size, and known impacts.
Field data collection using the SWR protocol occurred during the spring through fall of 2003. Sample points were chosen in advance, using a geographic information system (GIS) to select points randomly along streams in the watershed, stratified by stream order. Approximately 20 points were sampled in each selected watershed. Field data then were entered into a Microsoft Access database using a Web-based interface developed specifically for this project. Quality assurance/quality control and analysis of the data currently are underway.
Cross-Scale Analyses. To allow for cross comparisons between the SWR data and landscape-level metrics, we generated information on land cover characteristics in a 1 km circle surrounding each SWR point, and for each HUC-14 watershed, from the National Land Cover Data.
Evaluation of Existing Biological Data Sets. During Year 2 of the project, we identified and compiled information on existing biological data sets in the Atlantic Slope region. In Year 3 of the project, we conducted an i ndepth examination of the characteristics of these data sets, including criteria for sample site selection, dates sampled, field methods, and laboratory processing. This comparison, accompanied by a literature review, led us to conclude that these data sets were dissimilar enough that they could not be combined legitimately for analysis. For this reason, we decided to focus on two of the larger, more comprehensive data sets—the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) and the Maryland Biological Stream Survey—for the purposes of validating our indicators developed at larger scales using indirect measurements of biological integrity (i.e., rapid habitat assessment, analysis of satellite data). Preliminary analyses of these data sets are underway.
Contributions to the Estuarine and Great Lakes (EaGLes) Data Committee . The ASC has been working with the EaGLes Data Committee to develop protocols for long-term storage of data, data organization, data catalogues, metadata creation, and backup of this system. The ASC is in the process of compiling metadata (data about data) describing each of the data sets developed over the course of the project. The data sets and associated metadata will be archived in a central location along with that from other EaGLes projects and made accessible to future researchers at an appropriate point in time.
Future Activities:
Watershed and Spatial Analysis Team
We will complete analyses from Years 2-3 of the project and submit at least five manuscripts for peer review; test the effects of additional watershed descriptors such as impervious surface, septic density, and population density; use improved statistical models to provide expectations for SERC estuarine study; share findings and coordinating analyses with other ASC partners; and share analytical findings with other EaGLe groups in Year 4 of the project.
ECU Watershed Team
ECU will continue to work on developing its assessment procedure for headwater riparian ecosystems in North Carolina. A few more iterations are needed before the procedure is turned over to the NCWRP for their programmatic use. ECU will continue to coordinate with the other members of the ACS Watersheds Group in analyzing field data to identify appropriate riparian indicators for the ASC study area in relation to social choice (land use) and physiographic province. In addition, ECU plans to give several presentations on indicator development.
PSU Watershed Team and Multi-Institutional Activities
We will analyze the data collected using the SWR protocol in Year 4 of the project. These data will allow exploration of the relationships among physical habitat metrics. We will also examine the relationship between physical metrics and landscape metrics, as well as biological data. These analyses will provide insight into the relative benefits of collecting detailed, site-specific information at a few locations versus using synoptic-scale, but less detailed, GIS data in assessing stream health.
Integration
We also will work toward integrating the three main areas of our analyses. These are integration of upstream watersheds with downstream estuaries and (related to that) integration across geographic scales. Several activities are underway in this area. The SERC nutrient discharge model described above will be used to provide expectations for the estuarine study. In addition, the SERC wetland/stream team anticipates integrating with the PSU GIS team to explore the relationship between their Level 1 spatial assessments and the SERC stream assessments. This integration will be one of the key pieces of information that will link PSU’s data from nonestuarine small watersheds to SERC’s estuarine segment data. Additional examples of this type of integration can be found in other subreports.
Journal Articles on this Report : 4 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other subproject views: | All 45 publications | 6 publications in selected types | All 6 journal articles |
---|---|---|---|
Other center views: | All 166 publications | 51 publications in selected types | All 44 journal articles |
Type | Citation | ||
---|---|---|---|
|
King RS, Richardson CJ. Integrating bioassessment and ecological risk assessment: an approach to developing numerical water-quality criteria. Environmental Management 2003;31(6):795-809. |
R828684 (2002) R828684C001 (2002) R828684C001 (Final) R828684C003 (2003) |
Exit Exit |
|
King RS, Baker ME, Whigham DF, Weller DE, Jordan TE, Kazyak PF, Hurd MK. Spatial considerations for linking watershed land cover to ecological indicators in streams. Ecological Applications 2005;15(1):137-153. |
R828684 (2002) R828684C001 (2004) R828684C001 (Final) R828684C003 (2003) |
Exit Exit |
|
Patil GP, Bishop JA, Myers WL, Taillie C, Vraney R, Wardrop D. Detection and delineation of critical areas using echelons and spatial scan statistics with synoptic cellular data. Environmental and Ecological Statistics 2004;11(2):139-164. |
R828684 (Final) R828684C003 (2003) |
Exit Exit Exit |
|
Wardrop DH, Bishop JA, Easterling M, Hychka K, Myers W, Patil GP, Taillie C. Use of landscape and land use parameters for classification and characterization of watersheds in the mid-Atlantic across five physiographic provinces. Environmental and Ecological Statistics 2005;12(2):209-223. |
R828684 (2002) R828684 (Final) R828684C003 (2003) R828684C003 (2004) |
Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
integrated assessment, aquatic ecosystem, wetland, stream, estuary, biological integrity, landscape ecology, scaling, health effects, ecological effect, risk assessment, socioeconomic, decisionmaking, remote sensing, Mid-Atlantic, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program, EMAP, aquatic biota, aquatic ecosystem, indicators, bioindicator, biomonitoring, coastal ecosystem, contaminated sediment, degradation, ecological assessment, ecological exposure, ecosystem assessment, ecosystem indicators, ecosystem stress, environmental stress, estuarine ecosystems, integrated assessment, integrative indicators, land use, nutrient stress, remote sensing,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Geographic Area, Water, ECOSYSTEMS, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, estuarine research, Hydrology, Water & Watershed, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Ecosystem Protection, Economics, Aquatic Ecosystems, Terrestrial Ecosystems, Ecological Monitoring, Mid-Atlantic, Ecological Risk Assessment, Ecology and Ecosystems, Biology, Watersheds, Ecological Indicators, Risk Assessment, ecological exposure, bioindicator, coastal ecosystem, degradation, biogeochemical study, remote sensing, water sheds, aquatic biota , ecosystem assessment, estuaries, optical indicators, nutrients, aquatic habitat, socioeconomics, submerged aquatic vegetation, biomonitoring, ecological assessment, ecosystem indicators, estuarine ecosystems, integrated assessment, Atlantic Slope Consortium, environmental stress, coastal ecosystems, integrative indicators, environmental indicators, water quality, ecology assessment models, watershed assessment, Chesapeake BayRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractMain Center Abstract and Reports:
R828684 Center for Integrated Multi‐scale Nutrient Pollution Solutions Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R828684C001 Integrated Assessment of Estuarine Ecosystems
R828684C002 Development of an Optical Indicator of Habitat Suitability for Submersed Aquatic Vegetation
R828684C003 Integrated Assessment of Watersheds
R828684C004 Socioeconomic and Institutional Research
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.
Project Research Results
6 journal articles for this subproject
Main Center: R828684
166 publications for this center
44 journal articles for this center