![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081014083524im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Uses of Data
Biocriteria Links
Protect Your Watershed
Watershed Ecological Risk Assessment
Bioassessment data are critical to the success of watershed ecological risk assessment efforts. Biological assessment data can also be used to evaluate the ecological improvements from restoration/rehabilitation activities conducted through state watershed protection approaches (WPA).
Introduction
The Agency has placed increased emphasis on community and place-based approaches to environmental management. These efforts represent a fundamental change from traditional single media-based approaches for environmental regulation to a concern for the impact of multiple stressors over a broad range of spatial scales. ORD needs to provide communities the processes and tools that communities are able and willing to use to determine what ecological resources are at risk and how best to protect those resources through management action. Ecological risk assessment could play a major role in bringing science into these place-based decisions.
There are advantages to using the ecological risk assessment paradigm in place based assessments that these activities are anticipated to illuminate. One advantage of using ecological risk assessments is that the process provides resource managers with predictions of what ecological changes will occur from the stressors associated with alternative management decisions. This can convince a risk manager as to why a particular protective action should be taken because anticipated results and the associated uncertainty is described as well as the time frame in which results would be achieved.
By applying the ecological risk assessment framework in watersheds we are clarifying the definition and application of management goals, assessment endpoints, and conceptual model development; expanding the concept of measures; and identifying the explicit need for analysis plans.
Case Studies showing the use of bioassessment data in ecological risk assessments
The Office of Water (OW) and the Office of Research and Development (ORD) cosponsored prototype watershed ecological risk assessment case studies in five different ecological and geographic regions, in July 1993. Three of these case studies clearly illustrate how bioassessment data are used in ecological risk assessments.
Clinch Valley Watershed, Virginia- The assemblage of fish and freshwater mussel species in the rivers in this watershed is among the most diverse in North America. Recent surveys by biologists show a declining abundance of most rare species in this region from anthropogenic stressors such as mining, forestry, agriculture, cattle grazing, municipal septic tanks, and spills.
Waquoit Bay Estuary, Massachusetts- A shallow Cape Cod estuary fed by groundwater and freshwater streams Waquoit Bay is prized by residents and visitors for its aesthetic beauty and recreational opportunities. The bay provides a permanent or temporary home for many fresh- and salt water aquatic species as well as terrestrial species. The Bay has also been designated as a National Estuarine Research Reserve.
"Middle" Snake River, Idaho- The west-central Snake River plain of southern Idaho (called the Middle Snake in this case study) is the most degraded stream reach of the Snake River. Water use demands on the water flowing into this river segment include upstream impoundments and demands for energy, irrigation and dairy feedlots. Many aquatic benthic and pelagic species in this area that require cold, swiftly flowing water are either extinct or threatened.
Please direct comments or questions on Watershed Ecological Risk Assessment to:
Vic Serveiss, National Center for Environmental Assessment- Washington Office, Telephone: 202-260-5794.