Determining Causes of Ecological Impairment

Objective:

Through EPA-wide partnerships with states and tribes, develop methods and capabilities to determine causes of biological impairment in rivers and streams.

Approach:

Provide clear guidance for determining causes of biological impairment.
Develop methods to determine causes of biological impairment especially for common causes such as excess sediment, nutrient enrichment, habitat and flow alteration and chemical contamination.
Test and illustrate causal analysis through state and tribal case studies.
Ensure that many states and tribes have experience determining causes of biological impairment.
Develop and provide ready access to tools and databases that make causal analysis easier and faster.

Expected Outputs:

EPA Stressor Identification Guidance and peer reviewed publications.
Workshops and briefings
Causal Analysis and Diagnosis Decision Information System (CADDIS), a web-based system providing guidance, tools, examples and links to information for identifying causes of biological impairments.

Outcomes:

States and tribes will know the probable causes of biological impairments in their streams and rivers.

Contact: Susan Cormier (cormier.susan@epa.gov) | Susan Norton (norton.susan@epa.gov) | Glenn Suter (suter.glenn@epa.gov)

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