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Travel Portland/Larry Geddis
The NWQMC hosted its 8th National Monitoring Conference – Water: One Resource – Shared Effort – Common Future on April 30 – May 4, 2012 in Portland, Oregon. This national forum provides an exceptional opportunity for federal, state, local, tribal, volunteer, academic, private, and other water stakeholders to exchange information and technology related to water monitoring, assessment, research, protection, restoration, and management, as well as to develop new skills and professional networks.

  • Applying Innovative Monitoring Technologies and Methods
  • Strengthening and Advancing Assessment Methods and Models
  • Addressing Climate and Water Availability Issues
  • Communicating Science and Data to Decision Makers and the Public
  • Managing and Sharing Water Quality Monitoring Data
  • Strengthening Monitoring Collaboration and Partnerships at all Scales
  • Addressing Emerging Contaminants and Emerging Threats to Water Quality
  • Evaluating and Managing Water Protection and Restoration Activities

Highlights from the 8th Biennial National Conference

Conference Results

ES A1: Bacteria Monitoring 101: A Workshop Offering You an Opportunity to Learn How to Monitor Bacteria in Your Local Waterway

Organized by Kristine Stepenuck, Wisconsin’s Water Action Volunteers, University of Wisconsin-Extension and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

ES A2: EPA’s National Coastal Condition Assessment: Preliminary National and State Data Analysis

Organized by Treda Grayson and Hugh Sullivan, USEPA

ES A3: Continuous and Real-Time Water-Quality Monitoring; Where are We and Where are We Going? (and Why Aren’t We There Yet!)

Organized by Andy Ziegler, USGS
  Overview of Continuous Real-time Session track Ziegler (USGS)
  Continuous Water-Quality Monitoring in Oregon with a Historical Perspective (and What Can You Do With All These Data?) Rounds (USGS)
  Water Quality Sensors: Where are we, where are we going, and why aren’t we there yet? Tamburri (ACT)
  Regulatory Applications of Real-time Water Quality Data in Newfoundland and Labrador Pugh ( Newfoundland & Labrador Dept. of Environment & Conservation)

ES A4: Taxonomic Consistency in Water Quality Programs – Views from the Laboratory to Program Managers

Organized by Sarah Spaulding, USGS
  Taxonomic consistency in water programs Borisenko (OR DEQ)
  Issues in Periphyton Taxonomic Consistency Winter (Rhithron Associates)
  Taxonomic Consistency – Algae Charles (Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia)
  Taxonomic Issues Brainstorm  

ES A5: Using Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) to Analyze Long-term Water Quality Data Sets

Organized by Robert Hirsch, USGS
  EGRET: Exploration and Graphics for RivEr Trends Hirsch (USGS)
  Mississippi River Basin study Sprague (USGS)

ES A6: Meeting the Nation’s Needs for Water-Quality Information in the Next Decade: Planned Contributions from the NAWQA Program

Organized by Gary Rowe, USGS
  Meeting the Nation’s Needs for Water-Quality Information in the Next Decade: Planned Contributions from the NAWQA Program Rowe (USGS)
  Surface Water Status and Trends Assessment Gilliom (USGS)
  Collaboration to Understand Water-Quality Stressors: National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) and NAWQA Tarquinio (US EPA)
  USGS–EPA Collaboration: Temperate Plains Synoptic VanMetre (USGS)
  Effects of Stressors on Stream Ecosystems Munn (USGS)
  Groundwater Monitoring & Modeling Belitz (USGS)
  NAWQA Cycle 3: Integrated Watershed Studies Capel (USGS)
  Assessing the Nation’s water quality Wolock (USGS)

ES A7: Developing a Regionally Consistent Approach to Lake Biomonitoring for the Northeast

Organized by Kellie Merrell, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and Theresa Portante-Lyle, NEIWPCC

ES A8/B8: Building, Empowering & Sustaining State, Regional and Tribal Water Monitoring Councils and Water Monitoring Partnerships and Alliances

Organized by Barb Horn, Colorado Parks and Wildlife; Cathy Tate, USGS; John Hummer, Great Lakes Commission; Leslie McGeorge and Alena Baldwin-Brown, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
  Building, Empowering & Sustaining State, Regional and Tribal Water Monitoring Councils and Water Monitoring Partnerships and Alliances Horn ( CO Parks and Wildlife) and Tate (USGS)
  NJ Water Monitoring Council – coordination, collaboration and communication mission McGeorge (NJ DEP)
  NWQMC 2012 Outreach and Communications Session Tango (USGS)

ES A9: Implementing Web-based Digital Technologies for Volunteer Monitoring and Watershed Stewardship Organizations and Agencies

Organized by Erickson Burres, California State Water Resources Control Board Clean Water Team
  Adopt-A-Stream Database Hughes (USGS)

B1: Partnerships for Western Water Concerns
Session B1 Abstracts

Moderator: Jason Jones, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
  Federal and State Coordination on Water Policy, Water Resources, and Water Quality via the Western States Water Council and WestFAST Young (WSWC)
  Creating a Baseline Water Quality Library using Citizen-Based Monitoring Data in Southcentral Alaska Lord (Cook Inletkeeper)
  The Umatilla Basin Project: Cooperative Exchange of Columbia River Water for Instream Flows in the Umatilla Basin, Oregon Marvin (OR WRD)

B2: Challenges in Defining Reference Conditions, Session 1

Moderator: Michael Miller, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  Establishing a National Network of Reference Watersheds and Monitoring Sites for Freshwater Streams in the United States

Deacon (USGS)
  Selecting Reference Sites for the U.S. EPA's National Aquatic Resource Surveys Herlihy (OR State University)
  Reference Sites and Reference Condition for Biological Condition Gradient (BCG) Development in the Upper Midwest Gerritsen (Tetra Tech, Inc.)
  Historical and Current Assemblages of the Youghiogheny River Watershed: Implications for Determining Reference Conditions and Conducting Restoration Stranko (MD DNR)

B3: Assessing Water Quality Conditions in Estuaries

Moderator: Hugh Sullivan, US EPA
  Application of Spatially-Referenced Regression (SPARROW) Modeling to Nitrogen and Phosphorus Management in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed as part of a Total-Maximum Daily Load (Toddles) At or (USGS)
  Evaluation of Broader Water Quality Assessments for Coastal National Parks Down-and-out (USGS)
  Integrating Estuarine Water Quality Monitoring in Northeastern National Parks at Local and Regional Scales Nickels (USGS)
  Water Quality and Salmon in the Lower Columbia River: Results of the Lower-Columbia Estuary Partnership's Ecosystem Monitoring Project Johnson (NOAA)

B4: Watershed Protection: Diverse Perspectives

Moderator: Diane Wilson, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  Monitoring the Effectiveness of a New Rain Garden Filtering Medium for Pollutant Removal and Urban Hydro modification Mitigation Mackenzie (Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, CO)
  Use of Ecosystem Service Markets to Protect Drinking Water in the Mackenzie Watershed Mor gens tern (Eugene (OR) Water & Electric Board)
  Drainage Districts as Nitrate-Nitrogen Sources to Headwater Streams Seem an (IA Soybean Assoc..)
  Assessing Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Cultural Needs in Developing Tribal Water Quality Standards and Developing Data and Collaborative Solutions to Protect and Restore Water Resources Stumpy (Evergreen State College)

B5: Monitoring and Assessing Groundwater Quality

Moderator: Christopher Carlson, USDA Forest Service
  The Groundwater-Ecosystem Connection: Multi-Scale Assessment Methods for Inventory, Mapping, and Analysis Aldo us (The Nature Conservancy)
  The Quality of Water in the Nation's Principal Aquifers Rosen (USGS)
  De cad al-scale Changes of Chloride, Dissolved Solids, and Nitrate Concentrations in Groundwater in the United States Lindsey (USGS)
  Temporal Changes in Groundwater Concentrations of Pesticides and Nitrate, and their Relation to Regional Agri chemical Usage Patterns and Other Potential Controlling Factors Coquette (USGS)

B6: Source, Fate and Transport of Mercury

Moderator: Heather Golden, US EPA
  Temporal and Spatial Variability of Mercury, pH, and Non-Sea Salt Sulfate Fluxes Associated with Changes in Anthropogenic Emissions in the Pensacola Bay Region Ma est re (Unit. West Florida)
  The Importance of Dry Gas-Phase Mercury Deposition to Aquatic Ecosystems Carbonates (USGS)
  Modeling Mercury Exposure at Different Scales in the Métier Creek Watershed and Edisto River Basin, SC, USA Knight es (US EPA)
  Mercury in Atmospheric Deposition, Sediment Cores, and Fish on the East and West Coasts of North America, and in the Southern Hemisphere: Effects of Regional and Global Atmospheric Emissions Colman (USGS)

B7: Effective Communication of Water Quality Science to Stakeholders, Session 1

Moderator: Shannon Quigley-Raymond, San Diego River Park Foundation
  Communicating Water-Quality Information - How to Get Started, and What's Most Effective Runkle (USGS)
  Methods, Models and Monitoring... Mundane? Or, Newsworthy Capelli (USGS)
  The Data Speaks: Is It a Language We Understand? Shelled (OK Conserv. Comm.)
  Using Video to Communicate Scientific Findings - Habitat Connections in Urban Streams Harned (USGS)

ES B9: New Techniques in Accessing and Analyzing Water-Quality Data

Organized by Lorraine Murphy, USGS
Agenda || Handout
  Accessing water-quality data for the Nation in a few clicks from USGS and EPA Murphy (USGS)

C1: Expanding the Use of Volunteer Monitoring Information

Moderator: David Chestnut, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
  Integration of Volunteer Monitoring in the Myrtle Beach Urbanized Area's NPDES Phase II Stormwater Management Programs Libes (Coastal Carolina Univ.)
  Collaboration between New Jersey's Volunteer Monitoring Community and the State Agency Donkersloot (NJ DEP)
  Insuring Quality Volunteer Data Riggert (MO Dept. of Conserv.)
  Incorporating and Validating Citizen and Non-Agency Data for 305(b)/303(d) Assessment Beckley (VA DEQ)

C2: Site Evaluation Considerations in Probability-based Surveys

Moderator: Amina Pollard (US EPA)
  National River and Stream Assessment Monitoring Design & Extent Estimates Olsen (US EPA)
  Probabilistic Monitoring in the Southwestern Deserts; What are the Chances of Finding Water? Spindler (AZ DEQ)
  Navigating the Site Evaluation Phase of Probability Based Surveys Linder (Tetra Tech, Inc.)
  Demographic and Geographic Factors Affecting Access to Probabilistic Stream Sites in Kansas Smith (KS Dept. Health and Env.)

C3: Emerging Technologies and Techniques in Real-Time Monitoring

Moderator: Charles Dvorsky, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
  Dissolved Organic Matter as a Proxy for Mercury in Aquatic Ecosystems Aiken (USGS)
  What Can We Learn From Continuous Measurements of Water Quality in Large Rivers? Pellerin (USGS)
  Use of Real-Time Data to Monitor the Biogeochemistry and Plankton Ecology of the Lower Columbia River Maier (OR Health and Science Univ.)
  The Complexities of High-Level Turbidity Measurement - How to Select the Technology to Meet Your Monitoring Needs Sadar (Hach Company)

C4: Assessing Urban Waters

Moderator: Lori Pillsbury, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
  The Response of Benthic Macroinvertebrates to Urbanization in the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watersheds, California Morris (Council for Watershed Health)
  Design and Initial Results from an Integrated, Probabilistic Stream Monitoring Survey in Portland, OR Law (City of Portland)
  Modeling the Health of Wadeable Streams in Connecticut Using Biomonitoring Information and Watershed Characteristics Bellucci (CT Dept. of Energy and Envtl. Prot.)
  Geospatial Techniques for Site Selection and Estimated Benefits of Watershed-scale Implementation of Low Impact Development Jabusch (SFEI)

C5: Cyanobacteria Detection and Monitoring Methods

Moderator: Jennifer Graham, USGS
  Suitability of In Vivo Fluorometry and Backscatter Data to Assess Short-Term Fluctuations of a Cyanobacteria Bloom, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon Schenk (USGS)
  Using Real-Time Monitoring for Assessing Cyanobacteria Algal Blooms and Water Quality Conditions at Two Waterbodies in the Boston Urban Area Faber (US EPA)
  Evaluation and Comparison of Sample Splitting and Cell Lysis Techniques for Recovery of Total Microsystins from Cyanobacteria Loftin (USGS)
  New Mass Spectrometry Methods for the Evaluation of Cyanobacterial Blooms Maier (OR State Univ.)

C6: Predicting the Effects of Klamath River Dam Removal

Moderator: Nancy Roberts-Lawler, Musconetcong Watershed Association
  The Klamath Basin Secretarial Determination: Water Quality Considerations for Decisions about Dam Removal Anderson (USGS)
  Using Monitoring Data and Empirical Analyses to Predict the Long-Term Effects of Dam Removal on Nutrients, Water Quality, and Periphyton in the Klamath River Asarian (Kier Assoc.)
  Simulating Water Temperature of the Klamath River under Dam Removal and Climate Change Scenarios Perry (USGS)
  Model Development and Estimation of Short-Term Impacts of Dam Removal on Dissolved Oxygen in the Klamath River Singer (Stillwater Sciences)

C7: Effective Communication of Water Quality Science to Stakeholders, Session 2

Moderator: Gary Kohlhepp, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
  Beyond Graphs and Tables: Effective Communication of Water Quality Data by the Surfrider Foundation's Blue Water Task Force Dias and Plybon (Surfrider Foundation)
  Methods for Improved Dissemination of Water-Resources Data by the U.S. Geological Survey Arkansas Water Science Center Funkhouser (USGS)
  Landscaping for Water: Addressing Water Quality Impairments One Backyard at a Time Travers (Delaware Nature Society)
  An Examination of Public Perception of Water Quality in Denver, CO Novick (Denver Dept. of Envtl. Health)

C8: Understand, Restore, and Protect Our Waters: National Water Quality Monitoring Council Programs, Initiatives and Products

Organized by Mike Yurewicz, USGS and Susan Holdsworth, USEPA

C9: A Web-Based Tool for Evaluating Surface-Water Nutrient Conditions

Organized by Daniel Wise, USGS

D1: Developing Local, Regional, and National Water Quality Data Exchanges

Moderator: James Beckley, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
  Cloud Based WQX Implementation for Tribal and Volunteer Communities Wicox (Gold Systems, Inc.)
  The California Environmental Data Exchange Network (CEDEN): A Statewide Water Quality Monitoring and Visualization System for California Steinberg (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project)
  Implementing an Organization-Wide Advanced Sampling Data Management System at the New South Wales Office of Water Schlaeger (KISTERS AG, Germany)
  The National Ground Water Monitoring Network: Design, Piloting, and Implementation Cunningham (USGS)

D2: Challenges in Defining Reference Conditions, Session 2

Moderator: Richard Mitchell, US EPA
  The U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Benchmark Network: A Testing Ground for a National Network of Reference Watersheds and Monitoring Sites McHale (USGS)
  Evaluation of Various Classification Schemes for Establishing Reference Conditions for Wisconsin's Stream Resources Miller (WI DNR)
  Development and Evaluation of Reference Criteria for California's Perennial Streams Ode (CA Dept. of Fish and Game)
  Estimating Reference Condition for Large-Scale Surveys -- Where are We, and How Did We Get Here? Stoddard (US EPA)

D3: UV Sensors: Nitrate

Moderator: Brian Pellerin, USGS
  Using Optical Sensors to Measure Nitrate Concentrations in Iowa's Rivers Garrett (USGS
  Benefits of High Resolution In Situ Monitoring of Nitrate in Aquatic Systems Bergamaschi (USGS)
  Nitrate Analysis by UV Spectrophotometry - An Unbiased Comparison of Four Models Snazelle and Fulford (USGS)
  Quantifying the Effects of Particle and Organic Matter Interference on Several Commercially Available In Situ Optical Nitrate Analyzers Saraceno (USGS)

D4: Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Water

Moderator: David Fuller, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe
  The Indigenous Observation Network (ION): Preliminary Results of Long-Term Water-Quality Monitoring in the Yukon River Basin to Address Climate Change Toohey (Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council)
  Vulnerability Assessment of New England Streams to Contribute to a Monitoring Network to Detect Climate Change Effects Bierwagen (US EPA)
  Modeling Hydrologic Alteration and Ecosystem Response to Climate Change in the Southeastern U.S. Hughes (USGS)
  Development of a Decision Support System for Estimating Salinity Intrusion Effects due to Climate Change on the South Carolina and Georgia Coast Conrads (USGS)

D5: Studying Groundwater/Surface Water Interactions

Moderator: Michael Rosen, USGS
  Using Real-time Geochemical Monitoring and Flood Inundation Mapping to Identify Groundwater Under the Influence of Surface Water Braun (USGS)
  Water-Table and Nutrient Fluctuations within the Floodplain of the Upper Cape Fear River, North Carolina McSwain (USGS)
  Stormwater: Benefit or Detriment to Groundwater? Adkins (City of Portland)
  Groundwater Studies with Atmospheric Trace Gases: Current Techniques, Applications, and Future Directions Haase (USGS)

D6: Transformation and Fate of Mercury in River and Streams

Moderator: Christopher Knightes, US EPA
  Willamette Basin Mercury Trends and Analysis, 2003-2011 Lut (OR DEQ)
  Characterizing Mercury Concentrations and Flux Dynamics in a Coastal Plain Watershed using Multiple Models Golden (US EPA)
  Hydrologic Controls on Methylmercury Availability in Coastal Plain Rivers Bradley (USGS)
  Applying measures of Watershed Geomorphology and Organic Carbon to Identify Relative Risk of Mercury Contamination in Regional Landscapes: Example from the Adirondack Mountains of New York Burns (USGS)

D7: Influencing Behavior through Public Education

Moderator: Marisa Burghdoff, Snohomish County, WA
  Making Clear Choices for Clean Water: A Pledge-Based Social Marketing Campaign Hoffmann (Upper White River Watershed Alliance)
  Addressing Threats from Increasing Development in the McKenzie Watershed Toth (Eugene (OR) Water & Electric Board
  Training the Public to Identify Aquatic Invasive Plants Herron (Univ. of Rhode Island)
  Applying Kitsap Public Health's Pollution Identification and Correction Methods for the Restoration & Protection of Shellfish Growing Areas Crim (Kitsap (WA) Public Health District

ES D8/E8: Getting Started: Tools and Resources for Starting Your Volunteer Monitoring Program

Organized by Julie Vastine, Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM), Dickinson College and Danielle Donkersloot, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

ES D9/E9: EPA's National Wetland Condition Assessment: What We Did, Where We Are, and What's Next

Organized by Gregg Serenbetz and Mary Kentula, US EPA
  Potential Frameworks for NWCA Reporting: Building on the Previous NARS Assessments

Kentula (US EPA)
  Approaches to Defining Reference Condition for the NWCA Stevenson (MI State Univ.)
  National Wetland Condition Assessment: Status of Vegetation Data Analysis Magee (US EPA)
  Analyzing Soils Data for the National Wetland Condition Assessment Vasilas (USDA-NRCS)

E1: Applied Biological Assessments

Moderator: Tony Shaw, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  Determining Sediment Impairment in New Mexico using Biologic and Geomorphic Sediment Thresholds Guevara (NM Envt. Dept.)
  Interactions of Stressors in Virginia Streams Willis (VA DEQ)
  Watershed-wide Macroinvertebrate Monitoring in Johnson Creek Iwai (Multnomah County, OR)
  Monitoring Water Quality in Alaskan National Parks: Development of RIVPACS Empirical Models for Assessing Ecological Condition and Detecting Change in a Heterogeneous Landscape Simmons (US NPS)

E2: The National Lakes Assessment 2007: Continuing Analyses and Statewide Survey Results

Moderator: Amina Pollard, US EPA
  The National Lakes Assessment: A National Assessment of Bacteria (Enteroccoci) Levels in Lakes Across the United States Lehmann (US EPA)
  Condition of Indiana Lakes Following the National Lakes Assessment Sobat (IN Dept. Envtl. Mgmt.)
  The Health of Vermont Lakes: Results of the 2007 National Lake Assessment Merrell (VT Agency of Natural Resources)
  Using d2H and d18O in Assessing Evaporation and Water Residence Time of Lakes in EPA's National Lakes Assessment Brooks (US EPA)

E3: Real-time Surrogates

Moderator: Patrick Rasmussen, USGS
  Use of Real-Time Monitoring to Predict Concentrations of Select Constituents in the Menomonee River Watershed, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Baldwin (USGS)
  Continuous Monitoring of Total Phosphorus in the Reedy River through Implementation of Empirical Regression Equations Hammond (Woolpert, Inc.)
  Applications of Fluorescence Spectroscopy to Predict Wastewater in an Urban Stream Goldman (USGS)
  Real-Time Monitoring to Estimate Bacteria Concentrations in Midwest urban Streams Providing the Public with Continuous Water Quality Information Welker (US EPA)

E4: Emerging Contaminants in Urban Waters

Moderator: Greg Pettit, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
  Occurrence and Transformation of Benzodiazepine Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Kosjek (Jozef Stefan Institute, Slovenia)
  Reconnaissance Investigation of Emerging Contaminants in Effluent from Wastewater Treatment Plant and Stormwater Runoff in the Columbia River Basin Morace (USGS)
  Assessing the Extent and Magnitude of Sediment Contamination in Southern California by Two Chemicals of Emerging Concern Schiff (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project)
  Urban Water Monitoring for Organic Contamination Webb (US EPA)

E5: Understanding Nutrients in Surface Water

Moderator: Dave Mueller, USGS
  Temporal Trends in Stream N Concentrations and Biogeochemical Responses to Disturbances in Long-Term Reference Watersheds Argerich (OR State Univ.)
  Spatially Explicit Modeling to Extend Monitoring Information in Major Regions of the Conterminous United States Preston (USGS)
  Use of Refined SPARROW Models to Better Understand the Spatial Distribution and Sources of Nutrients in Streams throughout the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin Robertson (USGS)
  A Web-Based Tool for Evaluating Surface-Water Nutrient Conditions across the Pacific Northwest Wise (USGS)

E6: Predicting Mercury Levels in Fish and Wildlife

Moderator: Leslie McCarty, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
  Mercury and Methylmercury in Reservoirs in Indiana Rich (USGS)
  Landscape-level Patterns of Mercury Contamination of Fish in the South Central United States Drainer (TX Christian Unit.)
  A Dynamic Model using Monitoring Data and Watershed Characteristics to Project Fish Tissue Mercury Concentrations Can (Unit. of Louisville)
  MERGANSER - An Empirical Model to Predict Fish and Loon Mercury in New England Lakes Ka mm an (VT Agency of Natural Res.)

E7: Communication Using Innovative Technologies

Moderator: James Harrington, California Department of Fish and Game
  The Central Valley Monitoring Directory: A Web-based Tool to Aid Monitoring Coordination Jacobs (Aquatic Science Center)
  Improving Scientific Communication through the Use of U.S. Geological Survey Video Podcasts Moor man (USGS)
  Putting Water Quality Information into the Hands of the Public: KCWaters' New Mobile Apps Robichaud (US EPA)
  "Show Me" - Empowering Decision Makers and Stakeholders with Data Analyses Tools to Further Communicate Science Sabee (North Jackson Company, OR)

F1: Data Access through Innovative Web Technologies

Moderator: Dave Wilcox, Gold Systems
  Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Data Indexing - The San Diego River Story Quigley-Raymond (San Diego River Park Foundation)
  Using Innovative Technologies to Access Environmental Data Kim (OR DEQ)
  Introducing the Water Quality Data Portal Booth (USGS)
  Development of a Ground Water Data Portal for Interoperable Data Exchange and Mediation within the National Ground Water Monitoring Network (NGWMN) Lucido (USGS)

F2: Planning and Enhancing the 2012 National Lakes Assessment

Moderator: Treda Grayson, US EPA
  National Lakes Assessment: Overview of 2007 Results and Plans for the 2012 Assessment Pollard (US EPA)
  Results of Pilot Testing in Wisconsin to Add Rapid Macrophyte Assessment to the 2012 National Lake Assessment Asplund and Mikulyuk (WI DNR)
  Measuring Reservoir Drawdown Effects in Texas as Part of the 2012 National Lakes Assessment: A Pilot Study to Enhance National Methods Rogers (TX CEQ)
  Evaluation of Sublittoral and Littoral Indexes of Macroinvertebrate Integrity for Southern New England and Mid-Atlantic Lakes Kurtenbach (US EPA)

F3: Incorporating Innovations into Network Design

Moderator: Andrew Ziegler (USGS)
  Continuous Water-Quality Monitoring Throughout Virginia: Objectives, Study Designs, and Analysis of Data Hyer (USGS)
  Continuous Water Quality Monitoring in Remote Arid West Texas Dvorsky (TX CEQ)
  Regulatory Applications of Real-time Water Quality Data in Newfoundland and Labrador Pugh (Newfoundland and Labrador DEC)
  Use of Technology to Support Tributary and Near-Shore Monitoring for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Peters (USGS)

F4: Tools for Prioritizing Restoration Efforts

Moderator: Lori Sprague (USGS)
  Recovery Potential Screening: Innovative Assessments in State "Laboratories of Democracy" Norton (US EPA)
  Showing a Restoration Benefit in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: The Easy, the Not So Easy, and the Very Hard Southerland (Versar, Inc.)
  Using Mapping Technology and Water Sampling to Prioritize Projects to More Effectively Improve Water Quality in Southeastern Oregon Hammond (OR Dept. of Agriculture)
  Stormwater and Streams: Understanding the Thermal Impact of Stormwater Best Management Practices Watts (Univ. of New Hampshire)

F5: Monitoring Network Design and Redesign

Moderator: Gary Rowe, USGS
  Rehabilitation of the Malawi National Water Quality Monitoring Network: Lessons learned Rossouw (Aurecon, South Africa)
  Long Term Aquatic Resources Monitoring and Research Plan for Lakes Mead and Mohave, Lake Mead national Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona Turner (USGS)
  Initiate and Sustain Collaboration by Focusing on the Delivery of Information to the User Marshack (CA SWRCB)
  Assessing and Improving the Northeast-Midwest Region's Water Information System Dawson (NWF presenting on behalf of Northeast-Midwest Institute)

F6: Monitoring for Impacts of Fracking, Session 1

Moderator: Tony Shaw, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  The Hydraulic Fracturing (HF) Process: Real Concern or Misdirected Focus Concerning Threats to Drinking Water supplies (DWS) Penoyer (US NPS)
  Unconventional Hydrocarbon Development and the Use of Hydraulic Fracturing - Monitoring for Water Quality Impact Kappel (USGS)
  Monongahela River QUEST: A Collaborative Approach to Monitoring Water Quality in the Monongahela River Basin Saville (WVU)
  Continuous Remote Water Quality Monitoring of Headwater Streams within the Marcellus Shale Region of the Susquehanna River Basin Hintz (Susquehanna River Basin Commission)

F7: Monitoring and Modeling Cyanobacteria Blooms, Session 1

Moderator: Tom Faber, US EPA
  History of Cylindrospermopsis in a Large Flood-control, Hydroelectric, and Water-supply Reservoir in Northwestern Arkansas Green (USGS)
  Phytoplankton Communities of Productive Ohio Reservoirs: Importance of Cyanobacteria and Ecoregion Scotese (BSA Environmental Services, Inc.)
  Creating Cost-effective Regional Algal Bloom Monitoring Networks Wilson (Auburn University)
  A Comparison of Modeling Approaches to Predict Taste-and-Odor Occurrences in Cheney Reservoir, Kansas Catton (CO State Univ.)

ES F8/G8: Evaluating Volunteer Monitoring Program Success

Organized by Tara Muenz and Allison Hughes, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream
  Confluence: Georgia Adopt-A-Stream’s Annual Conference Muenz and Hughes (GA Adopt-A-Stream)
  Volunteer Monitoring Program Evaluation: a case from Alabama Water Watch Deutsch (AL Water Watch)
  Evaluating Volunteer Monitoring Program Success: Data Use AWW Data Management Ruiz-Córdova (Global Water Watch)
  Using Volunteer Monitoring Data: A Georgia Perspective
 Smith GA DNR)

F9/G9: Data Analysis from the National Rivers and Streams Assessment

Organized by Ellen Tarquinio, USEPA

G1: Development and Use of Water Quality Indicators

Moderator: Jim Dorsch, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, Denver, CO
  Effective Public Communication of Water Quality Data Pritchard (San Diego Coastkeeper)
  Using an Automated Water Quality Report Card System from the East Coast on the West Coast - A Successful Implementation Busse (San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board)
  Comparing Metrics Used to Assess Macroinvertebrate Collections: Ways to Communicate Your Results and Avoid Calibration Problems Martin (Adrian College)
  Ranking Matrix to Prioritize Watersheds in a TMDL Context Stringfellow (Univ. of the Pacific)

G2:Improving State/Tribal Monitoring Programs using the National Aquatic Resource Surveys

Moderator: Marsha Landis, US EPA
  Integrating Random Probabilistic Design Surveys into Legacy Statewide Rotating Integrated Basin Studies Smith (NY DEC)
  State-Scale Statistically-Valid Surveys NARS and State Programs Concordance and Discord Chestnut (SC Dept. of Health and Envtl. Control)
  2010 National Coastal Condition Assessment: Lessons Learned in Michigan Roush (MI DEQ)
  Nebraska's Wetland Assessment Intensification Study as Part of the National Wetland Condition Assessment Project LaGrange (NE Game and Parks Commission)

G3: Continuous Real-time Monitoring: QA from Start to Finish

Moderator: Daniel Sullivan, USGS
  From Quality Assurance to Data Elements: Making the Connections for Sensors Katznelson (UC Berkley)
  USGS Protocols for the Operation of Continuous Water-Quality Monitors Wagner (USGS)
  Estimating Missing Data in Water Quality Time Series Stoks (RIWA, The Netherlands)
  "... and When That Doesn't Work..." Real-Life in Real-Time Monitoring Dvorsky (TX CEQ)

G4: Prioritizing Emerging Contaminants for Monitoring

Moderator: David Thompson, Colorado Trout Unlimited
  Which Unregulated Organic Chemicals are Highest Priority as Contaminants of Emerging Concern? Diamond (Tetra Tech, Inc.)
  Prioritization of Constituents and Analytical Methods for National Assessments by the U.S. Geological Survey Valder (USGS)
  Use of Market Forensics to Estimate the Environmental Load of Ingredients from Consumer Products DeLeo (American Cleaning Inst.)
  Drugs Here, There, and Everywhere - How One Utility Refined Its Approach to Emerging Contamination Anderson (City of Portland)

G5: Healthy Drinking Water for Healthy People

Moderator: Curtis Cude, Oregon Health Authority
  The Reliability of Drinking Water Quarterly Compliance Monitoring Data as Reflected By EPA's 2nd 6-Year Review of National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Regnier (National Rural Water Association)
  Chemical Mixtures in Water from Public-Supply Wells in the U.S. - Occurrence, Composition, and Potential Toxicity Norman (USGS)
  Assessment of Arsenic Concentrations in Domestic Well Water in Maine Nielsen (USGS)
  The Big Four: How Arizona's Most Comprehensive Groundwater Quality Assessment Relates to Discount Shopping Towne (AZ DEQ)

G6: Monitoring for Impacts of Fracking, Session 2

Moderator: Christopher Carlson, USDA Forest Service
  Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA-DEP) Water Quality Monitoring Section, Continuous Instream Monitoring, In Response to Ever Increasing "Deep Well" Shale Gas Drilling Activity Shull (PA DEP)
  Monitoring Potential Surface-Water Effects from Shale Gas Exploration and Extraction Activities in the Fayetteville Shale of North-Central Arkansas Funkhouser (USGS)
  Assessing Potential Water-Quality Effects on Shallow Groundwater from Unconventional Gas Production in the Fayetteville Shale in Arkansas Kresse (USGS)
  Groundwater Quality Assessment in the Central Arkansas Area Overlaying the Fayetteville Shale Gas Play Nottmeier (Univ. of Arkansas)

G7: Monitoring and Modeling Cyanobacteria Blooms, Session 2

Moderator: Mary Skopec, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
  Phytoplankton Community Dynamics in 28 North American Reservoirs/Lakes: A Multivariate Analysis Beaver (BSA Envtl. Services, Inc.)
  Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Microcystins and their Relation to Other Water Quality Variables in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon Eldridge (USGS)
  Environmental Influences on Toxic and Non-Toxic Microsystins Populations in Vancouver Lake, Washington Lee (WA State Univ.)
  Reassessment of Cyanotoxin Mixture in the 2007 US EPA National Lakes Assessment Loftin (USGS)

H1: Adaptive Monitoring with Volunteers

Moderator: Linda Green, University of Rhode Island
  State of the Malibu Creek Watershed: Results from 12 years of Citizen Monitoring Pease (Heal the Bay)
  Maryland Stream Waders Volunteer Monitoring Program: Eleven Years of Success! Boward (MD DNR)
  Colorado River Watch's Success Over the Past Twenty-two Years Campus (Colorado River Watch)
  Amphibian Monitoring with the Georgiz Adopt-A-Stream Program Muenz (GA DNR)

H2: Results from State and Regional Wetlands Assessments

Moderator: Gregg Serenbetz, USEPA
  California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) Results from the 2011 EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment Clark (Moss Landing Marine Laboratories)
  Evaluating the Range of Natural Variability in Wetlands: Lessons Learned from the Rocky Mountain ReMAP Project Vance (Univ. of Montana)
  Ohio's Intensification of the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) Gara (OH EPA)
  A Comparison of the North Carolina Rapid Assessment Method with the Ohio Rapid Assessment Method using the National Wetland Condition Assessment Sites Savage (NC DENR)

H3: Information Systems for Accessing and Assessing Data

Moderator: Rick Hooper, Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science
  StreamChemDB: Development of a Web-Accessible Database of Stream Chemistry for U.S. Forest Service Experimental Forests and National Science Foundation Ling-Term Ecological Research Sites Greathouse (OR State Univ.)
  Tackling Data Comparability for Multiple Uses Grosso (SFEI)
  Recovery Potential Screening: Online Tools for Assessing Watershed Restorability DiMascio (US EPA)
  Water Quality Data Assessment Using Principle Component Analysis, Case Study: Qazvin, Iran Vaghefi (Amirkabir Univ. of Technology, Iran)

H4: Emerging Contaminants in Fish

Moderator: Kathy Kuivila, USGS
  A Demonstration of the WERF Trace Organic Compounds Database Management System for Analyzing Impacts of Trace Organic Compounds on Aquatic Populations and Communities White (Tetra Tech, Inc.)
  Passive Samplers: Considerations to Help Make Your Study a Success Alvarez (USGS)
  Emerging and Legacy Contaminants in POCIS, SPMDs, Sediments, and the Largescale Sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) in the Lower Columbia River - USGS ConHab Project Nilsen (USGS)
  Analysis of Fish Tissue in the National Rivers and Streams Assessment Focusing on a National Assessment of Organo-halogen Compounds in Fish from U.S. Rivers Wathen (US EPA)

H5: Understanding Nutrients: Groundwater/Surface Water Interactions

Moderator: Neil Dubrovsky (USGS)
  Surface Water and Groundwater Interactions and Processes Affecting Nitrogen Speciation in a Karst Aquifer Mahler (USGS)
  Hydrologic and Geochemical Factors Influencing Stream Vulnerability to Legacy Nutrients Tesoriero (USGS)
  Nutrient Loads and Concentrations in the Nation's Streams During Base Flow Spahr (USGS)
  Nitrate Trends in the Mississippi River and its Tributaries: Evidence of Groundwater/Surface Water Interaction Sprague (USGS)

H6: Deepwater Horizon Spill Monitoring

Moderator: Steve Wolfe, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
  Response to an Oil Spill: USGS Protocols and Procedures for Shoreline Sampling Under Potentially Hazardous Conditions Wilde (USGS)
  Throwing a Scientist to the Wolves: Lesson Learned by a Scientist during the Deepwater Horizon Response Bryant (USGS)
  Organic Contaminants and Trace Elements in Water and Sediment Sampled in Response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Nowell (USGS)
  An Investigation of the Relationship Between Contamination in Sediments and the Water Column following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Hydrocarbons Sampling Distribution in Subsurface Sediment and Water Samples Spier (University of the Pacific)

H7: Pathogen Source Identification and Management

Moderator: Laura Webb, US EPA
  The Poop Stops Here: E. Coli Sampling for Volunteer Water Quality Monitors Apodaca (Lower Colorado River Authority)
  Detecting and Eliminating an Illicit Source of Bacteria in an Urban Watershed in Minnesota Loyas (Capitol Region Watershed District, MN)
  Implementation of a Wildlife Scat Monitoring Program to Determine Giardia and Cryptosporidium Prevalence and Concentrations from Fecal Deposits in the Protected Bull Run Watershed, Oregon Rodriguez del Rey (City of Portland)
  Bacteria Contamination in Urban Water Monitoring using Multiple Analytical Tools Webb (US EPA)

ES H8: Fascinating Biogeochemistry – How Diel Cycling Complicates Surface-Water Monitoring

Organized by David Nimick, USGS

ES H9: Design and Indicator Selection for the National River and Streams Assessment 2013-2014

Organized by Ellen Tarquinio, USEPA

  National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA 2013-2014): Criteria for Indicator Selection Tarquinio (USEPA)
  National River and Stream Assessment 2013-14: Survey Design for Selection of Sites Olsen (USEPA)

I1: Effects of Diel Cycling on Stream Conditions

Moderator: David Nimick, USGS
  Diel Cycles in Major and Trace Elements in Streams: Anthropogenic Effects on, and Additions to, Natural Cycles Reilly (USGS)
  Diel Variation in Sediment Load in a 5th Order River in SE Idaho - Temporal Variation and Impacts on Load Estimates Inouye (NSF)
  Diel Cycles Confound Synoptic Sampling in a Metal-Contaminated Stream Kimball (USGS)
  Effects of Daily Fluctuations in Streamflow on Stream Metabolic Activity Calculations Argerich (OR State Univ.)

I2: Applications and Analyses Using National Aquatic Resource Surveys Data and Geospatial Information

Moderator: Tommy Dewald, USEPA
  Applying NHDPlus to Support the NLA and NRSA McKay (Horizon Systems Corp.)
  Creating the Spatial Framework for National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS): Melding National Aquatic Data Sets with Survey Requirements Weber (USEPA)
  The Development of a Reference Lake Screening Tool for Natural Lakes in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States Using 2007 NLA Land use and Water Chemistry Data Hoffmann (MN State Univ. - Mankato)
  Using AttILA for Landscape-based GIS Analyses in the Identification of Reference Lakes for EPA's 2012 National Lakes Assessment Cox (USEPA)

I3: Data Quality Management Tools and Techniques

Moderator: Terry Schertz, USGS
  Bayesian Surprise as a Tool for Validating Data from Sensor Networks Brooks (Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison)
  Quality Control of Observational Datasets Collected in a Real-Time Monitoring Network Fuller (Clarkson Univ.)
  Streamlining and Automating Water-quality Time-series Records Processing Rasmussen (USGS)
  Visualization and Exploration of Time-Dense Monitoring Data with the USGS Data Grapher Rounds (USGS)

I4: Monitoring for the Effectiveness of TMDLs

Moderator: Tatyana DiMascio, USEPA
  Overview of Washington State's TMDL Effectiveness Monitoring Program Collyard (WA Dept. of Ecology)
  TMDL Effectiveness Assessments for the Union River and Dungeness River Watersheds Godfrey (The Cadmus Group, Inc.)
  Development of a Monitoring Program for Evaluating Water Quality Improvements and TMDL Effectiveness in Bear Creek, Oregon Meyers (OR DEQ) and Godfrey (The Cadmus Group, Inc.)
  Recommendations and Tools for Developing TMDL Effectiveness Monitoring Plans Blake (The Cadmus Group, Inc.)

I5: Monitoring for Nutrient Impacts and Criteria Development

Moderator: Timothy Asplund, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  Adapting a Biological and Water Quality Monitoring Program to Supply Information Required for Implementing Numeric Nutrient Criteria Miltner ( OH EPA)
  A Biological Condition Gradient Approach for Using Diatoms to Assess Nutrient Conditions: New Jersey Streams Charles (ANS, Philadelphia)
  The Use of Structural and Functional Indicators to Develop Numeric Nutrient Criteria for Utah's Wadeable Streams Shupryt (UT DEQ)
  Using Multiple Lines of Evidence to Assess Biostimulatory Effects in Central Coastal California Surface Waters Worcester (Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board)

I6: Dam Removal and Associated Water Quality Impacts

Moderator: Chauncey Anderson, USGS
  Tribal Water Quality Monitoring Programs in the Klamath River and Major Tributaries Fetcho (Yurok Tribe) and Bowman (Karuk Tribe)
  Dillon Dam - To Pipe or not to Pipe? Evaluation of a Umatilla River Irrigation Diversion Structure Silbernagel (Umatilla Basin Watershed Council)
  Monitoring and Assessing Water Quality Issues for the Martis Creek Lake Dam Project Baum (USACE)
  Assessing Dam Removals on a Shoestring: Underwater Photos using Digital Cameras to Complement Bug Data Roberts-Lawler and Barry (Musconetcong Watershed Association)

I7: National Monitoring Network of Coastal Waters and Their Tributaries

Moderator: Michael Yurewicz, USGS
  Sources and Transport of Nitrogen to Estuaries along the U.S. Atlantic Coast Hoos (USGS)
  NOAA's National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment Lauenstein (NOAA)
  Nutrient and Dissolved Oxygen Monitoring for the Delaware Basin Demonstration Project of the National Monitoring Network for Coastal Waters Fischer (USGS)
  Adapting Continuous Suspended Sediment and Water Quality Monitoring for New Findings in San Francisco Bay Schoellhamer (USGS)

ES I8: Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring around the World: Global Water Watch Affiliate Experiences in Mexico, South America, and the Philippines

Organized by Heather Williams, Ponoma College/Global Water Watch
  Bottom-up science and the politics of clean water: Evidence from southern Peru Williams, Vice President, The Chijnaya Foundation
  The Mexican Story Ramos-Escobedo, Global Water Watch-Mexico

I9: Using Wetlands Monitoring and Assessment Information to Support Decision-Making

Organized by Gregg Serenbetz and Regina Poeske, USEPA
  Using Wetland Monitoring and Assessment  in Virginia’s Regulatory Program Henicheck (VA DEQ)
  Development of a Wetland Assessment Protocol in GA Moody (GA DNR)
  Using Wetland Inventory and Assessment Data Collection and Use in Colorado Lemly (Colorado Natural Heritage Program)
  Wetland Mapping and Monitoring: Challenges, Opportunities, & Current Initiatives Awl (Wetland Mapping Consortium)

J1: Strengthening Monitoring Programs through Nonprofit / Nonprofit Collaboration

Moderator: Susan Higgins, Missouri Department of Natural Resources
  Unique Partnerships in Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring: Successes and Challenges from a Year as an AmeriCorps VISTA as the Link between Colorado Trout Unlimited and Colorado River Watch Thompson (Colorado River Watch)
  Benefits and Challenges of Creative Partnerships to Monitor River Restoration Projects Frey (River Network)
  A Watershed Project of a Different Color: A Cooperative Monitoring and Stewardship Project between the Springfield Public Schools and the McKenzie Watershed Council Perlmeter (Springfield (OR) Public Schools
  Ozarks Water Watch Project Higgins (MO DNR)

J2: Innovations in Data Capture and Tracking

Moderator: Sarah Lehmann, USEPA
  Using Electronic Field Forms for State Monitoring Programs Pappani (ID DEQ)
  Developing Electronic Field Forms for use in the National Aquatic Resource Surveys Landis (USEPA)
  Lessons Learned from the National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) McCauley (GLEC, Inc.)
  Illuminating the NARS Data Entry Black Box: What Happens Between Sample Collection and Data Availability for Use in Assessments? Blocksom (USEPA)

J3: Innovative Techniques for Monitoring, Session 1

Moderator: Jane Caffrey, University of West Florida
  Assessing the Nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes with a Towed Sensor Array Warren (USEPA)
  Water-Quality Mapping in the Caloosahatchee River, San Carlos Bay, Matlacha Pass, and Pine Island Sound, Florida Patino (USGS)
  Mobile Environmental Monitoring Platform: Water Monitoring on Wheels Pugh (Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation)
  Telediagnosis: A New Concept for Rapid Assessment of Accidental or Intentional Water Resource Contamination Baures (Advanced School of Public Health, France)

J4: Nonpoint Source Monitoring for TMDL Implementation

Moderator: Michael Eberle, USGS
  Estimation of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) in Agricultural Watersheds using a Combined Continuous and Periodic Sampling Approach Gulati (Univ. of the Pacific)
  From Control Site to Treated Site: The Challenge of Quantifying Improvements at Walters Creek Gillespie (Morro Bay National Estuary Program)
  Ecological Function Approach to TMDL Prioritization and Implementation Hall (USEPA)
  Impaired Waters Within or Near US Forest Service Properties: a National Geospatial Assessment Norton (USEPA)

J5: Nutrient Source Tracking using Multiple Lines of Evidence

Moderator: Mary Giorgino (USGS)
  Stable Isotope Mixing Models as a Tool for Tracking Sources of Water and Water Pollutants Phillips (USEPA)
  Combined Use of Stable Isotopes and Hydrologic Modeling to Better Understand Nutrient Dynamics in Highly Altered Systems Young (USGS)
  Evaluation of Nutrient Concentrations, Sources, and Pathways in Three Urban Streams in Durham County, North Carolina McSwain (USGS)
  Lessons Learned from 20+ Years of Piggybacking Nutrient and Organic Matter Studies onto Large-Scale Monitoring Programs Kendall (USGS)

J6: Bioaccumulation of Methylmercury in Aquatic Ecosystems

Moderator: Mark Brigham, USGS
  It's Not What it Looks Like: Are Temporal Trends in Fish Mercury Levels Affected More by Environmental Conditions or Loadings? Glover (SC Dept. of Health and Envtl. Control)
  Methylmercury Accumulation in the Base of an Estuarine Food Web; Sinclair Inlet, WA Moran (USGS)
  Does Dietary Carbon Source Influence Methylmercury Bioaccumulation by Macroinvertebrates and Fishes in Small Streams? Riva-Murray (USGS)
  Variability in Mercury Bioaccumulation Factors (BAFs) for Riverine Fish across the United States Elkenberry (USGS)

J7: Standardizing and Enhancing Biological Assessment Methods

Moderator: Shannon Hubler, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
  Standardizing Bioassessment Protocols: Collaboration Without a Carrot or a Stick Hayslip (USEPA)
  Standardizing and Enhancing Bioassessment Protocols: Developing a Science-Based Performance Measure of Stream Condition Lester (King County (WA) DNR)
  A Tool to Evaluate the Health of Streams and Rivers within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Foreman (Univ. of Maryland)
  Development of a Fish Assemblage Tolerance Index for the National Rivers and Streams Assessment Peck (USEPA)

ES J8/K8: It Ain't Necessarily So: Urban Legends in Environmental Statistics

Organized by Dennis Helsel, Practical Stats

ES J9: Advancing the Implementation of a National Water Quality Monitoring Network for U.S. Coastal Waters and Their Tributaries

Panel Members:
Judy Beck, U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office (Lake Michigan Manager)
Whitney Broussard III, Ph.D., University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Research Scientist)
Gunnar G. Lauenstein, NOAA (Manager, Mussel Watch Program)
Donna N. Myers, U.S. Geological Survey (Chief, Office of Water Quality)
Jan A. Newton, Ph.D., University of Washington (Executive Director, National Association of Northwest Ocean Observing Systems)
Anthony (Tony) R. Olsen, U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development (Chief, Freshwater Ecology Branch)

K1: Evaluating Monitoring Program Needs and Outcomes

Moderator: Elizabeth Herron, University of Rhode Island
  A Summary of Findings on Citizen Monitoring Contributions Towards the Monitoring of California Waters and Beneficial uses Burres (CA SWRCB)
  Assessing the Needs of Extension-affiliated Volunteer Monitoring Programs Green (Univ. of Rhode Island)
  What about the Volunteers? A Toolkit for Evaluating Learning Outcomes of Volunteer Participation in Water Quality Monitoring Programs Phillips (Cornell Univ.)
  Analysis and Reporting of Volunteer-Collected Data in the Deer Creek Watershed, St. Louis County, Missouri Haake (Litzsinger Road Ecology Center)

K2: Using the National Aquatic Resource Surveys to Support Regional/State/Tribal Information and Decision Needs

Moderator: Aaron Borisenko, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
  An Example of Using National, State and Local Surveys to Support an Integrated Basin Water Quality Assessment: The Willamette Basin (Oregon) Rivers and Streams Assessment Mulvey (OR DEQ)
  Increasing State Biological Monitoring Capabilities Using Probabilistic Monitoring Strategies Hill (VA DEQ)
  California's Successful Transition from Western Pilot EMAP to a State Funded Wadeable Streams Assessment program and Biocriteria Harrington (CA Dept. of Fish and Game)
  Virginia's 2010 Near-Shore Oceanic Survey: Characterizing the Commonwealth's 6th Order Near-Shore Oceanic Watersheds Smith (VA DEQ)

K3: Innovative Techniques for Monitoring, Session 2

Moderator: Mike Eberle, USGS
  Improving Upon Decades of Poor Quality Solids Data in Urban Stormwater through use of an Automated Depth-Integration Sample Collection System Selbig (USGS)
  Quantifying Solids and Phosphorus Loads Captured by Catch Basins and Manholes Baker (Capitol Region Watershed District, MN)
  Quantifying Suspended Sediment Sources, Sinks, and Residence Times using Radioisotopic Methods and Reservoir Theory Skalak (USGS)
  Instream Turbidity Monitoring Used to Assess Landslide Hazards in the Western Cascades Sobieszczyk (USGS)

K4: Identifying and Protecting Healthy Watersheds

Moderator: Laura Gabanski, USEPA
  Maryland's Greenprint: A Model for Targeting and Protecting the State's Most Ecologically Valuable Lands and Watersheds Conn (MD DNR)
  Mapping Vermont's Critical Watershed Resource Areas: Data Integration using the Recovery Potential and Healthy Watersheds Approach Kamman (VT Agency of Natural Resources)
  What is a Healthy Watershed? Minnesota's Systems Approach to Measuring, Monitoring and Communicating Chisholm (MN DNR)
  Developing California's Healthy Streams Partnership: Integrated Assessments and Information Delivery through the California Water Quality Monitoring Council's Ecosystem Health Internet Portal Larsen (CA SWRCB)

K5: Using Diverse Data Sources for Assessment

Moderator: Charles Kovatch, USEPA
  Managing and Sharing BP Oil Spill Data from the Gulf of Mexico White (Tetra Tech, Inc.)
  Lessons Learned from Creating Multi-Agency Nutrient Datasets to Estimate Loads and Calibrate Regional Nutrient SPARROW models Saad (USGS)
  Management and Sharing of Water Resources Data as a Basis for Rapid TMDL Estimating Best (USEPA)
  Applied Open Standards in Integrated Water Information Management: Enabling the "World Water Online" Vision Natschke (KISTERS AG, Germany)

K6: Strengthening Monitoring Programs through Government-to-Government Collaboration

Moderator: Susan Holdsworth, USEPA
  Water Quality Sampling on Lake Mead, Arizona-Nevada: Interagency Sampling Events to Facilitate the Comparability of Data Tietjen (Southern Nevada Water Authority)
  From the Ground Up Hamilton (USGS)
  Partnering for Monitoring and Research Across the Great Lakes: The Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative Horvatin (USEPA)
  Water-Quality Modeling in the United States and Canada for the Souris-Assiniboine-Red River Transboundary Watersheds Johnston (USGS)

K7: Monitoring for Microbial Pathogens

Moderator: David Chestnut, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
  Portland Water Bureau's One-Year Cryptosporidium Study in the Bull Run Watershed Rodriguez del Ray (City of Portland)
  Monitoring Indicator Bacteria Growth in Marine Sediment Causing Shellfish Harvest Closures Michaud (Herrera Environmental Consultants)
  Real-Time Monitoring of Water Quality through a Holistic Approach to Particle Characterization Peterson (Oregon Health and Science Univ.)
  Non-stormwater Discharge Pollution Loading in Two Mid-Atlantic Subwatersheds and Implications for Nutrient and Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Loads Lilly (Center for Watershed Protection)

ES K9: Gulf of Mexico Monitoring - Developing a Long-Term Water Quality Monitoring Framework

Sarah Lehmann and Treda Grayson, USEPA; Steve Wolfe, Gulf of Mexico Alliance; Mickey Plunkett, USGS: Alyssa Dausman, USGS

ES L1: Shale Gas Volunteer Monitoring

Organized by Julie Vastine and Kathryn Tomasho, Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM), Dickinson College

L2: Leveraging State Partners to Assist the National Aquatic Resource Surveys and State Level Data Collection

Moderator: Barbara Scott, Kentucky Division of Water
  Partnership Opportunities for Statewide Assessments of Lake Conditions Heiskary (MN Pollution Control Agency)
  Capitalizing on an Opportunity: An Example of a Multiple Collaborator Endeavor Formed Around the National Wetland Condition Assessment in North Dakota DeKeyser (ND State Univ.)
  Sample It Once, Use It Twice. The Integration of NARS Surveys with State and Volunteer Data for Water Resource Management Decisions in Iowa Skopec (IA DNR)
  Alaska's Statistical Monitoring Surveys - Implementation through Partnerships Lomax (AK Dept. of Envtl. Conserv.)

ES L3: Effective Public Communication of Water Quality Data

Organized by Travis Pritchard, San Diego Coastkeeper

L4: Monitoring Effectiveness of BMPs for Urban Stormwater

Moderator: Diane Switzer, USEPA
  Implementing an In-Stream Stormwater Monitoring Program to Measure BMP Effectiveness French (VCU)
  Evaluation of Effects of Middleton's Storm Water Management Activities on Streamflow and Water Quality Characteristics of Pheasant Branch, 1975-2008 Gebert (USGS)
  Assessing Watershed Scale Responses to BMP Implementation in Urban Watersheds Jastram (USGS)
  Portland Documents Stormwater Management Success Using Green Streets Kurtz (City of Portland)

L5: Data Sharing and Presentation for Diverse User Groups

Moderator: Linda Vance, Montana Natural Heritage Program
  Development of a Web-Based Data Repository to Assess Land Use Change and Surface-Water-Quality in the Piceance Basin, Northwest Colorado 1959-2009 Moore (USGS)
  Niche Portals - Filling the Gap between Large-Scale Data Servers and the Needs of User Groups Syed (North Jackson Company, OR)
  Tools for Integrated Water Management - The San Diego Experience Purohit (EcoLayers, Inc.)
  The State of Missouri's Streams-Showcasing Missouri Stream Team Invertebrate Data: 1993-2010 Neill (Missouri Stream Team Watershed Coalition)

ES L6: Creative Partnerships for Monitoring Restoration Projects

Organized by Merritt Frey, River Network

L7: Monitoring and Predicting Cyanobacteria Blooms in Water Supplies

Moderator: Michael McDonald, USEPA
  Co-Occurrence of Cyanobacteria Toxins and Taste-and-Odor Compounds in Midwestern Drinking-Water Supply Reservoirs Tedesco (Wetlands Inst.)
  Fate and Transport of Cyanobacteria-Related Toxins and Taste-and-Odor Compounds from Milford Reservoir and Other Upstream Reservoir Releases in the Kansas River, Kansas, 2011 Graham (USGS)
  Multi-year Trends in Microcystis aeruginosa and Associated Microcystin Toxin in the Klamath River System: Implications for Sampling and Public Health Kann (Aquatic Ecosystem Sciences LLC)
  A Framework for the Implementation of a Cost Effective Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Bloom (Chab) Monitoring Program - A Case Study of Hypertrophic Lake Taihu, China Otten (UNC, Chapel Hill)

ES L8: Overview of US EPA Policies Regarding Data Solicitation, Screening, and Interpretation for Section 303(d)/305(b) Listing and Reporting

Organized by Bill Painter, USEPA

ES L9: Navigate the USGS Water Web Sites

Organized by Donna Myers, USGS
  U.S. Geological Survey water websites - a useful subset Rounds (USGS)

ES M1: Bridge Day Plenary Panel: Are Monitoring Collaborations Worth My Time?

Organized by NWQMC and River Rally Bridge Day Subcommittee

Moderator, Mary Skopec, Section Chief, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
  Cooperative Extension and Volunteer Monitoring: Rhode Island’s Experience Green (Univ. of Rhode Island Watershed Watch)
  Collaborative Monitoring Efforts in the Umatilla River Subbasin, Oregon Webster (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Department of Natural Resources and Fisheries)
  Bear Creek Oregon – Case Study Meyers (OR DEQ, Western Region)
  Achieving Outstanding Alabama Water Designation for the Magnolia River through Citizen Action Deutsch (Alabama Water Watch)

M2: Evaluating Statewide Probabilistic and Fixed Site Monitoring Programs

Moderator: Mike Ell, North Dakota Department of Health
  A Comparison of EPA and State Probabilistic Monitoring Methodologies in Arizona Jones (AZ DEQ)
  North Carolina's Assessment of the Attainment of Water Quality Standards Conducted through Probabilistic Monitoring Kroeger (NC DWQ)
  Probabilistic versus Fixed Site Monitoring: Results from a Decade of Rotating Basin Design Monitoring in Oklahoma Tramell (OK Conserv. Comm.)
  Ecological Condition Assessments of California's Perennial Wadeable Streams: Highlights from the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program's Perennial Streams Assessment (2000-2007) Azimi-Gaylon (CA SWRCB)

M3: Evaluation of New In-situ Sensors

Moderator: Brian Bergamaschi, USGS
  A Microfluidic Chemical-Spectrophotometry (MCS) System for In-situ Monitoring of Heavy Metals Ndukaife (Purdue Univ.)
  Recommendations for Improving In-Situ Dissolved Organic Carbon Fluorescence Sensors Based on Analysis of Nationwide Excitation Emission Matrix (EEM) Data Butler (USGS)
  Real-time Monitoring of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) Amount, Composition, Source and Reactivity Using Fluorescence Sensors: Applications for Drinking Water Quality Kraus (USGS)
  The Effects of Iron on the Optical Properties of Dissolved Organic Matter Aiken (USGS)

M4: Identifying Causes of Impairment Due to Multiple Stressors

Moderator: Jeff Thomas, Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission
  A Long Term Groundwater Improvements Project in Oregon's Willamette Valley Eldridge (OR DEQ) and Fenn (OR Dept. of Agriculture)
  Indicators, Diagnosis, Reduced Uncertainty, Criteria Assessment, Policy Setting and Discovery: Advancing Applications Using High Frequency Water Quality Monitoring Data in the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership Tango (USGS)
 

Evaluating Effects of Atmospheric and Geologic Disturbance on a Southwest Alaska Lake

Moore (USNPS)
  What Happened to the Neighborhood? Separating the Effects of Organics of Emerging Concern from Other Environmental Stressors on Aquatic Biological Communities Diamond (Tetra Tech, Inc.)

M5: Contamination of Drinking Water Supplies

Moderator: Julia Campus, Colorado River Watch
  Investigating the Source of Nitrate in a Salinas Valley Drinking Water Supply Well with Isotopic Tracers Holtz (CA State Univ. - East Bay)
  Groundwater Quality in the San Fernando-San Gabriel Groundwater Basins, CA Kulongoski (USGS)
  Well Assessment Decision Support System - A Web Tool for Evaluating the Vulnerability of Public-Supply Wells Thompson (USGS)
  Solar Powered Mixers' Effects on Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, and TKN Concentrations in a Drinking Water Reservoir Heberling (Birmingham (AL) Water Works Board)

M6: Monitoring Mercury in the Environment: Data Synthesis and Integration

Moderator: Chris Piehler, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
  Sediment Mercury and Methylmercury Concentrations Across the Coterminous United States Krabbenhoft (USGS)
  Informatics Approaches for Reuse and Modeling of Heterogeneous Mercury Data Neville (Univ. of Maine)
  A Multi-media Synthesis of Data on Mercury in the Great Lakes Region: An Overview of Procedures and Key Findings Wiener (Univ. of Wisconsin - La Crosse)
  Application and Validation of the National Descriptive Model of Mercury in Fish (NDMMF) Brigham (USGS)

M7: Detection, Fate and Transport of Pesticides

Moderator: Alisa Phillips-Griggs, Farmington River Watershed Association
  Water Quality Monitoring Needs for Evaluating the Risk of Pesticide Registration Actions to Threatened and Endangered Species Hawkes (NMFS)
  Continuous Monitoring for Pesticides in a Pacific Northwest Freshwater Off-Channel Habitat using a Lipid-Free Tubing Passive Sampling Device Janney (OR State Univ.)
  An Assessment of Pesticides, Trace Elements, and Their Potential to Affect Salmonids the Hood River Basin, Oregon, 1999-2009 Temple (USGS)
  Pesticides of Emerging Concern: Adapting Analytical Methods in Support of Field Studies Kuivila (USGS)

M8: Statistical Approaches for Assessing Water

Moderator: Douglas McLaughlin, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc.
  Measured Data are Uncertain: So What? Harmel (USDA-ARS)
  Multivariate Methods for Nondetects, Part 1 Helsel (Practical Stats)
  Spatially Explicit Predictors of Indicators of Water Quality: Example from Wadeable Streams in the U.S. Shirazi (USEPA)
  Evaluating Wetland Health: Avoiding Indexes via a Multivariate Latent Variable Model Hoeting

N1: Bridge Day Regional Breakouts: Are Monitoring Collaborations Worth My Time?

Organized by NWQMC and River Rally Bridge Day Subcommittee

Conference attendees broke out into EPA Regions and answered three questions.  First, they shared their name, organization, and a favorite water body in their area. Next, entities shared one aspect their organization or program brings to the table that contributes to or improves monitoring collaborations, services, products or resources. Last, groups shared one aspect they need from federal, state, local or tribal entities in their circle to improve monitoring collaborations. Each group made of list of participants that was later emailed to all participants within that group.  Feedback was positive, acknowledging people met and networked with others they would not have otherwise in the format of the conference.

O1: Strengthening Monitoring Programs through Nonprofit/Government Collaboration

Moderator: Peter Tennant, Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission
  SMART Monitoring - A Proposal for Coordinating Federal, State and Local Monitoring Programs - The Results of a Pilot Program in Massachusetts Kimball (MA DEP)
  Partnering to Support Monitoring Programs at State and Local Level Greenberg (Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Assoc.)
  Developing a Water Monitoring Consortium to Support NJ's Barnegat Bay Action Plan McGeorge (NJ DEP)
  Strengthening Regional Monitoring Programs through the Development of a Collaboration Network: The California Water Quality Monitoring Collaboration Network Burres (CA SWRCB)

ES O2: Integrated Monitoring: How Can We Weave More Effective Webs to Better Capture and Share Information?
Organized by Jen Bayer, USGS

  Standardizing and Enhancing Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring tools in the Puget Sound Basin Lester (King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Toxicology and Contaminant Assessment Group)
  A Regional Stormwater Monitoring Program for Puget Sound Dinacola (Stormwater Work Group, Washington Department of Ecology)
  Integrated Status and Trends Monitoring Demonstration Project Graham-Hudson (Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board)
  Working with Citizen Scientists: Rogue Basin (Oregon) Watershed Councils Stream Biomonitoring Study Mulvey (OR DEQ)
  Using and Sustaining Partnerships to Collect, Share, and Analyze Data Abraham (Effectiveness Monitoring Coordinator, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board)

O3: No Money, New Issues. How Do We Address Emerging Threats?

Moderator: Julie Wood, Charles River Watershed Association
  Volunteer Road Salt Monitoring: Assessing Impacts of Winter Safety Measures on Stream Quality in Wisconsin Stepenuck (Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison)
  Development of a Statewide Volunteer Monitoring Program for Aquatic Invasive Species: Challenges and Lessons Learned in Michigan Latimore (MI State Univ.)
  Coordinated Monitoring Efforts in Shale-Gas Plays: Case Study Pennsylvania Marcellus Monitoring Vastine and Tomsho (ALLARM, Dickinson College)
  Leveraging Monitoring Networks to Meet Multiple Water Quality Data Needs Shaw (PA DEP)

O4: Assessment Approaches for Habitat Protection and Restoration

Moderator: Ed Chadd, Clallam County Public Works
  Success at the Streamside - Riparian Buffers that Work Wilson (PA DEP)
  Leading or Lagging Indicator for Water Quality Management Swanson (Univ. of Nevada - Reno)
  Assessing the Effectiveness of Restoration Actions at Sites in the Lower Columbia River Estuary Sagar (Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership)
  Protecting Manoomin (Wild rice) through Modern Science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Schuldt (Fond du Lac Reservation)

ES O6: Burning Rivers: Moving Past Thirsty Energy

Organized by Travis Leipzig, River Network
  Burning Our Rivers: The Water Footprint of Electricity Leipzig (River Network)
  Water and Energy and Power: Agency Roles and Involvement by Citizens and Watershed Groups Shrier (Watercat Consulting LLC)

ES O7: Water Quality Monitoring for Enforcement

Organized by Lara Meeker, Santa Monica Baykeeper

ES O9: Social Indicators + Social Marketing = Cleaner Water!

Organized by Lyn Crighton, Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation & Jill Hoffmann, Upper White River Watershed Alliance
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