Information Strategies Work Group Meeting Minutes

Lafayette, Louisiana -- March 20-22, 2007

Attendance: 
Curtis Cude, Peter Tennant, Jane Caffrey, Bill Cunningham, Don Dycus, Art Garceau, Neil Kamman, Danielle Kreeger, Gail Mallard, Mike McDonald, Leslie McGeorge, Chris Piehler, Bruce Prud’homme, Dan Radulescu, Dave Shepp, Chuck Spooner, Candie Wilderman, Tamim Younos.

The Water Information Strategies (WIS) Workgroup met in plenary session as well as separately in teams (Program Development & Network Design, Data Management & Access, and Data Analysis & Interpretation).

WIS Plenary Session

Dataset (NHD) Plus.  There are various scales of NHD resolution available in different regions.  NHD Plus includes information about streamflow discharge and velocity (where available), in addition to streamflow routing already available.  Questions arose about the applicability and standard use of NHD for assessment and reporting of water quality conditions, about the relationship between NHD and the Watershed Boundary Dataset, and about dataset stewardship and processes for feedback and error-reporting.  The Data Analysis & Interpretation Team will take the lead in contacting informed individuals (e.g., Tod Dabolt at EPA OW and Bob Pierce at USGS, both of ACWI’s Subcommittee on Spatial Water Data http://acwi.gov/spatial/index.html) to see who might best meet with the Council at our next meeting.  The Council agreed to consider where on the agenda of the next meeting would best serve such a discussion. 

Chuck Spooner briefed the group regarding EPA Office of Research and Development’s Advanced Monitoring Initiative, which was developed to assist in implementing the Integrated Earth Observing System (see http://www.epa.gov/GEOSS/factsheet/ami06.pdf for more information).  Upon review of the proposed projects, a wide variety of fascinating scientific advancements are promised and yet there does not seem to be a cohesive framework in which to place and track the results.  While no further action on the part of WIS was suggested at this time, in the future the WIS may be asked to look into recommended tools and processes to connect these efforts as there is some connection with the National Monitoring Network goals.  It is likely that the Data Management & Access will follow-up at that time.

WIS met with Bill Cunningham (USGS), co-chair of the ACWI Subcommittee on Ground Water (SoGW, see http://acwi.gov/sogw/index.html) to see how best to coordinate between the SoGW and the Council.  As the new SoGW develops contacts and informational needs, the Council and WIS may be able to provide experienced assistance.  As the Council and WIS continue to develop informational needs and products, we should be in close contact with SoGW to gain the benefit of their perspective and expertise.  Following is a list of suggested approaches to improve coordination:

• Improved/identified cross-membership between groups (i.e., Dave Wunsch and others)
• Cross-membership on group listservs
• Focus cross-pollination on natural/technical connections between surface and ground waters before exploring political connections
• Collaboratively create visual products to help people see and understand physical connections
• SoGW is working towards a National GW Monitoring Network; perhaps working with us first in the context of coastal influence for the NMN will benefit both the Council (in terms of a specific GW network) and the SoGW in using this as a pilot for their efforts.

WIS Team Meeting/Updates

Program Development & Network Design  Participants: Peter Tennant, Don Dycus, Art Garceau, Gail Mallard, Jane Caffrey, Tamim Younos, Dave Shepp, Mike McDonald, Candie Wilderman, Danielle Kreeger
The team discussed the specific tasks identified as within its purview. The following are the tasks together with the indicated approach/direction to address them:

• Develop a Monitoring Framework Expert System to walk WQM program designers through the steps to design a monitoring program compliant with, e.g., 10 Monitoring Program Elements

  • The Team developed a “crosswalk” between the Council’s Monitoring Framework and the Ten Elements.  The crosswalk will be expanded to also include Data Quality Objectives.

• Team members will review the EMMA expert system developed by the Methods Board to determine the extent to which it meets the identified needs. If it is agreed that EMMA fills this need, then the Team recommends a workshop on this system be included at the 2008 Conference.

• Develop/refine elements of NMN Design, i.e., wetlands, groundwater, beaches
  • No action at this time; the Team will stand by for a directive from the NMN Steering Committee.
• Use feedback from State Long-Term Monitoring and Assessment Strategies to communicate lessons learned for program design and to improve Strategy Guidance
  • A simple questionnaire has been developed for use in obtaining information on the states’ experience with developing and implementing Monitoring Strategies. Team members will review the questionnaire; state members will then be asked to distribute it to the other states within their Regions.
• Develop/promote methods of optimizing monitoring network design, including guidance for types of designs
• The Team will assemble a list of references on monitoring design; Don will take the lead. Don has determined what documents are currently available on the Council web site and is accumulating other documents to be added.
• Develop guidance for network design (e.g., probabilistic, fixed, combination, etc.)
  • The Team will compile monitoring “Success Stories” – i.e., reports on how monitoring results have contributed to decision making. Gail will take the lead. We will first request input from the full Council, then look to others. It is hoped that we can compile enough information to provide input to the keynote speaker at the 2008 Conference, and to populate at least one technical session.

Data Management & Access:
Curtis Cude and Chuck Spooner discussed upcoming work related to Data Management & Access for the National Monitoring Network (NMN).  DM&A representatives (TBD) will meet (virtually) with NMN Pilot Project participants to determine the status of their data management and accessibility with respect to recommendations contained in Chapter 5 of the NMN Report (see http://acwi.gov/monitoring/network/design/ for link to entire report, as well as links to Appendices 5-1 to 5-3).  Following this determination, for each of the pilot projects an examination of what could be done to help the participants meet the recommendations will be undertaken, with the intent of assigning responsibility for action.  These meetings will afford opportunities to increase the awareness among pilot participants of the existence of other potential partners and tools.  As an example, there may be projects carried out under the Collaborative Large-scale Engineering Analysis Network for Environmental Research (http://cleaner.ncsa.uiuc.edu/home/) within the geographic scope of the pilot project.  As a further example, discovery of data within the pilot project could be enhanced by describing and posting relevant metadata to a portal, e.g., FGDC/geodata.gov - http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos, NASA/Global Change Master Directory - http://gcmd.nasa.gov/, or CUAHSI/Hydrologic Information System - http://www.cuahsi.org/his/.  Further research is needed to determine the connectivity between these (and similar) services. 

Data Analysis & Interpretation: Participants: Dan Radulescu, Leslie McGeorge, Neil Kamman, Chris Piehler

• Data Assessment and Statistical Methods - One of the team’s goals is to develop an inventory of water quality data assessment guidance and statistical methods.  The team will first focus on those methods used by USGS (particularly for NAWQA) and EPA (particularly for Integrated Water Quality and Assessment Reports ( 305(b) and 303(d)) to assess status and trends in the chemical and physical quality of river and stream waters.  The team will work on inviting representatives from both agencies to the next meeting to discuss national assessment approaches, and compare and contrast methodology.  This work should be carried out in conjunction with the Methods & Data Comparability Board, so the team will pursue means of collaboration. 

• Water Quality Results Presentation - The DA&I team will also continue to pursue collaboration with the Council’s Collaboration and Outreach Workgroup with respect to developing strategies for communicating and presenting the results of goal-oriented monitoring.

• Water Quality Indicators -The team will make contacts within EPA to ascertain how indicators are developed and used for National Water Program Guidance, which describes program priorities and strategies for accomplishing the environmental goals established in the EPA Strategic Plan (see www.epa.gov/cfo/plan/2006/goal_2.pdf). The goal is to gain understanding and provide feedback on the national water quality indicators, including the key strategic targets and measures associated with full restoration, partial restoration, and watershed improvement.

Announcements and Events

If you would like to share information with WIS regarding upcoming events taking place during the next year, please forward the information to Curtis Cude (cude.curtis@deq.state.or.us) for inclusion in subsequent WIS updates.

• The next WIS Workgroup meeting will take place during the National Water Quality Monitoring Council meeting held the week of July 23, 2007, location TBD. 

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Thursday, 21-Jun-2007 10:53:59 EDT