1. Establishing a collaborative and multipurpose long- term National Network of Reference Watersheds and Monitoring Sites for Freshwater Streams in the United States National Water Quality Monitoring Council February 1, 2011

2. Why is this important now? Increased need for long-term data and information on the status and trends in stream flow and water quality of relatively unimpaired watersheds that is not being met by existing programs Increased need for long-term data and information on the status and trends in stream flow and water quality of relatively unimpaired watersheds that is not being met by existing programs Climate Effects Climate Effects Atmospheric Deposition Atmospheric Deposition Frame of Reference for Stream Assessments Frame of Reference for Stream Assessments Nutrient Criteria Nutrient Criteria TMDLs TMDLs Bio-criteria Bio-criteria

3. Monitoring Networks States 305 (b), 303 (d), Biomonitoring NSF NEON, STREON USGS NSIP Sentinel, HBN, NAWQA, HCDN, GAGES USEPA NARS, LTM, TIME Wadeable Streams USFS Experimental Forest’s, Stream Assessments NPS National Parks

4. Recommendation #1  Develop an NADP-Like National, collaborative, Multi-Agency, Multi-purpose, Long-term Reference Site/watershed Monitoring Network  Initially to be Limited to freshwater streams  Membership Voluntary  Funding from participating Agencies  Organization and Leadership provided by Advisory Committee on Water Information or National Water Quality Monitoring Council  Executive Committee would provide program guidance and direction based on recommendations of several technical and operational subcommittees 4

5. Recommendation #1 cont.  National Collaborative Network – Features  Common Protocols  Common Data elements  Comparable Laboratory analyses  Stringent quality assurance & quality Control  Data management  Links to other Networks  **Assessment Products** 5

6. Recommendation #2  Tiered Design Suitable for Multiple Objectives Routine and real-time monitoring (e.g. Sentinel, HBN, NAWQA) Routine and real-time monitoring (e.g. Sentinel, HBN, NAWQA) Synoptic monitoring (e.g. NARS, TIME, LTM) Synoptic monitoring (e.g. NARS, TIME, LTM) Modeling and remote sensing Modeling and remote sensing

7. Recommendation #4: Laboratory Analyses  Review and coordinate laboratory analytical schedules among HBN, NASQAN, NAWQA, NMN, NADP to meet agency objectives (ongoing)  Evaluate option of shifting HBN sample load for low ionic strength waters from New York WSC laboratory to National Water Quality Laboratory.  Work with National Water Quality Laboratory to develop proposal and business plan to provide laboratory analytical services to Multi agency, long term Reference Monitoring Network.

8. Next Steps Share concepts and seek approval from ACWI, and SWAC to develop collaborative, multi-agency reference site network (February 2011) Work within the Council to define the organizational structure of an executive committee and technical steering committee including appropriate representation from participating agencies, development of a charter, and defining duties and responsibilities. Work within the Council to define the organizational structure of an executive committee and technical steering committee including appropriate representation from participating agencies, development of a charter, and defining duties and responsibilities. Work with the Council on network design, products and outcomes, quality assurance and quality control, laboratory requirements and data management. Work with the Council on network design, products and outcomes, quality assurance and quality control, laboratory requirements and data management. Complete inventory and assessments of reference networks with other federal and state agencies (one year) Complete inventory and assessments of reference networks with other federal and state agencies (one year) Identify data gaps and prioritize existing and candidate sites for a network of reference watersheds and sites for tracking climate, atmospheric, and land use effects on streamflow and water quality. Identify data gaps and prioritize existing and candidate sites for a network of reference watersheds and sites for tracking climate, atmospheric, and land use effects on streamflow and water quality.

9. Inactive NSIP_S Sites National Streamflow Information Program Sentinel Sites

10. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Monitoring Sites

11. U.S. Forest Service Stream Assessment and Experimental Forest Sites

12. National Park Service Water-Quality Sites

13. Testing an approach using Level-2 Ecoregions that could be used across the conterminous U.S. Initial Effort

14. Atlantic Highlands and Mixed Wood Plains Level II Ecoregion 5.3 and 8.1

15. Water-Quality and Research Sites

16. Groundwater Wells, Weather Stations, and Deposition Sites

18. Atlantic Highlands and Mixed Wood Plains

19. Streamgage Status

20. Hydrologic Benchmark Network--2010

21. Nutrient and Major Ion Sampling Sites

22. All Agency Sites

23. Reference Watersheds having Multiple Monitoring Sites

24. USGS Streamgage Watersheds Identified as Candidate Reference Sites

25. Inactive HCDN Sites Hydro-Climatic Data Network

26. Initial steps for evaluating watersheds Initial steps for evaluating watersheds Determine characteristics for each Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 10 basin in an ecoregion Determine characteristics for potential reference site basins Score HUC10s and sites based on a rank-scoring -%urban, %ag, %protected land, storage, NPDES Evaluate sites having low rank-score

27. Committee Activities Assessment and inventory of existing monitoring site networks for streams in USGS and other agencies Assessment and inventory of existing monitoring site networks for streams in USGS and other agencies Outreach--Contact and develop collaborative relations with other agencies Outreach--Contact and develop collaborative relations with other agencies Discuss key network design issues Discuss key network design issues Conduct systematic review and prioritization of existing and candidate sites to meet data needs Conduct systematic review and prioritization of existing and candidate sites to meet data needs Discuss and develop alternative network designs, operational and management scenarios and develop recommendations Discuss and develop alternative network designs, operational and management scenarios and develop recommendations

28. Inventory Process

29. Recommendation #3: USGS Monitoring Networks Management Model  Board of Directors/Executive Committee Style Model consisting of Network Coordinators responsible for resources and outcomes from the individual network(s).  Chaired by one of the Network Coordinators on a rotating basis  Sentinel, Climate Response Network, HBN, NAWQA, NASQAN, NADP, WEBB (?) Federal State Cooperative (?)  Reporting to (and through) the 3 Technical Offices to the Associate Directors for Water for final approval  Responsible for:  Program planning, work plans, budget guidance and allocations  Products, outcomes, and communication

30. Committee Composition Bill Wilber (Chair) Bill Wilber (Chair) Daren Carlisle Daren Carlisle Dave Clow Dave Clow Charlie Crawford Charlie Crawford Jeff Deacon Jeff Deacon James Falcone James Falcone Earl Greene Earl Greene Jurate Landwehr Jurate Landwehr Harry Lins Harry Lins Alisa Mast Alisa Mast Michael McHale Michael McHale Pete Murdoch Pete Murdoch Mark Nilles Mark Nilles Mike Norris Mike Norris Others Involved Denise Argue Marilee Horn Martyn Smith

31. Hydrologic Benchmark Network--1963

32. Committee Objectives Develop a plan for a shared, multipurpose, long-term, National reference site network for freshwater streams that will provide data to: Detect and predict changes in stream flow, water chemistry, and aquatic communities due to changes in: climate, atmospheric deposition, and land use. Detect and predict changes in stream flow, water chemistry, and aquatic communities due to changes in: climate, atmospheric deposition, and land use. Develop options and a recommendation for funding and operational models that can be sustained through 2023

33. 33 HBN-plus ad hoc Committee Members  Bill Wilber (Chair, OWQ, NAWQA)  Alisa Mast (HBN, COWSC)  Michael McHale (HBN, CEN (NY WSC)  Jurate Landwehr (NRP-HCDN)  Harry Lins (Office of Surface Water)  Daren Carlisle (NAWQA-Ecology)  Charlie Crawford (NAWQA)  James Falcone (NAWQA-GIS)  Linda Debrewer (Office of Ground Water Ex Officio Members  Mark Nilles (HBN, NADP)  Jeff Deacon (CEN, NAWQA)  Pete Murdoch (CEN, HBN)  Mike Norris (NSIP)  Earl Greene (HNA)