SUBCOMMITTEE ON SEDIMENTATION Report to the ACWI John R. Gray Chair September 15, 2004

SOS Status Formed in 1939 Formed in 1939 ACWI Subcommittee, September 2003 ACWI Subcommittee, September 2003 Last meeting: Yesterday (9/14/2004) Last meeting: Yesterday (9/14/2004) Membership: Non-Federal orgs (ASCE-Environmental and Water Research Institute; Colorado State University) interested, but have yet to petition for membership Membership: Non-Federal orgs (ASCE-Environmental and Water Research Institute; Colorado State University) interested, but have yet to petition for membership

12 Current SOS Members* Agricultural Research Service Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Reclamation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Federal Highway Administration U.S. Forest Service International Boundary and Water Commission National Park Service Office of Surface Mining U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Natural Resources Conservation Service U.S. Geological Survey * Past members FERC, TVA, BIA, NOAA, and NRC have not been represented on the SOS for years. * FHWA has missed consecutive meetings. * Currently no non-Federal SOS members, although some are considering membership.

SOS Charge (1993) Identify the Nation’s major sediment-related problems in the 21’st century Identify the Nation’s major sediment-related problems in the 21’st century Endeavor to coordinate and pool Federal resources to effectively address high-priority problems Endeavor to coordinate and pool Federal resources to effectively address high-priority problems Remain the primary mechanism for interagency communication and coordination on national sedimentation issues Remain the primary mechanism for interagency communication and coordination on national sedimentation issues

Workgroup Reports 8 th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference (2006): Plans. 8 th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference (2006): Plans. Turbidity and Other Sediment Surrogates: Progress with ASTM International on standards. Turbidity and Other Sediment Surrogates: Progress with ASTM International on standards. National Sediment Monitoring and Federal Data Storage and Access: Status and future directions National Sediment Monitoring and Federal Data Storage and Access: Status and future directions Reservoir Information System (RESIS) II: Recommendation to the ACWI. Reservoir Information System (RESIS) II: Recommendation to the ACWI.

Joint 8 th Federal Interagency Sedimentation and 3 rd Federal Interagency Hydrologic Modeling Conference – April 2-6, 2006 “Interdisciplinary Solutions for Watershed Sustainability.” “Interdisciplinary Solutions for Watershed Sustainability.” Silver Legacy Hotel, Reno Silver Legacy Hotel, Reno Estimated attendees Estimated attendees 6 concurrent sessions, ~270 papers 6 concurrent sessions, ~270 papers 60 + poster and computer demonstrations 60 + poster and computer demonstrations Commercial Exhibit Hall Commercial Exhibit Hall Field Trips Field Trips Short Courses (may award continuing education units) Short Courses (may award continuing education units) Call for Papers due out October 1, 2004; ASCE advertise? Call for Papers due out October 1, 2004; ASCE advertise?(

Workgroup Reports 8 th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference (2006): Plans. 8 th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference (2006): Plans. Turbidity and Other Sediment Surrogates: Progress with ASTM International on standards. Turbidity and Other Sediment Surrogates: Progress with ASTM International on standards. National Sediment Monitoring and Federal Data Storage and Access: Status and future directions National Sediment Monitoring and Federal Data Storage and Access: Status and future directions Reservoir Information System (RESIS) II: Recommendation to the ACWI. Reservoir Information System (RESIS) II: Recommendation to the ACWI.

Turbidity Workgroup Proceedings of the Fed. Interagency Workshop (USGS Circular 1250*) Proceedings of the Fed. Interagency Workshop (USGS Circular 1250*) Propose Federally developed standards for turbidity data-collection and reporting (as many as 10 different reporting units for “turbidity”). Propose Federally developed standards for turbidity data-collection and reporting (as many as 10 different reporting units for “turbidity”). SOS working with ASTM to develop standards (round-robin testing planned, perhaps in 2004) SOS working with ASTM to develop standards (round-robin testing planned, perhaps in 2004) *

Workgroup Reports 8 th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference (2006): Plans. 8 th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference (2006): Plans. Turbidity and Other Sediment Surrogates: Progress with ASTM International on standards. Turbidity and Other Sediment Surrogates: Progress with ASTM International on standards. National Sediment Monitoring and Federal Data Storage and Access: Status and future directions National Sediment Monitoring and Federal Data Storage and Access: Status and future directions Reservoir Information System (RESIS) II: Recommendation to the ACWI. Reservoir Information System (RESIS) II: Recommendation to the ACWI.

Nation’s Fluvial-Sediment Data Needs Historical: Maintenance of reservoirs, channels, and hydraulic structures/bridge piers Historical: Maintenance of reservoirs, channels, and hydraulic structures/bridge piers Today’s needs include but are not limited to: Today’s needs include but are not limited to: - Legal requirements – TMDL’s - Contaminated sediment management - BMP Evaluations - Dam decommissioning, rehabilitation, removal - Fire-burn hydrology/sedimentology - Stream restoration/geomorphic assessments - Physical-biotic interactions - Global carbon budget - Sand budget and bar maintenance - Productivity of agricultural lands

Declining Sediment-Data Collection !!!This graph should be considered qualitatively, not quantitatively!!! *29 in Puerto Rico

Challenge How can the Nation’s fluvial-sediment data needs be met with… Increased temporal and spatial resolution, Increased temporal and spatial resolution, Better – and known – accuracy, Better – and known – accuracy, Expanded measured characteristics, Expanded measured characteristics, Reduced costs, and Reduced costs, and Increased safety, Increased safety, as compared to traditional monitoring techniques?

Future: A National Sediment Information Program – NSIP 2 …? There has never been a national sediment monitoring network monitoring network Core Network of “Sediment Stations” Core Network of “Sediment Stations” Subset of Stations for Sediment Research Subset of Stations for Sediment Research Equipment & Methods Analytical Component Equipment & Methods Analytical Component Data Synthesis Component Data Synthesis Component Common Database Common Database $4M-$16M/year (scope & methods dependent) $4M-$16M/year (scope & methods dependent) AGU-EOS letter, 9/28/2004 (handout) AGU-EOS letter, 9/28/2004 (handout)

National Sediment Monitoring Costs Estimate (USGS, 2004) Proposal based on a U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Request to develop Proposal based on a U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Request to develop “a strategy for improved assessment, monitoring, research, and technology development to enhance sediment management” $16M annually estimated for a “full-scale” monitoring and synthesis program (linked to QW and biological measurements) $16M annually estimated for a “full-scale” monitoring and synthesis program (linked to QW and biological measurements)

National Sediment Monitoring Costs Estimate (USGS, 2004) Proposal based on a U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Request to develop Proposal based on a U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Request to develop “a strategy for improved assessment, monitoring, research, and technology development to enhance sediment management” $16M annually estimated for a “full-scale” monitoring and synthesis program (linked to QW and biological measurements) $16M annually estimated for a “full-scale” monitoring and synthesis program (linked to QW and biological measurements)

New Instruments and Techniques Laser In Situ Scattering and Transmissometry, LISST

Data from CO River, Grand Canyon Integrated Sand Conc. By D-77 Bag Sampler LISST-100 Point Sand Conc. Measurements

USGS Informal Sediment “SuperGage” Network (past, present) MS, KS, AZ, FL, NY, TX, CA, PA, IL, OR, GA, WA, MD, formerly PR

USGS and ARS International Journal of Sediment Research, 1998* Sediment Damages in North America Total $16 Billion Annually If Program Results Were Used to Better Manage Resources Such That a 1% Decrease in Sediment Damage was Realized, the Program Would Pay for Itself 40 Times Over (annual basis) *

A National Sediment Information Program The SOS believes this program is important and needed. The SOS believes this program is important and needed. If the ACWI concurs, SOS seeks counsel on how to proceed. If the ACWI concurs, SOS seeks counsel on how to proceed.

Workgroup Reports 8 th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference (2006): Plans. 8 th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference (2006): Plans. Turbidity and Other Sediment Surrogates: Progress with ASTM International on standards. Turbidity and Other Sediment Surrogates: Progress with ASTM International on standards. National Sediment Monitoring and Federal Data Storage and Access: Status and future directions National Sediment Monitoring and Federal Data Storage and Access: Status and future directions Reservoir Information System (RESIS) II: Recommendation to the ACWI. Reservoir Information System (RESIS) II: Recommendation to the ACWI.

A Brief Description of RESIS Information for 1,819 Federally operated reservoirs Volumetric data for submerged and aerated deposits Volumetric data for submerged and aerated deposits Originated in Soil Conservation Service (now the NRCS), early 1980’s Originated in Soil Conservation Service (now the NRCS), early 1980’s Nearly 6,000 individual surveys from 1827 to Nearly 6,000 individual surveys from 1827 to Includes various descriptive attributes (e.g., owner, nearest post office, watershed dimensions) Includes various descriptive attributes (e.g., owner, nearest post office, watershed dimensions) For some reservoirs, contains information on size distribution of bed sediments For some reservoirs, contains information on size distribution of bed sediments Originally maintained on a PC using Paradox 9 Originally maintained on a PC using Paradox 9 Includes reservoirs with drainage areas ranging from mi 2 to over 170,000 mi 2 Includes reservoirs with drainage areas ranging from mi 2 to over 170,000 mi 2

Original Data Sheets as Part of RESIS-II

RESIS-II: Status Ported to relational database by USGS Ported to relational database by USGS Some geo-referencing issues to be resolved, including those related to Homeland Security Some geo-referencing issues to be resolved, including those related to Homeland Security Largely unpopulated since 1980’s Largely unpopulated since 1980’s An orphan An orphan

From Stallard and others, 2001

Chronosequence of Dam Construction in the U.S. From Before 1800 to 1993 Based on data in the National Inventory of Dams. Symbol size and darkness correspond to the size of the reservoir. Black and gray symbols correspond to dams older than the indicated time interval. Red symbols correspond to dams constructed during the time interval. Prepared by Robert Stallard US Geological Survey Boulder, CO

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Some RESIS-II Findings* The use of a GIS has enabled a more detailed study of reservoir sedimentation data and rates. Soil erodibility was found to be the most influential factor affecting reservoir sedimentation rates – A proxy for land-use? A negative relation was found between mean annual rainfall and sedimentation rates – Annual rainfall a proxy for land cover? A positive relation exists between storm intensity and sedimentation rates *From Stallard and others, 2001

1. Establish “ownership” & MOU 2. Form data-entry & QA protocols 3. Update GUI, place on-line 4. Maintain and update database 5. Perform data synthesis 6. Future: Sed-quality information? RESIS-II: General Steps

Year 1 ~$250k Year 1 ~$250k Year 2&3 ~$150k/yr Year 2&3 ~$150k/yr Year 4 ++ ~$75k/yr Year 4 ++ ~$75k/yr *to be refined on request RESIS-II: Cost Sum.*

Recognize importance of implementing, updating, and maintaining an existing national reservoir sedimentation survey database as an interactive, web-based application. Recognize importance of implementing, updating, and maintaining an existing national reservoir sedimentation survey database as an interactive, web-based application. Seek ACWI concurrence and support to develop ways and means for implementation Seek ACWI concurrence and support to develop ways and means for implementation RESIS-II: SOS Resolution

Questions?