Methods and Data Comparability Board Eric Vowinkel Dan

Methods and Data Comparability Board Eric Vowinkel & Dan Sullivan Crowne Plaza Dulles, Feb. 22, 2008

NEMI and WQDE q NEMI q Background q What’s New q Plans q Data Elements for Physical Habitat q Background q Status of current list

q Free, online searchable clearinghouse of methods and procedures – regulatory and non-regulatory q Compare and contrast the performance and relative cost q EPA & USGS q CRADA q http: //www. nemi. gov/

Methods in NEMI q 882 Chemical q 547 Inorganic q 257 Organic q 47 Biological q 21 Physical q 18 Toxicity Assay

Who Uses NEMI? q Feb. 9 -16, 2008 q Requests for pages: 3, 091 q Avg. page requests per day: 441

Who Uses NEMI?

Who Uses NEMI?

NEMI-CBR q. Extension of NEMI for Homeland Security q. Adds fields: q. Rapidity q. Screening q. Confirmatory q. Access by permission

Plans for NEMI q Several areas interwoven with Board: q Statistical methods q Sensors q Emerging contaminants q New features q Full-text searching q Method archiving q Search history q New Methods q Physical habitat q Multi-probes q Fat bags

PHab data elements

Spatial elements Typical Stream Chemistry Sampling: Point

Spatial elements

PHab Products q Seek ACWI approval, April 2008 q Fact Sheet for the Conference q Web site – resources, links, background material q Wish List q Updated Data Elements report q Workshop at a conference qhttp: //acwi. gov/methods/

The Super Bowl Flush It is estimated that at halftime of the Super Bowl, across the United States 90 million people will flush about 350 million gallons of water down the toilet at the same time. It is equivalent to the amount of water that flows over Niagara Falls every 39 minutes.

MDCB New Directions From recent Board & Council meetings— issues consistently raised include • Contaminants • Sensors • Statistical methods • Event, continuous, and real-monitoring Need to prioritize issues based on needs of the waterquality community including the National Network

Contaminants--Problems • New analytical methods to detect a wider range of contaminants in the hydro/geo/biological cycles • Contaminant MRLs are decreasing orders of magnitude • Are results from these new methods comparable? • Emerging contaminants – is there a process for identifying what contaminants should be of concern?

Emerging Contaminants NJWMCC Meeting— 1/23/08 http: //www. nj. gov/dep/wms/wmccmeetinginfo. html • Emerging Contaminants: Identification, Concerns, Actions - Roland Hemmitt, EPA Region 2 • USGS National Program Efforts in Emerging Contaminants – Herb Buxton, USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program • Emerging Contaminants: Monitoring & Standards Development – Leslie Mc. George, NJDEP • Perchlorate Case Studies: – Potable Water Occurrence & MCL Development – Judy Louis, NJDEP/Division of Science, Research &Technology – Surface Water Monitoring - Tom Vernam, NJDEP/WM&S • The Effects of Water Treatment on Emerging Contaminants – Jeff Fischer, USGS NJ Water Science Center • Monitoring Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater – Mike Serfes, NJDEP/NJGS • Monitoring Emerging Contaminants in the Tidal Delaware River – Ronald Mac. Gillivray, DRBC

Emerging Contaminants • Human Drugs • Antibiotics • Steroids • Plastics • Fire retardants • Fumigants • Insecticides • Plastics • Algal toxins • Perfluoronated cmpds. • Veternary Drugs • Hormones • Detergents • Antioxidants • Disinfectants • Fragrances • Repellants • Coal tar sealants • Nanoparticles • Personal care products

Contaminants--Objectives • Recommend a list of contaminants to be monitored in the Network • Prioritize the contaminants into high, medium, and low need by hydrologic compartment • Determine appropriate MRLs appropriate in each hydrologic compartment • Suggest appropriate analytical methods

Sensors--Problems • Sensor technology is evolving rapidly • No central repository available to compare MRLs, precision, bias, “greenness”, etc • Comparability of results among sensors is poorly understood • The Network recommends placement of continuous real-time sensors in estuaries but guidance on types of sensors and frequency of data collection is limited

Sensors--Objectives • • Develop a white paper to outline the approach Store sensor technologies in a database like NEMI Create a web-site to guide users on sensor use Outside experts – – – EPA ETV Program Sandia National Labs (SNL) Department of Defense (Do. D) Homeland Security (DHS) Private sector USGS users

Statistical Methods--Problems • Monitoring networks may include different designs: • • discrete probabilistic continuous satellite imagery The National Monitoring Network is a network of networks Sites selected differently Data collected at different frequencies Is it possible to integrate discrete, probabilistic, continuous, and satellite data sets generated by the Network or other networks? • If so, how can we integrate and use the data effectively?

Statistical Methods--Objectives • Connect with the Council’s Water Information Strategies (WIS) Work Group to evaluate methods of analysis of available data sets • Provide guidance on: – appropriate use of statistical methods and reporting of data from the Network and other monitoring efforts – methods to integrate various data sets

Event, Continuous, and Real-time Monitoring -- Problems Network river sites: Sample 16 x per year with consideration for flow conditions • What constitutes an “event”? • For event samples, what type of sample collection technique is appropriate? Continuous and real-time sensors are to be used at estuary sites • What frequency of capturing/reporting data from continuous monitors is optimal? What are the best methods to estimate contaminant loads from rivers to estuaries to coastal areas?

Event, continuous, and real-time monitoring--Objectives Provide guidance on: • appropriate sampling methods and frequency of sample collection for event monitoring • magnitudes of events and methods to collect comparable samples • appropriate frequency of capturing/reporting data from continuous monitors • methods of estimating loads from rivers to estuaries to coastal waters:

Moving Forward • White papers for needs assessments where appropriate • Council and ACWI concurrence • Recruit new members (Atlantic City) • Short and long-term needs – Web sites for guidance materials – Fact Sheets – Other?

Where: Atlantic City Convention Center