In 1980, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized that organizations,
municipalities, and state and federal agencies lacked data to
make informed decisions relevant to the nation's waters. The EPA
therefore developed protocols for use in the monitoring and bioassessment
of our extensive unevaluated waterways. As outlined in the EPA's
Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for Use in Wadeable Streams and
Rivers, the protocols require:
- Cost-effective,
yet scientifically valid, procedures for biological surveys
- Provisions
for multiple site investigations in a field season
- Quick turnaround
of results for management decisions
- Scientific
reports easily translated to management and the public
- Environmentally-benign
procedures
Watershed Assessment
Associates (WAA) utilizes protocols developed by both the EPA
and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Stream Biomonitoring Unit. These protocols in conjunction with
our own Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) ensures that a comprehensive
and accurate scientific water quality assessment is obtained based
on properly identified resident benthic macroinvertebrates. These
reports are useful to municipalities, planning boards, state and
federal agencies, corporations, environmental organizations, and
the public by providing invaluable information for priority setting,
point and non-point source evaluations, use attainability analyses,
and trend monitoring, as well as initial water quality assessment
screening.
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Key Benefits of a Rapid
Watershed Assessment:
-
Enhances
the coverage of broad geographical assessments, such as State
and National 305(b) Water Quality Inventories
-
Characterizes
the existence and severity of impairment, if any to the water
resource
-
Helps
to identify sources and causes of impairment
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Evaluates
the effectiveness of control actions and restoration activities
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Supports
use attainability studies and cumulative impact assessments
-
Characterizes
regional biotic attributes of reference conditions
- Provides
a means to assess the effectiveness of a municipality's storm
water management program (MS4)
Reference Accounts
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