t Watorsed anning Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters DRAFT
Disclaimer This document provides guidance to states, territories, authorized tribes, local governments, watershed organizations, and the public regarding technical tools and sources of information for developing watershed based plans to improve and protect water quality. This document refers to statutory and regulatory provisions that contain legally binding requirements. This document does not substitute for those provisions or regulations, nor is it a regulation itself. Thus, it does not impose legally binding requirements on EPA, states, territories, authorized tribes local governments, watershed organizations, or the public and may not apply to a particular situation based upon the circumstances. EPA, state, territory, local government, and authorized tribe decision makers retain the discretion to adopt approaches on a case-by-case basis that differ from this guidance Interested parties are free to raise questions and objections about the appropriateness of the application of the guidance to a situation, and EPa will consider whether or not the recommendations in this guidance are appropriate in that situation. EPA may change this guidance in the future
Disclaimer This document provides guidance to states, territories, authorized tribes, local governments, watershed organizations, and the public regarding technical tools and sources of information for developing watershed based plans to improve and protect water quality. This document refers to statutory and regulatory provisions that contain legally binding requirements. This document does not substitute for those provisions or regulations, nor is it a regulation itself. Thus, it does not impose legally binding requirements on EPA, states, territories, authorized tribes, local governments, watershed organizations, or the public and may not apply to a particular situation based upon the circumstances. EPA, state, territory, local government, and authorized tribe decision makers retain the discretion to adopt approaches on a case-by-case basis that differ from this guidance. Interested parties are free to raise questions and objections about the appropriateness of the application of the guidance to a situation, and EPA will consider whether or not the recommendations in this guidance are appropriate in that situation. EPA may change this guidance in the future
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and protect our waters Contents Acronyms Chapter l Introduction 1. 1 What Is the Purpose of This Handbook 1-2 1. 1. 1 How Is This Hand book Different from Other Guides? 1-3 1.2 Who Should Use This handbook? 1. 1.3 What if We already Have a Watershed Plan 1.2 What's Inside? 1.2. 1 Chapter Summaries 1.2.2 Appendices and Back Matter 1.3 How to Use This Handbook 1-6 Chapter 2. Overview of watershed Planning Process 2-1 2. 1 Why Use a Watershed Approach to Manage Water Resources? 2-2 2.2 Common Features of the Watershed Planning Process 2-2 2.2.1 Watershed Planning Is an Iterative and Adaptive Process 2.2.2 Watershed Planning is a holistic process 2.2.3 Watershed Planning Is Geographically Defined 2.2.4 Watershed Planning Should Be Integrated with Other Planning Efforts 2-5 2.2.5 Watershed Planning Is a Collaborative and Participatory Process 2.3 Steps in the Watershed Planning and Implementation Process 2-5 2.4 Watershed Planning for Impaired Waters 2.4.1 What Are the Most Common Impairments? 2-8 2.4.2 Watershed Planning Where a TMDL Has Been Developed 2.4.3 Watershed Planning in the absence of a TMDL 2-11 2.5 Including Water Quality Standards in Goal Setting 2-12 2.5. 1 What Are Water Quality Standards and Why Are They Important? 2-13 2.5.2 How Are Water Quality Standards Set? 2-13 2.6 Nine Minimum Elements to Be Included in a Watershed Plan for Impaired Waters Funded Using Incremental Section 319 Funds 2-16 Chapter 3. Build Partnerships 3.1 Why Do I Need Partners 3-2 3.2 Identify Driving Forces 3-2 3.2. 1 Regulatory Issues 3.2.2 Government Initiatives 3.2.3 Community-Driven Issues 3.3 Identify and Engage Relevant Stakeholders 3. 1 Identify Categories of Stakeholders 3.3.2 Determine Stakeholders' Roles and Responsibilities 3-6 3.3.3 Provide a Structure to Facilitate Stakeholder Participation 3.3.4 Identify Stakeholders' Skills and Resources 3 3.3.5 Encourage Participation and Involvement 3.3.6 Initiate Outreach Activities to build awareness and Gain Partners 3-9 3.4 Integrate Local, State, Tribal, and Federal Programs into Your Watershed Planning Effor 3-10 3.4.1 Local Programs 3-11
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters Contents Draft i Contents Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Chapter 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 1.1 What Is the Purpose of This Handbook? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 1.1.1 How Is This Handbook Different from Other Guides? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 1.1.2 Who Should Use This Handbook? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 1.1.3 What if We Already Have a Watershed Plan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 1.2 What’s Inside? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 1.2.1 Chapter Summaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 1.2.2 Appendices and Back Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 1.3 How to Use This Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6 Chapter 2. Overview of Watershed Planning Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1 2.1 Why Use a Watershed Approach to Manage Water Resources? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 2.2 Common Features of the Watershed Planning Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2 2.2.1 Watershed Planning Is an Iterative and Adaptive Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 2.2.2 Watershed Planning Is a Holistic Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 2.2.3 Watershed Planning Is Geographically Defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 2.2.4 Watershed Planning Should Be Integrated with Other Planning Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 2.2.5 Watershed Planning Is a Collaborative and Participatory Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 2.3 Steps in the Watershed Planning and Implementation Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5 2.4 Watershed Planning for Impaired Waters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6 2.4.1 What Are the Most Common Impairments? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 2.4.2 Watershed Planning Where a TMDL Has Been Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11 2.4.3 Watershed Planning in the Absence of a TMDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11 2.5 Including Water Quality Standards in Goal Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12 2.5.1 What Are Water Quality Standards and Why Are They Important? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13 2.5.2 How Are Water Quality Standards Set? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13 2.6 Nine Minimum Elements to Be Included in a Watershed Plan for Impaired Waters Funded Using Incremental Section 319 Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Chapter 3. Build Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1 3.1 Why Do I Need Partners? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 3.2 Identify Driving Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2 3.2.1 Regulatory Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3 3.2.2 Government Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3 3.2.3 Community-Driven Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 3.3 Identify and Engage Relevant Stakeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 3.3.1 Identify Categories of Stakeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5 3.3.2 Determine Stakeholders’ Roles and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 3.3.3 Provide a Structure to Facilitate Stakeholder Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 3.3.4 Identify Stakeholders’ Skills and Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 3.3.5 Encourage Participation and Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 3.3.6 Initiate Outreach Activities to Build Awareness and Gain Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 3.4 Integrate Local, State, Tribal, and Federal Programs into Your Watershed Planning Effort . . . . . . . . . . 3-10 3.4.1 Local Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11 3.4.2 State and Regional Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Contents Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect our waters 3.4.3 Tribal Programs and organizations 3-17 3.4.4 Federal Programs and organizations 3-18 Chapter 4. Define Scope of watershed Planning Effort 4-1 4. 1 Why Define the Scope of Your Watershed Planning Effort? 4-2 4.2 Ask Stakeholders for Background Information 4.3 Identify Issues of Concern 4.3.1 Draw a Picture 4.3.2 Take Stakeholders Out into the watershed 4-6 4.4 Define the Geographic Extent of the Watershed 4.5 Develop Preliminary Goals 4-8 4.6 Select Indicators to measure Environmental Conditions 4.6. 1 Select Quantitative Indicators 4.6.2 Select a Combination of indicators 4-11 4.7 Link Concerns with Goals and Indicators 4-16 Chapter 5. Gather Existing Data and Create an Inventory 5- 5. 1 How Do I Characterize My Watershed 5.2 Focus Your Data Gathering efforts 5.2.1 Build on Earlier Scoping Efforts 5.2.2 Consider Stakeholder Goals and Concerns 5.3 Who Has the Data and What Types of Data Do You Need? 5.3.1 Local Sources of Information 5.3.2 State Sources of Information 5.3.3 Tribal Sources of Information 5.3.4 Federal Sources of Information 3.5 Data T 5.4 Physical and Natural Features 4.1 Watershed boundaries 5.4.2 Hydrology 5-12 5.4.3 Topography 5.4.4 Soils 5.4.5 Climate 5.4.6 Habitat 5-16 5.4.7 Fish and Wildlife 5.5 Land Use and Population Characteristics 5-18 5.5.1 Land Use and Land Cover Data 5.5.2 Land Management Practices 5-23 5.5.3 Demographics 5.6 Waterbody and Watershed Conditions 5-26 5.6. 1 Water Quality Standards 5.6.2 Water Quality Reports 5-27 5.6.3 Watershed-Related Reports 5-28 5.7 Pollutant Sources 5.7.1 Point Sources 5-31 5.7.2 Nonpoint Sources 5-32 5.8 Waterbody Monitoring Data 5.8.1 Water Quality and Flow Data 5-36 5.8.2 Biological Data 5.8.3 Geomorphological Data
Contents Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters ii Draft 3.4.3 Tribal Programs and Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17 3.4.4 Federal Programs and Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18 Chapter 4. Define Scope of Watershed Planning Effort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 4.1 Why Define the Scope of Your Watershed Planning Effort? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 4.2 Ask Stakeholders for Background Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 4.3 Identify Issues of Concern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3 4.3.1 Draw a Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4 4.3.2 Take Stakeholders Out into the Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 4.4 Define the Geographic Extent of the Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6 4.5 Develop Preliminary Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8 4.6 Select Indicators to Measure Environmental Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 4.6.1 Select Quantitative Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10 4.6.2 Select a Combination of Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11 4.7 Link Concerns with Goals and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16 Chapter 5. Gather Existing Data and Create an Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1 5.1 How Do I Characterize My Watershed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 5.2 Focus Your Data Gathering Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 5.2.1 Build on Earlier Scoping Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3 5.2.2 Consider Stakeholder Goals and Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3 5.3 Who Has the Data and What Types of Data Do You Need? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4 5.3.1 Local Sources of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5 5.3.2 State Sources of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6 5.3.3 Tribal Sources of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6 5.3.4 Federal Sources of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7 5.3.5 Data Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7 5.4 Physical and Natural Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9 5.4.1 Watershed Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9 5.4.2 Hydrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 5.4.3 Topography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14 5.4.4 Soils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15 5.4.5 Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16 5.4.6 Habitat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16 5.4.7 Fish and Wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18 5.5 Land Use and Population Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18 5.5.1 Land Use and Land Cover Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19 5.5.2 Land Management Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23 5.5.3 Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25 5.6 Waterbody and Watershed Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26 5.6.1 Water Quality Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27 5.6.2 Water Quality Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27 5.6.3 Watershed-Related Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28 5.7 Pollutant Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30 5.7.1 Point Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31 5.7.2 Nonpoint Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32 5.8 Waterbody Monitoring Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35 5.8.1 Water Quality and Flow Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36 5.8.2 Biological Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38 5.8.3 Geomorphological Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and protect our waters 5.9 Selected Tools Used to Gather, Organize, and view Assessment Information 5.9.1 Geographic Information Systems 5-40 5.9.2 Remote Sensing Techniques to Collect Land Use/Land Cover Information 5.10 Create a data Inventory Chapter 6. Identify Data Gaps and Collect Additional Data if Needed 6.1 How Do I Know if I Have Enough Data to Start My Analysis? 6 6.2 Conduct a Data Review 6.2. 1 Identify Data Gaps 6-3 6.2.2 Determine Acceptability of Data 6.3 Determine whether New Data Collection Is essential 6.4 Design a Sampling Plan for Collecting New Data lect a Monitoring design 6.4.2 Develop Data Quality Objectives 6-11 6.4.3 Develop Measurement Quality Objectives and Performance Characteristics 6-12 6.4.4 Develop a Quality Assurance Project Plan 6-13 6.4.5 Develop Plan for Data Management 6.5 Collect New Data 6-16 6.5.1 Watershed Overview/Visual Assessment 6-16 6.5.2 Physical Characterization 6-18 6.5.3 Geomorphic Assessment 6-18 6.5. 4 Hydrological Assessments 6-20 6.5.5 Water Quality Assessment 6-21 6.5.6 Assessment of Habitat Quality 6-22 6.5.7 Biological Assessment Chapter 7. Analyze Data to Characterize the watershed and Pollutant Sources 7.1 Analyze Data to Identify Pollutant Sources 7-2 7.1. 1 Focus Your Analysis Efforts 7.1.2 Use a Combination of Analysis Ty 7-3 7.1.3 Consider Geographic Variations 7.1.4 Incorporate Stakeholders' Concerns and Observations 7.2 Analyze Instream and Watershed Data 7.2.1 Confirm Impairments and Identify Problems 7-7 7.2.2 Summary Statistics 7.2.3 Spatial Analysis 7.2. 4 Temporal Analysis 7-10 7.2.5 Other Trends or Patterns 7-11 7.2.6 Stressor Identification 7-13 7.2.7 Visual Assessments and Local Knowledge 7-14 7.3 Evaluate Data Analysis Results to Identify Causes and Sources 7.3.1 Grouping Sources for Further Assessment 7-16 7.3.2 Time Frame for Source Assessment 7.4 Summarize Causes and Sources 7-19 Chapter 8 Estimate pollutant loads 8.1 How do i estimate pollutant loads? 8.2 Using monitoring data or Literature values to estimate pollutant loads 8.2.1 Using monitoring data to Estimate loads 8.2.2 Using literature Values to Estimate Loads
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters Contents Draft iii 5.9 Selected Tools Used to Gather, Organize, and View Assessment Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40 5.9.1 Geographic Information Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40 5.9.2 Remote Sensing Techniques to Collect Land Use/Land Cover Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45 5.10 Create a Data Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-51 Chapter 6. Identify Data Gaps and Collect Additional Data if Needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1 6.1 How Do I Know if I Have Enough Data to Start My Analysis? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2 6.2 Conduct a Data Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2 6.2.1 Identify Data Gaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3 6.2.2 Determine Acceptability of Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4 6.3 Determine Whether New Data Collection Is Essential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6 6.4 Design a Sampling Plan for Collecting New Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 6.4.1 Select a Monitoring Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8 6.4.2 Develop Data Quality Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11 6.4.3 Develop Measurement Quality Objectives and Performance Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12 6.4.4 Develop a Quality Assurance Project Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13 6.4.5 Develop Plan for Data Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14 6.5 Collect New Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16 6.5.1 Watershed Overview/Visual Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16 6.5.2 Physical Characterization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18 6.5.3 Geomorphic Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18 6.5.4 Hydrological Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20 6.5.5 Water Quality Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21 6.5.6 Assessment of Habitat Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22 6.5.7 Biological Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23 Chapter 7. Analyze Data to Characterize the Watershed and Pollutant Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 7.1 Analyze Data to Identify Pollutant Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2 7.1.1 Focus Your Analysis Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2 7.1.2 Use a Combination of Analysis Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3 7.1.3 Consider Geographic Variations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4 7.1.4 Incorporate Stakeholders’ Concerns and Observations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4 7.2 Analyze Instream and Watershed Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5 7.2.1 Confirm Impairments and Identify Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7 7.2.2 Summary Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8 7.2.3 Spatial Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9 7.2.4 Temporal Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10 7.2.5 Other Trends or Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11 7.2.6 Stressor Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13 7.2.7 Visual Assessments and Local Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14 7.3 Evaluate Data Analysis Results to Identify Causes and Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15 7.3.1 Grouping Sources for Further Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16 7.3.2 Time Frame for Source Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18 7.4 Summarize Causes and Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19 Chapter 8. Estimate Pollutant Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1 8.1 How Do I Estimate Pollutant Loads? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2 8.2 Using Monitoring Data or Literature Values to Estimate Pollutant Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4 8.2.1 Using Monitoring Data to Estimate Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4 8.2.2 Using Literature Values to Estimate Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6