NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Region Protected Resources Division Santa Rosa, California

1. Science, Service, Stewardship Water Quality Metrics and Assessment Methods NOAA Fisheries, Southwest RegionProtected Resources DivisionSanta Rosa, California Melanie D. Harrison, Ph.D Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) March 6, 2013 National Marine Fisheries Service

2. Introduction • Numerous designated beneficial uses for the Russian River • Goal is to protect existing and future beneficial uses for humans and the environment. • Numerous metrics have been used to predict changes in water quality due to ecological restoration. • Need to link the appropriate response metrics with key drivers in the watershed to meet water quality objectives. • Develop evaluation tools to assess the response of variables to changes in water quality over time. Science, Service, Stewardship

3. Water Quality Metrics • Most common metric categories include multi-metric approach: • Water Quality parameters • Biological parameters • Hydrologic parameters • Scale • Site • Reach • Watershed • Can vary depending protecting designated beneficial use of interest • Ex. Cold water habitat for listed species • Ex. Municipal and domestic supply • Can vary depending on pollutant of interest • Nutrients • Metals Science, Service, Stewardship

4. Common Water Quality Metrics Science, Service, Stewardship

5. Bioindicators: Index of Biotic Integrity Science, Service, Stewardship

6. Hydrologic Metrics • Hydrology is a key controllers of biogeochemical processes in a watershed. • Hotspotsare created where hydrological flow paths converge with substrates or other flow paths containing complementary or missing nutrients. • Example: Overland flow produced by storm runoff in the semi-isolated Hanson Ponds input Hg and P into the system. • Application that ‘connectivity’ is important for floodplain biogeochemistry. • Increase frequency and duration of connectivity • Controls on DO, temperature, organic matter processing, and etc. Science, Service, Stewardship

7. Hydrological metrics Science, Service, Stewardship

8. Other Metrics • Land use/Land cover • Agricultural (distal) • Extent of riparian vegetation/buffer (% riparian cover) (proximal) • Water velocities • Nutrient processing • Sediment distribution • Climate • Precipitation • Temperature Science, Service, Stewardship

9. Water Quality Assessment Methods/Tools • Water Quality Models • AQUATOX • WASP7 • Hydrodynamics Models • Nutrients • Sediment Transport Models • Fate and Transport • Metals • Use to provide a more detailed assessment of the fate and transport of nutrients and metals and predict changes in water quality due to controlling variables. • Existing Water Quality Standards • Water Quality-based assessment thresholds • Numeric thresholds for chemical constituents and water quality parameters • Ex. California and Federal Drinking standards • Ex. California Toxic Rules to Protect Human Health and Aquatic Life • Water Quality Objectives • Numeric • Narrative • North Coast Index Biotic Integrity (IBI) • Existing data • SWAMP Data Base

10. Thank You/Questions • North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board • Stephen Bargsten • Steve Butkus • Mark Neely • Permit Resource and Management Department: Amy Lyle • Endangered Habitat Conservancy: Michael Beck and Nancy Schaefer • NMFS: John McKeon, Brian Cluer, and Michael Donahue Science, Service, Stewardship