Update

1. Update Methods and Data Comparability Board San Diego, CA, Dec. 6,2007

2. MDCB External Web Page

3. MDCB Current Activities • Recent meeting in Portland, OR 10/23-24/07 • NEMI • Water Quality Data Elements (WQDE) • Physical Habitat (Streams) • Preparing for 2008 National Conference • New directions • Planning a MDCB meeting in conjunction with the MACOORA water-quality workshop in March 2008 • National Conference May 18-22, 2008

4. MDCB New Directions From Portland meeting, recent Board conference calls, and Council meeting • Contaminants • Sensors • Event and continuous monitoring • Statistical and other analysis methods—how to integrate discrete, probabilistic, and real-time monitoring observations Need to prioritize based on needs of the Council and water-quality community

5. NEMI Update • EPA & USGS analytical methods – backbone of NEMI • 947 methods to date • Green Methods identified in database • Outreach • Conference in Atlantic City (presentation) • Updates to EPA and USGS management (meetings) • ELAB and similar conferences (handouts) • Other?

6. New methods in NEMI • In the queue for FY 2008: • Habitat protocols • USGS field methods (NFM) • Biological (Pop/comm) • Microbiological • Toxicity • Sediment & Tissue chemistry • Suspended sediment • Feedback welcome!

7. CRADA for NEMI • Partners: • YSI – financial support interested in entering multiparameter probes • Neptune, Inc. – analytical and statistical methods. Web-based stats programs • Tennessee Tech U. (Martha Wells) – research methods, University outreach • Abraxis LLC – analytical kits

8. WQDE Physical Habitat Update • Developed a fantastic team of scientists lead by Faith Fitzpatrick and Revital Katznelson • Working closely with USEPA and ESAR • Working on a minimum set of elements for stream habitat a different habitat scales • Several experts are reviewing the list now • Will move into other habitats such as wetlands and coastal areas in the future

11. Sensors • Being used more frequently in the field • Beginning to see “methods” that are defined by the technology • How can we evaluate these new technologies in order to compare them? • Enter into NEMI or some similar subset

12. Sensors (cont) • Board plans to develop a white paper to outline the approach • Create a web-site to help guide users • Develop a Board “New Technologies” workgroup • Need to bring in experts to the Board • EPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program • Sandia National Laboraties (SNL) • Department of Defense • Homeland Security • Private sector • Several USGS presenters at WQ Workshop at Galveston

13. Contaminants • Many programs monitor many compounds • Lists of compounds change over time • Emerging contaminants – is there a process for identifying what should be a concern? • Based on discussions at Council Network breakout session the Board and Tracy need to look at current list for the Network ASAP • Need to develop a short term and long term plan

14. Statistical Methods • Need to determine if this is a priority of the Council??? • Need to connect with the Water Information Strategies Work Group to evaluate methods of analysis of the available data sets • White paper and create a web site to help those use statistical methods appropriately • How to integrate discrete, probabilistic, and real-time data sets generated from the Network

15. Moving Forward • Need to determine the level of effort that the Council wants to commit for the Board to address these issues • Need to interact with the Council’s to better understand the needs over the short term and long term—have selected Council members come to Board meetings/conference calls, etc.