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Methods and Data Comparability Board
Minutes Steering Committee
Conference Call - February 25, 2003

 

Participants:

Participants: Herb Brass, Charlie Peters, Dennis McChesney, Dan Sullivan, Larry Keith, Katherine Alben, Ed Johnson, Merle Shockey, Leanne Astin, Chuck Spooner, Jerry Diamond (contractor)

Public Web Site

Ed reviewed results of last core group conference call pertaining to web site modifications and re-design. More discussion is still needed on lay-out, fonts, and colors used, however, all agreed that between the version Ed developed and the prototype Dan and USGS drafted, we are getting closer to having an improved and more usable public web site. Dan will distribute another working prototype for review.

Charlie indicated that there are now several versions of the Board logo that have been used (which he circulated to the Outreach Workgroup for comment). The logo for the web page needs to be decided soon.

Dan and Charlie also developed a prototype for the Workgroup public web pages. Workgroup chairs need to review their respective page by March 14 to decide what should be included (wi.water.usgs.gov/methods/workgroups/).

Two-year Strategies

Workgroup chairs need to review and finalize their 2-year work plans and action items by April 1. Herb and Charlie will help as well if needed. Tetra Tech will not be able to provide much further assistance in this regard due to resource limitations. Charlie indicated that the 2 yr strategies will be needed for the webpages.

Conference Planning

Charlie suggested that each Chair find a representative who is willing to help with planning of the National Water Monitoring Conference in 2004. Charlie will distribute information about the conference planning sub committees, information about upcoming calls and who is involved already after work group representatives are selected. Dennis will participate in the next call to find out planning needs in terms of Methods Board people.

Next Board Meeting

Herb will get out an email to the Board specifying two options: first option - week of June 16, second option, week of May 5, and ask folks for availability.

Workgroup Updates

NEMI : Next call is 2/27/03 to discuss Larry's recommendations for updating the NEMI Workgroup web site. Thursday, 2/20/03, there was a NEMI-CBR core group meeting at EPA in Cincinnati in which modifications/additions to NEMI were discussed for the purpose of water security methods. The meeting was very productive and many suggestions from that meeting will be useful to further stages of NEMI in general.

PBS

The COD pilot manuscript submitted to ES&T was not accepted at this point and the Workgroup is looking into other journals. The COD Pilot Report will be considered for publication as a Council Report in the meantime. A call is scheduled for March 13 to discuss Tetra Tech's recent revision of the Guidance to Comparability paper and the value of comparability fact sheet. Another call will be scheduled to discuss a PBS workshop.

Accreditation

The call on 2/25/03 established that the draft Accreditation Fact Sheet for the ACWI meeting should be general so that it can be used elsewhere. The Fact Sheet will be revised by Bart, Merle, Herb, Charlie, and Jerry and submitted to Toni Johnson next week along with a draft survey form concerning federal lab. Bart prepared a draft outline for the state lab accreditation paper, which is under review. Web site materials will be updated by March 17, when the next call is scheduled.

Nutrients

The nitrate DQO white paper has been revised by Katherine and received excellent input from Charlie Patton and others on a conference call February 7. Ed Santoro edited the paper as well and it will be revised further by Katherine in March sometime. The nutrient pilot led by Ron Jones has been completed but the data and assessment are still being prepared.

New Technologies

Katherine has been in contact with Eric Vowinkel and is moving forward on the algal toxins session for the Great Lakes meeting in June.


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Last Update: September 15, 2004 September 15, 2004