2003 National Workshop Modules
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Disclaimer:
The contents of these documents do not necessarily represent the
views and policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute
endorsement or recommendation of use.
BIO 101 - Introduction to Biological Assessments
and Criteria
This course provides an introduction to biological assessments
and criteria, how they are developed and how they can be used in
water quality management. This course covers the basic concepts,
principles and terms, augmented by an overview of the Ohio Biocriteria
Program. Recommended for beginning biocriteria scientists, managers
and others new to the subject.
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WQS 101 - Keys to Getting Biocriteria Into
Water Quality Standards
This course provides insights into the essential steps and strategies
for successfully adopting narrative and numeric biocriteria in State
and Tribal water quality standards. Specific topics include an introduction
to water quality standards, presentation of State cases, and an
introduction to the Biological Condition Gradient for strengthening
ALUS (covered in detail under TALU101 and 202). Successful States
share how they incorporated biological assessments and criteria
into their standards, lessons learned, and tips they have for others.
Recommended for beginning biocriteria scientists, managers and others
new to the subject.
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APP 101 - Biological Assessments and Criteria
and Their Application in Water Programs
This course examines how biological assessments and criteria have
been successfully used in NPDES permitting, stormwater permits,
enforcement cases, Superfund, TMDLs and other applications. Basic
applications are presented and supplemented by case examples from
three leading States. The use of bioassessments in an enforcement
case is also illustrated in the course materials. Recommended for
any professional involved in the application of biological assessment
and criteria in water quality programs.
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LAKES 101 - Lake Biological Assessments
and Criteria
This course introduces biological assessment and criteria methods
for lakes using the EPA lakes biocriteria guidance, interspersed
with case studies and exercises designed to highlight and demonstrate
issues in lake bioassessment. Recommended for anyone interested
in conducting biological assessments and deriving biocriteria for
lakes.
- Lake biological assessments
and criteria- introduction (PDF, 151KB, 13 slides)
- Defining reference
conditions with sediment cores (PDF, 1.1MB, 23 slides)
- Reservoir biological
assessment and criteria: TVA methods and experiences (PDF,
385KB, 29 slides)
- Florida lake biocriteria
and bioassessment development (PDF, 2.5MB, 27 slides)
- Biocriteria development
for lakes: Merging multimetric & multivariate approaches to
develop trial biocriteria for phytoplankton and macroinvertebrates
in lakes - Vermont case study (PDF, 293KB, 26 slides)
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TRIBES 101 - Tribal Biological Assessment
and Criteria Programs
This course has been designed to examine and discuss the development
and implementation of biological assessment and criteria programs
in Tribal Nations. Technical issues relevant to tribal programs
arediscussed and case studies are presented. Recommended for biologists
and environmental managers working with tribes on water quality
monitoring and assessment on tribal lands.
- Tribal biological assessments
and criteria - introduction (PDF, 391KB, 11 slides)
- Pyramid
Lake Paiute Tribe: bioassessment program technical issues
(PDF, 2.1MB, 22 slides)
- Developing
biological criteria: Fort Peck’s experience (PDF, 130KB,
18 slides)
- Establishment
of reference sites on the Oneida reservation in Wisconsin
(PDF, 1.5MB, 17 slides)
- Fond du Lac Reservation
water quality program (PDF, 2MB, 21 slides)
- Pyramid
Lake Paiute Tribe: programmatic implementation of bioassessments
(PDF, 1.6MB, 21 slides)
- Use of biocriteria
for 401 certification (PDF, 492KB, 16 slides)
- Oneida
Nation: programmatic implementation of bioassessments (PDF,
302KB, 7 slides)
- Fond du Lac
Reservation: programmatic implementation of bioassessments
(PDF, 650KB, 13 slides)
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SI 101 - The Stressor Identification (SI)
Process
This course covers the principles of the stressor identification
process, which is used when unknown causes of biological impairment
are encountered and when it is necessary to convince a skeptical
audience. Recommended for scientists, managers and others involved
in 305(b) assessments, 303(d) listings, TMDLs or other water body
investigations.
- The stressor identification
(SI) process (PDF, 118KB, 7 slides)
- Why a formal method
for causal evaluation? (PDF, 198KB, 15 slides)
- Step by step through
causal evaluation (PDF, 2.4MB, 87 slides)
- The Kootenai River
ecosystem: A challenge for the stressor identification process
(PDF, 2.3MB, 15 slides)
- Using stressor response relationships
to identify causes of impairment (PDF, 2.5MB, 15 slides)
- A procedure to determine
the biological gradient of macroinvertebrates to stream temperature
(PDF, 236KB, 12 slides)
- Environmental protection
without conclusive causal analysis (PDF, 2MB, 28 slides)
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SI 201 – The Stressor Identification
(SI) Process: Case Study
This course provides participants with a step-by-step examination
of a case study using the stressor identification process. Information
is presented on EPA's proposed expert/information/database support
system that is being designed to help practitioners determine unknown
causes of biological impairment more quickly and easily. Recommended
for scientists, managers and others involved in 305(b) assessments,
303(d) listings, TMDLs or anyone attempting to diagnose water body
impairments.
- The stressor identification
(SI) process: case study (PDF, 200KB, 7 slides)
- Case Study: Little
Scioto River: Step 1 – List candidate causes (PDF, 326KB,
21 slides)
- Appropriate Use of
Statistics (PDF, 95KB, 7 slides)
- Case Study: Little
Scioto River: Analyze evidence & characterize cause (PDF,
328KB, 24 slides)
- Case Study: Little Scioto River:
Answers (PDF, 210KB, 19 slides)
- CADDIS: Making Stressor ID Easier
- The Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System Development
Workshop (PDF, 336KB, 14 slides)
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RFC 101 - Basic Reference Condition and Classification
Techniques
This course explains the basic concepts of reference conditions
and classification, how such are derived and the importance for
developing biocriteria for water quality standards. The role of
human disturbance gradients in setting reference conditions will
be discussed. States with a long history of developing and incorporating
reference condition concepts into their water quality programs provide
case studies. Recommended for anyone conducting bioassessments and/or
developing biocriteria.
- Basic Reference Condition
and Classification Techniques - Introduction (PDF, 852KB,
35 slides)
- Overview of
the role of classification & modeling in establishing reference
conditions (PDF, 240KB, 30 slides)
- Reference site selection:
Overview and a framework (PDF, 653KB, 30 slides)
- Establishing reference condition
for the development of numerical biological criteria in Ohio
(PDF, 2.2MB, 33 slides)
- Development of reference conditions
for management classes - Maine (PDF, 129KB, 17 slides)
- Idaho’s reference condition
approach: Lessons learned (PDF, 3.4MB, 27 slides)
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RFC 201 - Reference Condition Case Studies
This course focuses primarily on the process of selecting reference
sites to characterize reference condition based on a series of case
studies in different geographic settings. The role of classification
and modeling is incorporated into the case studies as appropriate.
The course is based on a hierarchical screening process for the
selection of reference sites. Recommended for all bioassessment
and biocriteria professionals.
- Reference Condition Case
Studies: Emphasis on selection of reference sites (PDF, 182KB,
4 slides)
- Development of a Reference
Site Screening Approach - Part 1 (PDF, 1.3MB, 28 slides)
- Reference condition
approach and site selection: An Oregon case study (PDF, 915KB,
29 slides)
- Reference site selection
& classification in Arizona (PDF, 1.7MB, 27 slides)
- Core factors of reference
site designation for streams in the central plains: Developing
multi-state criteria for use in screening candidate reference
sites (PDF, 158KB, 16 slides)
- Development of a Reference
Site Screening Approach - Part 2 (PDF, 2.8MB, 32 slides)
- The Wyoming reference
site experience (PDF, 1.8MB, 40 slides)
- An Aquatic ecological classification
system for riverine ecosystems: A common framework for biomonitoring
and biodiversity conservation (PDF, 14.8MB, 39 slides)
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RFC 202 - Advanced Reference Condition Techniques,
Special Circumstances and Problem Solving
This course explains ways to derive reference conditions when the
routine methods won't work, i.e., difficult situations. Examples
focus on extensively modified areas such as urban areas, some kinds
of agricultural lands, large river, and some lake or wetland situations.
The course includes the use of historical information for characterizing
reference condition. Recommended for practitioners facing such problems.
- Advanced reference condition
techniques, special circumstances and problem solving - Introduction
(PDF, 128KB, 7 slides)
- Historical
reconstruction of reference condition (PDF, 2.7MB, 31 slides)
- Challenges for urban
and agricultural landscapes: Maryland & Mississippi (PDF,
1.4MB, 32 slides)
- Development of reference
conditions for reservoir aquatic communities (PDF, 333KB,
21 slides)
- Selecting reference
sites in agricultural areas —A South Dakota case study
(PDF, 3MB, 21 slides)
- Challenges in selecting
reference streams in plains landscapes: Northeastern Montana
(PDF, 5.2MB, 34 slides)
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INDEX 101 - Biological Index Development
Methods: Basic Concepts
This course will cover the methods and models used to develop indexes
of biological condition. The course reviews the ecological basis
of indices, the steps involved in building indices, limitations
of the approach, and critical questions to ask of any index.
- Biological index development
methods: Basic concepts - Introduction (PDF, 2.4MB, 37 slides)
- Multimetric concepts
(PDF, 887KB, 34 slides)
- Recalibrating
Florida’s stream condition index (PDF, 358KB, 34 slides)
- Use of RIVPACS-type
predictive models in aquatic biological assessment: Theory and
application (PDF, 356KB, 30 slides)
- Oregon’s experience
with multimetric and multivariate approaches (PDF, 650KB,
24 slides)
- Use of
linear discriminant models to determine life use attainment
(PDF, 643KB, 29 slides)
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INDEX 201 - Biological Index Development
Methods: Applications
This course covers in greater depth the methods and models used
to develop indices of biological condition and their potential policy
and regulatory implications. This second course addresses how to
perform technical steps in building multimetric and multivariate
predictive models. It will also address threshold development and
evaluation for building criteria from indices.
- Biological Index Development
Methods: Applications - Introduction (PDF, 92KB, 6 slides)
- Idaho’s index development:
lessons learned (PDF, 1.6MB, 24 slides)
- Case
study: Classification of western streams (PDF, 773KB, 32 slides)
- Classification
exercise (PDF, 720KB, 22 slides)
- Biological
attribute exploration, metric development (PDF, 696KB, 38
slides)
- Selection of metrics
for index assembly (PDF, 278KB, 21 slides)
- RIVPACS (PDF, 530KB, 67
slides)
- Confidence:
Variability & reliability (PDF, 465KB, 28 slides)
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LR 101 - Large River Biological Assessment
Methods
This course introduces biological assessment methods for large
rivers. Primary topics covered include classification of rivers,
assessment and site/station scale, alternative monitoring designs
for alternative objectives, and field methods for core biological
indicator assemblages. Other topics introduced (and covered in greater
detail in other modules) include alternative reference condition
approaches, alternative classification strategies, data analysis,
and biocriteria development/alternative classification strategies
for condition. Recommended for anyone interested in conducting biological
assessments of large rivers.
- Large river biological assessment
methods - Introduction (PDF, 3.4MB, 32 slides)
- Section 2: Initial
decisions and considerations (PDF, 1.2MB, 27 slides)
- Section
3: Large river bioassessment design and data interpretation
(PDF, 1.5MB, 24 slides)
- Section 4a:
Introduction to environmental indicators of riverine ecosystem
quality (PDF, 176KB, 14 slides)
- Section 4b:
W-EMAP Quantitative river physical habitat assessment (PDF,
1.7MB, 33 slides)
- Section 4c: Water chemistry
(PDF, 676KB, 20 slides)
- Section 4d: Biological
response indicators of riverine ecosystem quality (PDF, 200KB,
5 slides)
- Section 4e:
Methods for sampling fish in large rivers (PDF, 2MB, 31 slides)
- Section
4f: Methods for sampling benthic macroinvertebrates in large rivers
(PDF, 440KB, 15 slides)
- Section 4g:
Methods for sampling algae in large rivers (PDF, 350KB, 16
slides)
- Section 5: Logistics
& safety on large rivers (PDF, 593KB, 11 slides)
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LR 201 - Large River Biocriteria Development
This course introduces biological criteria derivation methods for
large rivers primarily through the use of case studies. Multiple
case studies representing a range of site/station scale and monitoring
designs for alternative objectives are presented.
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WET 101 - Wetlands Biological Assessments
and Criteria
This course introduces biological assessment and criteria methods
for wetlands and their many applications to State and Tribal wetland
programs. Course material is taken from EPA's Methods for Evaluating
Wetland Condition as well as case studies and examples from states.
Recommended for anyone interested in conducting biological assessments
and deriving biocriteria for wetlands.
- Wetlands biological assessments
and criteria - Introduction (PDF, 121KB, 12 slides)
- Wetland classification:
goals and strategies (PDF, 3.3MB, 36 slides)
- Assemblage selection
and index development for wetland IBIs (PDF, 1.7MB, 47 slides)
- Monitoring to determine
aquatic life use support (PDF, 886KB, 42 slides)
- Application of wetland
bioassessment protocols for making aquatic life beneficial use-support
determinations in Montana (PDF, 836KB, 41 slides)
- Monitoring and assessment
data use and application: Establishing common measurement endpoints
for ambient assessments - Juniata case study (PDF, 8MB, 46
slides)
- Linking measures of
ecological integrity with ecosystem processes in mitigation wetlands
(PDF, 1MB, 28 slides)
- Future directions
(PDF, 126KB, 14 slides)
- Lessons learned by
States\Tribes through bioassessment of wetlands (PDF, 28KB,
11 pages)
- Tools developed for wetland
biomonitoring (PDF, 69KB, 22 pages)
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TALU 101 - Using Biological Assessments
to Refine Designated Aquatic Life Uses: The Biological Condition
Gradient
This course explains and solicits feedback on a proposed conceptual
model predicting the response of aquatic communities to increasing
human disturbance. The conceptual model is a draft framework for
using biological assessment information to refine designated aquatic
life uses. Recommended for participants with bioassessment and biocriteria
field expertise and program responsibilities for water quality standards.
- Using biological assessments to refine designated aquatic life uses: EPA/State Workgroup (2004) (PDF, 306KB, 25 slides)
- Using biological assessments
to refine designated aquatic life uses: The biological condition
gradient - Introduction (PDF, 128KB, 14 slides)
- The biological
condition gradient (PDF, 965KB, 39 slides)
- Application of the
biological condition gradient in Kentucky (PDF, 1.2MB, 11
slides)
- Response
of stream biological communities to agricultural disturbances
in the great plains (PDF, 10.3MB, 36 slides)
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TALU 201 - Using Biological Assessments
to Refine Designated Aquatic Life Uses: The Human Disturbance Gradient
This course explains and solicits feedback on a draft conceptual
model that ranks changes in stream/river environments in response
to increasing human disturbance. Technical issues and potential
management applications relative to reference condition are discussed.
Case examples are presented. Recommended for participants with bioassessment
and biocriteria field expertise and program responsibilities for
water quality standards.
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TALU 202 - Using Biological Assessments
to Refine Designated Aquatic Life Uses: Program Implementation
This course explains and solicits feedback on application of the
proposed conceptual model predicting the response of an aquatic
community to increasing human disturbance. Case examples are presented.
This course is recommended for State and Tribal program scientists
and managers, particularly water quality standards coordinators.
- Using biological assessments
to refine designated aquatic life uses: Program implementation
- Introduction (PDF, 275KB, 44 slides)
- Application of the biocondition
gradient within Idaho’s cold water aquatic life use (PDF,
154KB, 17 slides)
- Potential application
of tiered aquatic life use model in Wisconsin (PDF, 227KB,
21 slides)
- Tiered aquatic life uses:
Implementation of bioassessment and biocriteriain water quality
management programs (PDF, 124KB, 18 slides)
- Implementation of tiered
aquatic life uses: Ohio rivers and streams, 1978 - present
(PDF, 6.7MB, 52 slides)
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