Report on Strategy for National Water-Quality Monitoring To: "DC - All District Chiefs" cc: "A - Division Chief and Staff", "B - Branch Chiefs and Offices", "Ethan T Smith, Hydrologist, Reston, VA" , "George D Glysson, Hydrologist (Engr), Reston, VA" , "Eva G Baker, Editor/Writer, Nashville, TN" Subject: Report on Strategy for National Water-Quality Monitoring Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1996 17:46:59 -0500 From: "Ethan T Smith, Hydrologist, Reston, VA" You will be receiving a supply of "The Strategy for Improving Water-Quality Monitoring in the United States" (OFR 95-742), for your use as noted in the attached memorandum. The reports were just shipped on Friday, March 29. Tim Smith (703) 648-5022 In Reply Refer To: March 22, 1996 Mail Stop 417 MEMORANDUM To: USGS State Representatives From: John N. Fischer Associate Chief Hydrologist Subject: "The Strategy for Improving Water-Quality Monitoring in the United States" (OFR 95-742) We are attaching for your use a supply of the subject report, which has been developed by the Intergovernmental Task Force on Monitoring Water Quality (ITFM). The report also is available on the Internet, at http://h2o.usgs.gov/public/wicp/itfm.html. We have placed it in the open file for purchase by the general public; it is OFR 95-742. The ITFM has been a highly successful Federal and State interagency collaboration group, from 1992 to the present. The effort is carried out under authority of Office of Management and Budget Memorandum 92-01, which gives to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) the lead in water information coordination. The ITFM adopted, with multiple rounds of public participation, and an interorganizational advisory group, a nationwide strategy for water quality monitoring (surface, ground, and coastal) which addressed: institutional collaboration; environmental indicators; comparable monitoring methods and quality assurance/quality control; information management and sharing; and water-quality assessment and reporting. The ITFM has completed a series of goals to help revitalize monitoring, including a final report: "The Strategy for Improving Water-Quality Monitoring in the United States" (1995). The report is being distributed widely to Federal and State members of the ITFM. The USGS has a major role to play to implement the strategy, which can begin with actions to distribute the report within your area. We have included in this memorandum a series of suggested actions to assist you in distribution. We hope to not merely distribute the report, but to use it as a basis for moving forward on improving water-quality monitoring nationally. Work is continuing within the Office of Water Data Coordination to follow up on the recommendations of the report. For additional information please contact Tim Smith (703-648-5022, or email etsmith). Possible Actions to Implement the National Strategy Information Dissemination: o For public relations purposes, send a copy of the report to the Governor and selected major cooperators. Point out that the conclusions can foster more efficient use of limited resources. o Identify additional organizations at the Federal, State, and local level that should participate in ITFM within the district. Funding Coordination: o Investigate the possibility of funding coordination between the Coop Program and the EPA 305(b) Program. Pilot Studies: o Referring to the Arizona pilot study, focus on information management and data sharing among Federal and State agencies. o Referring to the Florida pilot study, consider development of a network that integrates surface and ground-water monitoring. o Referring to the Wisconsin pilot study, compare monitoring methods used by Federal and State agencies, and evaluate the differences in the results. Information Exchange: o Sponsor periodic meetings with Federal and State representatives to identify and implement actions to create a statewide monitoring strategy. o Use the general framework as described in the report to educate cooperators and potential cooperators on the complexity of development of a monitoring program and its components. o Use the USGS computer network to share results of actions with other districts and national program managers, to promote information sharing and consistency. o Use methods advocated by the National Performance Review, such as focus groups, surveys, and interviews, to involve organizations such as watershed associations so as to determine their information needs. Attachment Members of the Intergovernmental Task Force on Monitoring Water Quality U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Elizabeth Fellows, Chair U.S. Geological Survey Tim Smith, Vice-Chair Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Wayne K. Hood III Delaware River Basin Commission David P. Pollison Florida Department of Environmental Protection Rodney S. DeHan Maryland Geological Survey Emery T. Cleaves National Biological Service John P. Mosesso National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Andrew Robertson National Park Service William H. Walker, Jr. New Jersey Geological Survey Haig F. Kasabach Office of Management and Budget Pam Barr Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Chris O. Yoder South Carolina Department of Health Vacant and Environment Control Tennessee Valley Authority Neil E. Carriker U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Frederick B. (Pete) Juhle U.S. Department of Agriculture Fred N. Swader (1992-93) Dan Smith (1994) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Timothy Kubiak U.S. Geological Survey Tim Miller U.S. Environmental Protection Agency James K. Andreasen Washington State Department of Ecology Lynn R. Singleton Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bruce J. Baker National Program Representatives Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program James K. Andreasen (EMAP) National Water-Quality Assessment Program Tim Miller (NAWQA)