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National Water Quality Monitoring CouncilHerndon, VA15 July 2010

Ocean Policy Task Force: Water Quality Objective

Jawed HameediNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Silver Spring, MD

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Ocean Policy Task Force -- OverviewEstablished by President’s memorandum,

dated June 12, 2009The message is to collaborate on ocean-

related [coasts, open water, the Great Lakes] issues and work within a unifying frameworkShare knowledge and resourcesCoordinate activitiesIntegrate toward common goalsCommunicate

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Ocean Policy Task Force – Initial ActionsWithin 90 days develop recommendations for:

A National PolicyA US Framework for Policy CoordinationAn Implementation StrategyCompleted: Interim Report, September 2009

Within 180 daysA recommended framework for effective

Coastal and Marine Spatial PlanningCompleted: Draft interim framework,

December 2009

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Ocean Policy Task ForceNine (9) Priority Objectives1. Ecosystem-based management2. Coastal and marine spatial planning3. Inform decisions and improve understanding4. Coordinate and support5. Resiliency and adaptation to climate change and

ocean acidification6. Regional ecosystem protection and restoration7. Water quality and sustainable practices on land8. Changing conditions in the Arctic9. Ocean, coastal and Great Lakes observations and

infrastructure

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Eight (8) Water Quality Issues: Coastal waters and the Great Lakes (NWQMN)Oxygen depletionNutrient over-enrichment; eutrophicationToxic contaminationSedimentationHarmful Algal BloomsHabitat degradation (freshwater availability;

dredging impacts; shoreline armoring; etc.)Invasion by non-indigenous speciesPathogens (indicator bacteria)

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Ask me how –Successfully reducing nutrient input to alleviate eutrophication may be contributing to increased incidence of botulism in coastal birds, aided by expanding invasive species

Ocean Policy Task Force: Policy Coordination Framework [Draft]

National Ocean CouncilPrincipals and DeputiesCo-Chairs: CEQ/OSTP

Ocean Resource Management IPC

Ocean Science and Technology IPC

Governance Coordination Committee

Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel

Steering Committee

White House Councils and Offices (Climate, Economy,

Security, etc.)

IPC= Interagency Policy Committee

Presumptive Framework for Developing Strategic Action Plan: Water Quality

Strategic Action Planning Committee

Chair/co-ChairsStaff

Interagency Work Group(workers, not representatives)

Theme TeamsLeaders

Regional TeamsLeaders

O&C DI&T Science

NOCORM-IPC; OST IPC

NOPC

Governance – 13IOOS – 11CMSP -- 9

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Strategic Action Plan Guidance from NOC; more

specifically from ORM-IPC and OST-IPC

Plans -- one for each objective -- to include: Actionable items – to do list -- with

milestones, performance measures, and likely outcomes;

Small-scale and incremental opportunities to build upon existing activities;

Key lead and participating agencies;

Information gaps and needs in science and technology; and

Resource requirements and steps for collaboration (current and out-year budgets)

Also SWOT analysis

Threat

WeaknessStrength

Opportunity

Apathytoward the goal

Commitment

to achieving the goal

Ag

en

cyre

qu

irem

en

ts

Ext

ern

al

need

s

Actionable Items – examplesi. Identify contaminants of concern and their sources within the

watershedii. Document the nature, severity and putative cause(s) of water

quality-related problems, e.g., seafood consumption advisories, habitats degradation (hypoxia, eutrophication, and shoreline alteration), toxins and infectious agents, and economic losses

iii. Estimate contaminant input to the watershed and loading from the watershed (and airshed) to the receiving body

iv. Develop methods and technologies to quantify transport, transformation and fate of contaminants in the watershed and receiving waters

v. Recommend and provide decision-support tools for more effective conservation practices and use efficiencies for improving water quality and quantity

vi. Provide the knowledge and tools for monitoring the status and trends of water quality and assessing watershed condition

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Focus on “nonpoint” pollution sources

• Agriculture – nutrients, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, sediment• Forestry – pesticides, sediment, temperature• Hydromodifcation and habitat alteration – channelization, dams, beach

armoring – sediment, contaminants, hydrology• Ports, marina and boating – petroleum hydrocarbons, solid waste,

sediment, fish processing waste, boat cleaning, antifouling chemicals, and coastal armoring

• Roads, highways and bridges – heavy metals, oils, sediments, etc.• Urban areas – sediments, oils, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, toxic metals

and chemicals, thermal pollution, road salt, viruses and other pathogens

• Regional emissions and deposition of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia

• Wetland and riparian management – thermal pollution, nutrients, contaminants, sediments, etc.

• Abandoned mine drainage – e.g., acidic waters with high metal content11

Other pollution sources cannot be ignored

• Municipal wastewater discharge• Industrial effluents and plumes• Smokestacks – power plants, factories and

ships – does a ship constitute a point source?• Aquaculture impacts – where does this fit?• Ballast water – where does this fit?• Oil spills• Marine debris

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NOC organizes PHASE I (1-12 months)

Phase II (9-24 months)

Phase III (18 monhts-5 years)

NOC Strategic Action Plan

Scientific guidance and information mgmt plan

Fed agency coordination

Implement regional steps

Coordinate with states; workshops

Capacity assessment

Work plan to NOC

Plan implementation, reviews, feedback

Governance Adv Comm

Funding and support

Regional planning bodies formed

Strawman phased implementation plan

Key federal partners• NOAA• EPA• US Forest Service• Agriculture Research Service• US Geological Survey• National Park Service• US F&WS Coastal Program• US Army Corps of Engineers

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Thank You

For more information:http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq ...http://www.cmsp.noaa.gov

Your comments and suggestions are welcomeJawed.Hameedi@noaa.gov

Strawman Plan

ObjectiveWater Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land: Enhance water quality in the ocean, along our coasts, and in the Great Lakes by promoting and implementing sustainable practices on land

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Performance Measures• Develop and transfer technology and

implement practices to reduce delivery of contaminants from the watershed to coastal waters, and document water quality improvements:– Initial: demonstration of technologies,

practices and improvements in at least one of nine regions

– Cumulative: demonstration of technologies, practices and improvements in each of nine regions

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Key Measurable Outcomes

Improved water quality as demonstrated by reduced accumulation of contaminants in the environment and sentinel biota, improvements in eutrophication and hypoxic conditions, recovery of natural habitat and biodiversity, and enhanced economic benefits[Note: in the context of “ecosystem-based” management, regional differences are acknowledged, so the outcomes will relate to specific water quality-related issues or scientific questions in a particular study area].

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NOAA does not develop regulations for toxic substances or water quality criteria

Regulations U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Recommendations or guidelines [cannot be enforced by law] Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

(ATSDR) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

(NIOSH) NOAA, e.g. Sediment Quality Guidelines

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NOAA’s Water Quality Data Needs

Establishing connections between water [and air] quality and undesirable ecosystem conditions or outcomes (e.g., nuisance or harmful algal blooms, eutrophication, fish diseases and deformities, hypoxic conditions, and loss of species, habitats and biodiversity)

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Water Quality Data Needs – contd.

Understanding the role of physical processes (including episodic events, decadal changes, and global warming) on coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems.

Loading from a Runoff Event in Chesapeake Bay, March 2008 (High-Resolution Ocean Color Satellite Data) http://coastwatch.noaa.gov/

TSS

Chl

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Water Quality Data Needs – contd.

Fostering collaboration between NOAA, universities, and states

Enhancing environmental literacy (through education, outreach and training) Impervious surface area; ISAT;

Rutgers COOL; Teachers at Sea

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NOAA’s approach: Healthy Coastal Ecosystems

NOAA will use the full range of its capabilities (research, assessment, monitoring, management , technology transfer, education and outreach) to achieve:

Greater understanding of interactions among the components of healthy coastal ecosystems

Designing and implementing management solutions that are comprehensive, integrated and geographically focused over a variety of time scales

Synthesizing and communicating information to coastal decision-makers and stakeholders