Evaluation of four years of data collected for EMAP in estuaries of Virginian Biogeographic Province
- Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI (United States)
- SAIC, Narragansett, RI (United States)
- Univ. of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI (United States)
The US EPA Environmental Research Laboratory-Narragansett has collected data for the summer period during 1 990-93 in estuarine waters of the Virginian Biogeographic Province (Chesapeake Bay to Cape Cod) as part of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). Data on benthic assemblages, sediment toxicity, sediment contaminants, sediment characteristics, fish trawl collections, and water quality parameters were collected at approximately 450 sampling sites over the four-year period. Consistent with the objectives of EMAP, these data are used to provide a four-year status assessment of condition of estuarine waters for the province. In addition, where non-desirable conditions are observed in biological measures, statistical associations are made with colocated indicators such as sediment toxicity, sediment contaminants, and dissolved oxygen. To incorporate watershed stressors (data not collected by EMAP on the use of watershed areas and activities thereon that potentially affect estuarine condition) into the assessments, data are aggregated by major estuarine drainage areas (EDAs), as defined by the NOAA Strategic Environmental Assessment Program. The major EDAs, selected on the basis of a sufficient number of sampling stations in the associated estuarine waters, are Long Island Sound, Hudson-Raritan system, Delaware Bay, and Chesapeake Bay. Advantages and restrictions on use of EMAP data are summarized.
- OSTI ID:
- 49455
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410273--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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