Water Quality Monitoring Workshop

Proceedings of the 2015 Long Island Sound Study Water Quality Monitoring Workshop

On July 14-15, 2015, the EPA Long Island Sound Study (LISS) and the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptability (CIRCA), co-hosted a workshop on water quality monitoring at the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point Campus.

Through a variety of open oral and poster sessions, panel discussions, breakoutsessions, and a keynote presentation from Ed Sherwood of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, the workshop explored a set of overarching questions intended to help guide conversation and focus discussion on the goals of the LISS program. The first day focused on monitoring, with topics such as future directions for the program, incorporation of new technologies, and application of monitoring data to management and intersystem comparison. The second day focused on ecosystem modeling, with discussion topics centered around the application of monitoring data to modeling, and next directions for the LISS program, but also modeling management scenarios (e.g., climate change, pollutant reduction), and a survey of modeling approaches from other programs.

Workshop Agenda

Below is an outline of the Session topics with pdfs available as downloads by speakers and panelists who prepared slideshow presentations.

DAY 1 | Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Introduction to the Workshop – Mark Tedesco, USEPA Long Island Sound Office

Introduction to the Current LISS Monitoring Program – Jason Krumholz, NOAA

Panel Discussion: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going? Status of Water Quality Monitoring in Long Island Sound – Panelists: Robin Jaxhi, IEC District-NEIWPCC, Chris Bellucci, CT DEEP (presentation prepared by Katie O’Brien-Clayton, CT DEEP), John Mullaney, USGS, Jim O’Donnell, UConn/CIRCA

Keynote Seminar: Alternatives to Oxygen Based Criteria in Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment – Edward Sherwood, Tampa Bay Estuary Program

Breakout Sessions on Monitoring Approaches

1. Future Developments in Monitoring Technology – Moderators: Jim O’Donnell and Mike Twardowski, Florida Atlantic University
2. Application of Monitoring Data to Management and Decision Making – Moderators: Peter Moore, MARACOOS and Paul Stacey, Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
3. Application of Monitoring Data to Intersystem Comparison and Synthesis – Moderators: Jim Latimer, USEPA Office of Research and Development

Reconvene and Report Out on Breakout Sessions – Facilitated by Jason Krumholz

Panel Discussion: Evaluating the Success of Monitoring Programs – Panelists: Rachel Jakuba, Buzzards Bay Coalition, Edward Sherwood, Paul Stacey, Mark Tedesco

DAY 2 | Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Recap of Day 1 and Day 2 Objectives – Jason Krumholz

Status of LISS Ecosystem Modeling Efforts – Jim O’Donnell

Panel Discussion: Application of Monitoring to Modeling – Panelists: Chris Kincaid, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, Jim O’Donnell, Robert Wilson, Stony Brook University

Presentations on Alternative Modeling Applications

1. Alternative Formulations and Modifications to SWEM – Grant McCardell, UConn
2. High Resolution Biophysical Modeling of RI Embayments – Chris Kincaid
3. Lessons Learned From ECOGEM Modeling in NARRAGANSETT Bay and Potential Adaptation to Long Island Sound – Mark Brush, Virginia Institute of Marine Science/Jason Krumholz/Jamie Vaudrey, UConn
4. Load Based Modeling Approaches in Embayments – Holly Drinkuth, The Nature Conservancy
5. Does Consideration of Global or Regional Changes (in Climate) Alter Our Prediction of Ecosystem Response to Nutrient Abatement? – Jason Grear, USEPA Office of Research and Development

Breakout Sessions on Modeling Applications

1. Model Parameterization Issues/Data Availability – Moderator: Dan Codiga, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
2. Modeling Management Scenarios/Climate Change – Moderator: Jim Fitzpatrick, HDR, Inc.
3. Intersystem and System Comparison Using Models – Moderator: Chris Kincaid

Reconvene and Report Out on Breakout Sessions – Facilitated by Jason Krumholz

Preliminary Synthesis of Workshop Results and Next Steps – Facilitated by Mark Tedesco

The workshop was organized by the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), and funded by an interagency agreement (DW13923994) awarded by the USEPA to NOAA in partnership with the LISS, along with contributions from CIRCA and SeaBird Coastal. The formal agenda for the workshop can be found in Appendix B of the workshop proceedings.