Regional Monitoring Networks (RMN) for Inland Lakes in the Northeast and Midwest: Assessment of Data Needs and Sampling Methods (Final Report)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) is supporting EPA regional offices, states, tribes, and other entities to establish Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs) for freshwater inland lakes. The RMNs are a collaborative effort to collect long-term monitoring data at targeted sites to detect changes over time. RMN partners in the Northeast and Midwest have developed lists of recommended Phase 1 indicators and protocols, which are described in protocol documents and a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). The use of consistent and comparable methods is very important, as different methodologies may reduce the sensitivity of indicators and increase trend detection times. The intent is to pool the data at a regional scale, which will enable more robust analyses and allow for detection of widespread patterns that may otherwise be missed at the local level. This document describes the process that participants went through to establish the lake RMNs, design elements (sample size, site selection, classification), and recommended indicators and protocols. It also shows examples of ways in which the RMN data can be used and discusses strategies for managing and sharing data. It concludes with a discussion on the status of monitoring activities and future goals.
Impact/Purpose
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working with its regional offices, states, tribes, universities and other entities to establish Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs) for freshwater inland lakes. RMNs are collaborative, volunteer efforts to collect long-term monitoring data at targeted sites to establish baselines and detect changes from them. The intent is to pool the data at a regional scale, which will enable more robust analyses and allow for detection of widespread patterns that may otherwise be missed at the local level. The RMNs help state and tribal monitoring programs meet their objectives under the Clean Water Act, fill data gaps, achieve greater consistency in the types of data being collected and protocols being used, and build capacity to better utilize emerging technologies like continuous temperature and water level sensors. Lake RMN data will serve a wide audience – including state and local government agencies, tribes, environmental managers, scientists/researchers, policy makers, the general public (e.g., educators) and others – over short and long timeframes. Uses include: Understand current (“baseline”) conditions; Detect and track trends; Distinguish year-to-year variability from long-term changes; Understand how thermal and hydrologic conditions affect lakes; Understand how thermal and hydrologic conditions are interacting with “traditional” stressors such as flow alteration and nutrient enrichment; Understand ecosystem responses and recovery from extreme weather events; Detect and track effects of regional phenomena such as climate variability, atmospheric deposition and spread of invasive species; Develop effective adaptation strategies to enhance the resilience of lakes to environmental stressors. RMNs build on and supplement existing monitoring efforts. The main elements that make the RMNs unique are their focus on: High frequency data collection over a long duration; Collection of thermal and hydrologic data in addition to more ‘traditional’ water quality measures such as water chemistry and biology; A flexible structure that allows entities to participate at different levels of effort, using regional protocols. Lake RMNs as described in this report are currently under development in the Northeast and Midwest US. The Lake RMN partners have developed lists of recommended indicators and protocols, which will be fully described in field guides and documented in a generic QAPP. This report includes information on design considerations, site selection, expectations for data collection (indicators and protocols), data usage, and data management. The report concludes with a discussion on the status of monitoring activities and next steps.Citation
Stamp, J. AND B. Bierwagen. Regional Monitoring Networks (RMN) for Inland Lakes in the Northeast and Midwest: Assessment of Data Needs and Sampling Methods (Final Report). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-22/149, 2022.Download(s)
This document has been reviewed in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.