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EMAP and REMAP Stream Biological  Monitoring Projects

Scott Girdner and Dave Terpening take habitat measurements on the Middle Fork of the Teanaway River.

Contents

• Introduction
• EMAP
• REMAP
• Table - REMAP and EMAP projects completed by Ecology
• Data availability
• Who to contact for more information

Introduction

Since 1994, Ecology has been conducting biological surveys in streams throughout Washington State using a random site selection approach. Each of these surveys includes a thorough analysis of habitat (instream and riparian), water quality, and biological assessments (aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and algae). The random sampling approach was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is called the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). This nationwide program was launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1988.

There are two scales at which monitoring is completed using the EMAP sampling design. On the broader scale, we conduct evaluation of wadable streams in ecoregions or statewide (EMAP). We also focus on watersheds (REMAP) that are equivalent to Ecology's Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIA's) and conduct wadable stream evaluations for biological condition, physical habitat, and chemical characterization.

Stream biological monitoring network (1993 - 2004) site symbol project type agency site count Ecology ambient Ecology 166 REMAP EPA/Ecology 144 EMAP EPA/Ecology 113 Ecology study Ecology 61 Last updated April 15, 2005

EMAP

EMAP uses a random site selection design to make unbiased estimates of resource conditions. Goals of EMAP are to develop and test indicators of ecological condition (based on biology, chemistry, and physical habitat) and to relate these indicators to what people do. Further information about EMAP can be found at the EPA web site.

Ecology's most recent probability survey is the EMAP Western Pilot. Since 2000, we have been surveying streams throughout the state. Sampling will continue through the summer of 2003. This is a cooperative agreement with the EPA and 12 states and tribes that are within EPA Regions 8, 9, and 10. We expect to sample approximately 55 streams throughout the state, in addition to about 55 streams in the Wenatchee River Basin (Water Resource Inventory Area #45). Upon completion, we will be able to describe the stream status for WRIA 45, and for Washington State. Also, when combined with data gathered by other cooperators, this information will help to describe general health of a select stream set in the Western United States. All streams eligible for selection in this project appear on a 1:100,000-scale United States Geological Survey (USGS) map (except for the Columbia River). However, each of two separate methods are used to sample, depending upon wadability of the stream/river.

If the site can be safely waded (roughly 95% of the sites), sampling is performed by Department of Ecology Crews using the Field Operations Manual for Wadeable Streams.

A few sites require a boat or raft in order to perform access and sampling is performed by EPA contract staff using the Field Methods for Non-Wadeable Rivers and Streams.

REMAP

REMAP projects focus on the smaller geographical scale and are known as "Regional EMAP". Ecology began the first of the REMAP surveys in 1994; the purpose to test and develop field methods and evaluation tools for regions in Washington State. We have conducted REMAP surveys in the Yakima River Basin, the Coast Range Ecoregion, the Upper Chehalis River Basin, and the Cascades Ecoregion (Table 1). All REMAP projects listed focused on wadable streams.

Table - REMAP and EMAP projects completed by Ecology

Data availability

Data are in tabular format for Washington EMAP and REMAP and can be downloaded on-line as it becomes available. Information that contains more detail and not presented at this web site may be requested from Glenn Merritt (see contact information below).

* Data in report format is available for REMAP 1994-95 in Biological Assessment of Small Streams in the Coast Range Ecoregion & the Yakima River Basin.

Who to contact for more information

Glenn Merrit, gmer461@ecy.wa.gov, Ecology's EMAP-REMAP coordinator, (360) 407-6777

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