 | Vol. 7 No. 1 Summer 1999 |
| A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs |
NJPDES Creates Water Assessment Team
by Karen Schaffer, Division of Science and Research
In order to enhance water assessment capabilities within a multi-disciplinary unit, the DEP recently formed a Water Assessment Team (WAT) in the Division of Science, Research and Technology. This team is responsible for conducting and coordinating the characterization and assessment of New Jersey's water quality. These assessment efforts are inter-related and rely heavily on coordination with numerous programs within DEP, including the Source Water Assessment Program and external partners. The WAT fulfills the following water assessment needs and requirements:
Watershed Characterization and Assessment
Watershed Characterization and Assessment Reports provide the scientific and technical basis for Watershed Management Plans. These plans guide regulatory and non-regulatory management measures in a goal-oriented framework. Characterizations include the evaluation of existing data and the use of geographic displays of many data layers to convey the natural and built features of each watershed. Assessments include the development and evaluation of hypotheses regarding relationships between ambient conditions, environmental stressors, and management measures using statistical and potentially geographic analysis methods. Coordination with programs in DEP and numerous watershed partners is essential to the success of this effort.
Water Quality Inventory Reports (305b Report)
Water Quality Inventory Reports are provided to EPA every 2 years under Section 305b of the Federal Clean Water Act. Electronic updates are provided annually to EPA. These reports include statewide and watershed assessments, which are similar to, but less detailed than, Watershed Characterization and Assessment Reports. Recently, the DEP began to use EPA's Assessment Database to manage assessment results and the Reach File 3 (RF3) hydrologic database to manage associated spatial data. In the future, these tools will be readily linked to water quality models.
Impaired Waterbodies Listing (303d)
The Impaired Waterbodies Listing Report is provided to EPA every 2 years under Section 303d of the Federal Clean Water Act. Assessment results from Watershed Characterization and Assessments and Water Quality Inventory Reports are used to identify waterbodies that do not meet Surface Water Quality Standards. The WAT plans to implement use of a database and augment the next 303d list, due 4/1/2000, with a geographic display of listed waterbodies.
Water Quality Indicators
Water quality indicators are measures of status and trends in ambient water quality (chemical, biological, habitat), stressors (pollutant load, habitat degradation) and management measures (regulatory and non-regulatory). Indicators are used to measure progress toward goals and milestones that have been developed cooperatively by the DEP and external partners. To date, the development of indicators has focused on a statewide overview. Using assessment information from the efforts listed above, indicators can be conveyed in a watershed context. In addition, the relationships between ambient conditions, stressors, and management measures can be evaluated. Indicators are intended to improve environmental conditions through the implementation of improved management measures. The WAT also reviews and comments on EPA's Index of Watershed Indicators.
Additional information about DEP's Water Assessment Team and the Division of Science, Research and Technology can be obtained from the Division of Science, Research and Technology at 609-984-6070. Information is also available on the Web at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr.
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Last revision Tuesday, June 22, 1999