Adaptive Monitoring and Assessment for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (2003) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix E: Monitoring and Assessment Plan
Appendix E: Monitoring and Assessment Plan
Pages 75-111
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From page 75... ...
Appendix E Monitoring and Assessment Plan 75
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_ U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District ~7~ my;, South Florida Water Management District
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In General AET/Restudy Conceptual Ecological Models Water Quality Selection of Performance Measures for this Plan 4. Monitonng and Assessment Plan Design Strategy 5.
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From page 78... ...
an integrated and standardized system-wide sampling design and data management protocol for the monitoring plan (subsection 49; 2) an adaptive assessment strategy explaining how the AAT will use the monitoring data to conduct annual assessments of system-wide responses (subsection 6~;
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From page 79... ...
Section ID contains the technical documentation sheets for each of the CERP performance measures that make up the monitoring plan. This section includes a description of the process used to develop and screen Me biologic, hydrologic, and water quality performance measures compns~ng the CERP monitoring and assessment plan.
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From page 80... ...
It is essential Hat these differences in rates of change be factored into the assessments of environmental responses. In He context of RECOVER, mon~tonug has been defined in an adaptive assessment strategy (An Adaptive Assessment Strategy for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan; AAT, 2000)
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From page 81... ...
It is recognized that this monitoring plan does not include all of the measures necessary to document the long-te~n "restoration" of all systems in south Florida (e.g., some upland systems in undeveloped and developed landscapes) , but it will provide a minimal set of measures for those systems directly affected by CERP.
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From page 82... ...
These performance measures described hydrological parameters, data fonnat and hydrological targets originally used by the AET to evaluate hydrologic simulation of alternative plans. Refined versions of these hydrologic performance measures are included in this monitoring plan for their value in setting hydrological targets for CERP,
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From page 83... ...
Each of these linkages represents a working hypothesis based upon current knowledge of the ecosystem. The overall Restudy strategy was to use the conceptual models as a basis for reducing the total number of performance measures from an almost infinite number of potential measures in the natural and human systems of south Florida to a manageable number of major key indicators of environmental conditions.
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From page 84... ...
The high cost of mon~tonng a large number of parameters over a large area and a long period of time is a major reason that many monitoring plans in support of adaptive assessment and management have failed to be sustainable. Therefore, it is crucial to identify a minimum set of performance measures that will indicate whether CERP is achieving ecological recovery of the greater Everglades ecosystem and is meeting its water supply and flood protection objectives.
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From page 85... ...
consideration of spatial domains that are consistent with the conceptual models will promote consideration of the interactions of performance measures and the need for grouping measures, rather than assessing measures independently; and 3) consideration of gradients will add realism to the conceptual mode} approach - the habitats included in the conceptual models are not isolated entities, but rather exist as part of a continuum across the landscape.
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From page 86... ...
Existing monitoring networks or sites (especially hydrologic and water quality sites) may be incorporated into the CERP monitoring program, to the maximum extent possible and consistent with the purposes of the existing programs.
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Development of appropriate database systems, data analysis protocols and outputs, and a data driven web interface are key to He successful implementation of the adaptive assessment process. The design of the CERP monitoring data management and analysis system will be based on knowledge gained from the successful data management systems currently being used in several on-gong regional monitoring programs in south Florida, including the Kissimmee River restoration program and Be Lake Okeechobee ecological data-bases.
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From page 88... ...
For this to happen, the raw mon~tonog data for each of He performance measures must be analyzed according to a protocol that is consistent with the guiding hypotheses and the restoration targets. The Adaptive Assessment team will have a lead role in determining the requirements for Be design for data analysis for each of the performance measures, and for determining the required formats for the data reports.
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From page 89... ...
The CERP mon~tonng program is designed to track the responses by each of the restoration plan's performance measures. Empirical data from the monitoring program is fed into the CERI data management system.
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These include the implementation strategy, Me monitoring network and sampling design, the adaptive assessment process, and the supporting research requirements. In addition, the AAT is conduchng a review of current and baseline monitoring efforts as they pertain to the performance measures, and a review of other large-scale ecological restoration programs .
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From page 91... ...
Implementation of the monitoring and assessment activities is envisioned to be a phased effort, with the initial focus on filling the gaps in essential baseline data. The first year will also focus on optimizing the monitoring network and sampling design with the goal of incorporating those existing monitonog efforts that are consistent with the intent of the Plan.
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Q Q a) En En a' En En ~5 · _ A,,, Adaptive Monitoring and Assessmentfor the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan ~ .
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Bring in experts on monitoring network development and design methods, as well as on evaluating and dete~ng monitoring methods and protocols for each perfonnance measure. · Identify the elements of the CERP monitoring program that are currently being moru~orea oy one or more agencies, and incorporate, to the extent practical, these existing monitoring networks and infrastructure to achieve the objectives of adaptive assessment, while still meeting individual agency needs.
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From page 94... ...
for the performance measures. Integrate Pro gram with Research and Proiects Integrate RECOVER mon~tonng and assessment program with other research and modeling efforts and develop linkages between the RECOVER monitoring and project-specific monitoring.
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Understanding why unexpected responses occur will be fundamental to the role of adaptive assessment in guiding CERP throughout its implementation. Assessment of the varying levels of certainty in the conceptual mode} linkages indicates strengths and weaknesses in the restoration expectations of CERP and in our ability to interpret ecological changes toward, or away from, those expectations.
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CERP contains both natural system and human system goals. The performance measures and monitoring plan address an array of system-w~de biological, ecological, water quality, water distribution, and depth and flow, water supply and flood protection objectives.
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Environmental Protection Agency Linda Angstrom, South Florida Water Management District Agnes McLean, South Florida Water Management District Brenda Mills, South Florida Water Management Distnct John Ogden, South Florida Water Management Distnct Joe Walsh, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
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These steps were: 1) AET created a set of approximately 900 hydrological and water quality performance measures (with restoration targets)
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(39 Evaluation of Biological and Soil Performance Measures () nce the biological and soil performance measures were appropriately grouped, they were further evaluated to determine if any could be combined where the same performance measure was listed from multiple conceptual models, or where two or more were measuring the same components of the system, or could be monitored using similar procedures.
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(This criterion does not apply to performance measures for agricultural and urban water supply, flood control, and water quality which are not based on conceptual models at this tune.) General Importance.
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Any performance measure not meeting all of the above criteria was not considered for inclusion in the monitoring plan. The remaining biological and soils performance measures were then evaluated for their ability to provide information on the following: 10 Is it an indicator of an important ecological process?
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102 Adaptive Monitoring and Assessmentfor the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan DRAFT 3720/2001 .
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From page 103... ...
? ~i~ ensitY 'ink Shrimp Catch Rates _ abnormal Fish Prevalence smanac Aquatic Fa da~inYcrtibmtes .:souar~e Fiish Co~~mn-v Vcdand Aquatic Fauna _ Olccechobec Fish~ics Owing Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Oyster Distribution, Abundance and Condition Cattail extent ~~ Coastal Lakes and Basins Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Community composition of ypress forests ommunity composition of ammocks Community composition of Sebaceous wetlands ommunity composition of nesic pineland iverse littoral zone native plant community vested Wetland Plant communities anatee Habitat Mangrove presence, istribution, health, relative bundance Earl Prairie Vegetation osaic Panther habitat Conceptual Models that contain the Attribute Lake Okeechobee St Lucie Estuary RidgelSlough, Mangrove Estuarine Transition, Marl Prairie, Big Cypress St Lucie Estuary Mangrove Transition Zone Lake Okeechobee Florida Bay, Lake Okeechobee, Mangrove Estuarine Transition, Big Cypress.
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Wetland community composition Oyster Habitat Marl Prairie Caloosahatchee Estuary Bide Bay F orida Bay Lake Okeechobee Lake Okeechobee St Lucie Estuary Mangrove Estuarine Transition Lake Okeechobee
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From page 105... ...
The hydrologic performance measures are included in this monitoring plan for their value in setting hydrological restoration and water supply targets for CERP, which when compared to actual field measurements will allow us to assess how well CERP corrects the hydrologic problems In the natural and human systems. The hydrologic performance measures listed In Table IlI-2 represent the current set of performance measures necessary to assess changes in the stressors resulting Mom CERP actions.
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From page 106... ...
106 Adaptive Monitoring and Assessmer~tfor the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Table 111-2 Hydrologic Performance Measures Category Unique ID Performance Measure _ , Hydrologic H1 Lake Okeechobee Extremes in Low Lake Stages Hydrologic H2 Lake Okeechobee Extremes in High Lake Stages Hydrologic H3 Spring Recession for Lake Okeechobee Hydrologic H4 St. Lucie Estuary Salinity Envelope Hydrolonic H5 Lake Worth Salinitv EnveloDe _ , Hydrologic H6 ~;ahatchee Estuary Hydrologic H7 Average Inundation Duration for Greater Everglades Hydrologic He Number of Dry Events in Greater Everulades Hydrologic H9 Duration of Water Level Deviation from NSM in Greater Everglades Hydrologic H10 Extreme Low Water Levels in Ridge and Slough Ecosystems Hydrologic H11 Extreme High Water Levels in Ridge and Slough Ecosystems Seasonal Amplitude and Interannual Variability of Water Levels in Hydrologic H12 Greater Everglades _ Hydrologic H13 Seasonal and Annual Overland Flow Volume in Greater Everglades Hydrologic H14 Tree Island Hydrologic Impacts Hydrologic H15 Model Lands/C-111 Hydrologic Performance Measure Suite Hydrologic H16 Surface Water Discharges to Biscayne Bay Hydrologic H17 Florida Bay - Surface Water Flows Hydrologic H18 Lake Okeechobee Service Area - Frequency of Water Restrictions Frequency of Water Restrictions for the Lower East Coast Service Hydrolonic H19 Area _ _ Hydrologic H20 Potential for High Water Levels in South Miami-Dade Agricultural Area Prevent Salt Water Intrusion of the Biscayne Aquifer: Meet Minimum Hydrologic H21 Flow and Level criteria for Biscayne Aquifer Prevent Salt Water Intrusion of Biscayne Aquifer in South Miami-Dade Hydrologic H22 County Hydrologic H23 Continuity: Water Surface Elevations across Barriers Sheetflow: Volume of Water Across Transects in the WCAs and Hydrologic H24 Everglades National Park
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From page 107... ...
As a consequence, there are multiple performance measures for what appears to be the same water quality parameter; however, each one has a restoration target unique to a specific region. The WQT discussed, agreed upon and went through an evaluation process to assess and better understand the informational quality/applicability of each of the water quality performance measures.
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WQ31 . Table 111-3 Water QualitY Performance Measures 1 - 1 Performance Measures by Region (North to South)
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Water Qualitv Water Quality Water Quality Water Quality Water Quality Water Quality Water Qualitv Water Quality Water Quality ~ , WQ32 ~ .
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Pesticides _ Summary Sheet for Big Cypress Mean Wet WQ54 Season TP Concentration _
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From page 111... ...
The conceptual models will be fisher refined to focus on the most critical over-riding restoration hypotheses for each physiographic region. The models will be examined for logical groupings of performance measures, linkages, and key questions that will provide the essential information for the adaptive assessment process.
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