River Science at the U.S. Geological Survey (2007) / Chapter Skim
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5 Monitoring and Data Management for USGS River Science
5 Monitoring and Data Management for USGS River Science
Pages 101-124
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From page 101... ...
The lack of sufficient data for river systems is one of the biggest obstacles to providing the science-based information needed to effectively manage the nation's rivers. Although Chapter 4 identifies five science priority areas where the USGS can contribute to a national effort on river science, how the USGS is able to address these priorities is predicated on new river monitoring and data management efforts that fill science data gaps in critical and neglected areas.
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From page 102... ...
We focus on enhancements in streamflow, biological, and sediment monitoring and on the establishment of a reach-scale monitoring approach. This section also describes some considerations for the general design principles of a modern river monitoring system, highlighting the importance of partnering monitoring efforts with other organizations and incorporating measurement technologies.
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From page 103... ...
Its goals should include development of a 21st century river monitoring system for data collection, transmission, and dissemination. Data Collection Needs for River Science Data gaps exist in all priority research areas in river science (see Chapter 4)
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From page 104... ...
These baselines also help in understanding riparian areas that are also affected by changes in flow, sediment, and nutrient compositions; developing a predictive understanding of riparian ecosystems requires data on the physical system, the vegetation, and the interactions of surface and groundwater in riparian corridors. Relatively speaking, streamflow data are generally available for larger river systems, but coincident observations of water quality, sediment transport, biological indicators, and riparian ecosystems, are usually lacking.
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From page 105... ...
Riparian and River Ecological Sediment Data Data Sediment load Baseline ecological data Sediment deposition/erosion Index conditions pattern Macroinvertebrate/coastal inver- Sediment size distribution tebrate Sediment quality Algal distribution identification River/banks surveys Species survey Indicator species Watershed Physical Data Behavioral patterns Micromet (fluxes and isotopes) Soils types and quality Sap flow Wetland survey Land-use data Hydrologic Data Historical data Remote sensing Groundwater data Hyporheic data Economic Data Hydrologic connectivity Surface flow velocity distribution Economic valuation Surface-water flow/timing Chemical composition of waters Age dating and natural tracers Precipitation and meteorological data See Appendix B for a more comprehensive set of research questions and the types of data required to address them.
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From page 106... ...
In the following subsections, we describe recommended enhancements in river monitoring for a USGS river science initiative, and describe some considerations for the design of a modern river monitoring system. Enhancements in Streamflow Monitoring Recommendation: The USGS should investigate cost-effective op portunities to augment site information and, in some cases, increase the sampling at targeted National Streamflow Information Program streamgages to make the gage data more useful for river science initiatives.
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From page 107... ...
The USGS should investigate cost-effective opportunities to augment site information and, in some cases, increase the sampling at targeted NSIP streamgages to make the gage data more useful for river science initiatives. For example, expanding the monitoring of river temperature and water quality (including pathogens and organics)
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From page 108... ...
However, there are no comparable biological data routinely collected at NSIP gages to characterize the ecological or biological status of our nation's rivers on the whole. Instead, biological data are collected as part of programs like NAWQA and LTRMP, with sampling designed to track regionally significant biological and ecological indicators.
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From page 109... ...
Still, the data monitoring and exploration effort exemplified by this program should be emulated elsewhere, if done in an integrated scientific way that includes elements of hydrology, geomorphology, and water quality. Expanding biological monitoring activities in a targeted fashion, using an LTRMP prototype, is an approach that the USGS can readily implement to collect integrated biological and ecological datasets needed for research on USGS river science priorities and site-specific river management problems.
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From page 110... ...
Analysis of the chemical composition of river sediments would be valuable for identifying source areas for fluvial sediments. Establishment of Reach-Scale Monitoring Recommendation: An index reach monitoring approach would help address many data needs for USGS river science priorities.
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From page 111... ...
, and NSIP (NRC, 2004d) , detailed recommendations on the sampling design and implementation of a river monitoring system cannot be made for a USGS river science initiative; such an initiative encompasses much more than a single USGS program.
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From page 112... ...
A similar design framework is needed to establish a meaningful USGS river monitoring system. A modern river monitoring system would necessarily contain certain elements.
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From page 113... ...
River Monitoring -- Partnering in Monitoring Efforts Recommendation: The implementation of a USGS river monitoring system should be informed by the data and science information gaps that limit effective policy and management decision making of other organizations, including mission-oriented government agen cies at federal, state, and local levels, nongovernmental organiza tions, and academic research institutions. Partnering with these groups to design and implement scientific data monitoring in sup port of site-specific management and research objectives must be a component of USGS river monitoring.
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From page 114... ...
Likewise, a USGS river monitoring system would be enhanced by partnerships with recently proposed environmental observatories. These include the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)
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From page 115... ...
A greater emphasis on the use of remote sensing techniques for river monitoring is also needed by the USGS. Terrestrial, airborne, and satellite remote sensing technologies have significant potential to advance river science by providing observations related to a river's temperature, water quality, and ecosystem functions, and the vegetation type and physical characteristics of riparian areas, with better spatial coverage than attainable with in situ measurements.
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From page 116... ...
In light of this variety of river science data and their multiple uses, this next section addresses how USGS databases that span multiple disciplines need to be modified to better store, manage, and disseminate river science data.
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From page 117... ...
The data model should accommodate data from multiple sources, including nonfederal sources. Such a program would facilitate the integration and synthesis of river science data to address the diverse range of river science questions discussed in previous chapters.
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From page 118... ...
Technological capabilities and measurement methods are advancing rapidly, yet synthesis of trends over time mandates standard, consistent, fully documented measurement protocols and the maintenance of data in systems that are accessible using the most current technology. Given the diversity of USGS river science information, this is a daunting information science (informatics)
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From page 119... ...
Existing Data Management Systems Supporting River Science Activities A first step in designing standard data models that accommodate integrated archiving and dissemination of river system data is to consider how well existing data models and data management systems (of the USGS and other institutions, including private and commercial database management systems) support river science activities.
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From page 120... ...
Greatly improved 1:100K National Hydrography Dataset; 2. A set of value-added attributes to enhance stream network navigation, analysis, and display; 3.
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From page 121... ...
No one of these could completely provide for the needs of river science. In developing river science data models to fulfill the needs of a USGS river science initiative, we suggest these systems be reviewed to determine which aspect of each could be adopted.
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From page 122... ...
In designing a data management system for the archiving and dissemination of river science data, the data model should be constructed in accordance with the standards of the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure and should be based on sound, robust, and scalable relational database and geographic information science design principles that can be implemented using advanced commercial database technology. Implementation should include coordination with other federal agencies and nonfederal partners involved in river science and should incorporate analytic capability for scientists to efficiently query and use the data in the course of their research.
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From page 123... ...
CONCLUSIONS To provide long-term baseline science information on our nation's rivers, and to support research in USGS river science priority areas, new river monitoring and data management activities are essential for a USGS river science initiative. The USGS has historically provided unbiased fundamental river science data used to characterize river processes.
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From page 124... ...
Coordination and partnership with other federal agencies and nonfederal partners is important. The coordination necessary to achieve the goal of a common data model for river science may serve to stimulate integration between fragmented river science activities across the federal agencies, the nongovernmental sector, and within the USGS, and provide a basis for a coordinated interdisciplinary management approach, as considered in the following chapter.
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