MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Transcription

1 MONITORING AND EVALUATION Introduction Successful resource management can only be achieved if adequate data and information are available to make educated management decisions. Monitoring and data collection allows for the assessment of resource health and condition, identification of specific resource concerns, the development of sound projects, and the tracking of water quality and quantity trends over time. The NRDs will follow appropriate planning approaches in order to ensure the most efficient and effective use of district funding for monitoring. This includes developing sound, defensible monitoring strategies and networks, properly managing data, and disseminating information to decision makers and other stakeholders (Figure 7-1). Monitoring goals can only be achieved through NRD coordinated monitoring, monitoring partnerships, and other available data that meets the desired quality. Steps will be taken to ensure the collection scientifically valid data which may include the development of Quality Assurance Plans and Monitoring Plans for state and federal review. This strategy was designed to address a broad range of water resource management activities that pertain to basin-wide and localized water planning, project development, and implementation. This strategy provides an overall monitoring framework for project sponsors but may not provide the detail necessary to satisfy requirements for individual monitoring plans. Monitoring Goals The establishment of monitoring goals is critical to adequately design monitoring networks to facilitate water resource management. Twelve primary water monitoring goals, which track the progress of the overarching document goals, were identified for this strategy. They are: A. Evaluate current water quality conditions. B. Provide water quality safety information to water users. C. Maintain long term data sets for trend assessments. D. Support water project or activity development. E. Identify causes and sources of water quality problems. F. Estimate pollutant transport. G. Evaluate water management effectiveness. H. Quantify short & long term water quantity goals. I. Support future hydrological modeling. J. Provide flood safety information to the public. K. Ensure compliance with state and federal standards. L. Evaluate water infrastructure for maintenance & repair. 130

2 Figure 7-1. Water Monitoring Approach for the Little Blue River Basin Current Monitoring Networks Monitoring networks should be periodically evaluated individually and collectively to ensure the best possible use of all data and information. This will entail close coordination between NRDs and other entities involved in monitoring within the Basin (Table 7-1). While individual water monitoring networks are designed to meet specific objectives of coordinating and funding agencies, many times the data and information can also be used to meet other important objectives. Current monitoring activities and the objectives they could potential support are provided in Table 7-2. Data gaps and deficiencies should be identified and addressed in order to stay on top of changing environments and water policies. A spatial representation of all the current monitoring networks that have fixed sites are provided in Figure 7-2. Several networks utilize a rotational site approach meaning monitoring site locations change annually. A description of all current monitoring networks is provided in subsequent sections of this strategy. 131

3 Figure 7-2: Existing Monitoring Locations 132

4 Table 7-1: Current Monitoring Activities in the Little Blue River Basin Monitoring Networks NRDs NDEQ NDNR DHHS NGPC UNL USGS County Municipality or Facility Landowner/ Producer/Public Rainfall Surface Water - Basin Rotation Surface Water - Ambient Water Quality Surface Water - Beach Water Quality Surface Water - Stream Biological Surface Water Specialized Surface Water - Flow/Discharge Surface Water - Volume Impounded Surface Water - NPDES Permit Groundwater - Ambient Quality Groundwater - Livestock Facilities Groundwater Observation Wells Groundwater - Well Metering Groundwater Sub Area Nitrate Monitoring Fish Kills/Spills/Citizen Complaints Soil Sampling 133

5 Table 7-2: Water Monitoring Goals and Possible Support from Current Networks Little Blue Natural Resource District A-L Monitoring Goals (Primary Monitoring Goals in Blue) Monitoring Networks A B C D E F G H I J K L Rainfall Surface Water - Basin Rotation Surface Water - Ambient Water Quality Surface Water - Beach Water Quality Surface Water - Stream Biological Surface Water - Specialized Surface Water - Flow/Discharge Surface Water - Volume Impounded Surface Water - NPDES Permit Groundwater - Ambient Quality Groundwater - Livestock Facilities Groundwater Observation Wells Groundwater - Well Metering Groundwater Sub Area Nitrate Monitoring Fish Kills/Spills/Complaints Soil Sampling Water Quantity Networks Precipitation Precipitation data plays an important role in water quality and quantity management as it is the source of all surface water runoff and groundwater recharge. Natural precipitation cycles lead to complicated water management decisions, whether it be battling a drought or reducing impacts from floods. The intensity, duration, and amount of precipitation during any single event can define extent of water issues such as pollutant transport or having the necessary storage to impound excessive runoff. The High Plains Climate Center collects, analyzes, and stores information from weather stations across the region. These weather stations differ in the type of instrumentation and measurement types, but provide a broader network of precipitation and temperature data than stations used for forecasting purposes. Combining these networks with precipitation measurements obtained through volunteer monitoring networks such as NeRAIN provides useful information regarding the volume and spatial distribution of precipitation through the Basin. NeRain sites within the Basin boundary are listed in Figure

6 Figure 7-3: NeRAIN Precipitation Measurement Sites within the Little Blue Basin Surface Water Surface water gages are the most direct method to monitor the effect of management strategies on surface water volume. These include effects of groundwater pumping, induced recharge, or future development on baseflows to streams. Currently, the USGS and NDNR maintain continuous, real time stream monitoring for stream height and discharge at four locations in the Little Blue River Basin, each are listed in Figure 7-4. These sites include: Little Blue River near Deweese, NE, USGS, (Site ) Big Sandy Creek (Thayer/Jefferson County Line, NDNR, ( ) Little Blue River near Fairbury, NE, USGS, (Site ) Little Blue River near Hollenburg, KS, USGS, (Site ) 135

7 Figure 7-4: Stream Height and Discharge Monitoring Network Surface Water Quality Networks A combination of fixed and rotating site monitoring will be used to evaluate water quality on streams, rivers, and impounded waters across the Basin. Core indicators and stressors will be used in conjunction with supplemental data collection that may be needed to address a specific management decision or support project development. Monitoring categories have been defined to address monitoring goals. Each category is supported by a specific network design that includes monitoring objectives, parameters, methodologies, and quality assurance. A majority of the surface water quality monitoring in the Basin is conducted either by NDEQ or USGS through a variety of surface water monitoring and assessment programs. NDEQ s monitoring program locations within the Basin are shown in Figure 7-2. Information from past surface water quality monitoring can potentially be used as a pre-project benchmark for tracking water quality improvements and trends in the Basin as the Plan is implemented. Project coordination with agencies such as NDEQ will be vital before moving forward with a program or project targeted to improve surface water Ambient Stream Monitoring The NDEQ maintains an Ambient monitoring network across the state for streams and rivers. Ambient monitoring consists of fixed sites that are sampled each year. In addition to being able to assess current conditions, consistent monitoring at the same location allows for the establishment of long term data sets for trend assessments. There are 97 fixed ambient stream sites across the state with two being located within the Basin. Ambient monitoring is conducted at one site on the Little Blue River near 136

8 Deweese and at one site on Big Sandy Creek near Alexandria (Figure 7-2). These sites are monitored monthly for the following parameters: water temperature, dissolved oxygen, ph, conductivity, total suspended solids, ammonia, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total chlorides, pesticides (April through September only), and metals (Quarterly). Data collected through this network is available to resource managers and the general public EPA s STORET (STOrage and RETrieval) data management system ( Information from past basin rotation monitoring can be used as a pre-project benchmark for water quality improvement tracking in the Basin Basin Rotation Monitoring Each year the NDEQ selects Basin Rotation monitoring sites on flowing and impounded waters which are focused on specific basins across the state. Each basin in the state is targeted for sampling every six years. The Little Blue River Basin was monitored in 2012, setting the next the next rotation for From the months of May through September streams and rivers are sampled weekly while lakes and reservoirs are sampled monthly. Sample parameters are provided in Table 7-3. Data collected through this network is available to resource managers and the general public EPA s STORET (STOrage and RETrieval) data management system ( Table 7-3: Parameters Sampled Under NDEQ s Basin Rotation Monitoring Networks Parameter Streams & Rivers Impounded Waters Ammonia Nitrate-nitrogen Kjeldahl nitrogen Total nitrogen Total phosphorus Total dissolved phosphorus Total chlorides Total suspended solids Turbidity ph Temperature Conductivity Dissolved oxygen E.coli bacteria Pesticides Water Clarity Microcystin (algae toxin) Beach Monitoring NDEQ conducts water quality monitoring at selected swimming beaches across the state to determine the suitability for full body contact. Beach monitoring for E.coli bacteria and the microcystin toxin produced by blue green algae is conducted during the recreation season (May 1 Sep 30). Monitoring results are posted on the NDEQ website on a weekly basis ( Lonestar Reservoir is the only Basin site currently monitored under this network. 137

9 7.5.4 Biological Monitoring The Basin s streams and rivers contain a rich diversity of aquatic life including aquatic insects, fish, amphibians, and mammals. Since aquatic communities are in constant contact with the water, the health of these communities can provide insight on stressors that may not show up through traditional water monitoring. NDEQ s Stream Biological Monitoring Program (SBMP) uses fish and aquatic insect communities to provide statewide assessments of the biological conditions of Nebraska s streams. In 1997, the Department added a probabilistic monitoring design that involved the sampling of randomly selected sites to its SBMP in order to address statewide and regional questions about water quality. Monitoring sites are generated by a computer program that randomly chooses sites on streams throughout Nebraska. From , the biological communities of 33 randomly selected stream sites were sampled in the Basin. Each year randomly selected wadeable stream sites (i.e. streams that are shallow enough to sample without boats) are chosen for study in two or three river basins throughout Nebraska (NDEQ 2012) Fish Tissue Monitoring Since the 1970s, NDEQ has monitored fish from flowing and impounded waters to determine the suitability for human consumption. In cases where contaminants are a concern, a fish consumption advisory is issued. Fish tissue monitoring sites are determined annually but are generally located where the most fishing occurs. To date, 14 sites in the Little Blue River Basin have been monitored including seven sites on the Little Blue River, six lakes, and one site on Big Sandy Creek. Information on fish tissue monitoring results are provided via an annual report prepared by NDEQ. Specialized Monitoring While routine and ambient monitoring networks are in place to evaluate existing water quality conditions, expanded monitoring efforts may be needed to facilitate the development of water quality planning documents such as TMDLs and Project Implementation Plans. Additionally, more intensive monitoring networks may be necessary to estimate pollutant loads, evaluate watershed protection and restoration measures, or to establish a pre- project comparative database for targeted parameters. This may include monitoring additional parameters, conducting bathymetric surveys, monitoring baseflow and runoff conditions in smaller tributaries, or collecting reservoir sediment cores to estimate internal phosphorus loads. Groundwater Quality Networks Groundwater Levels Dedicated Observation Well Network Each NRD measures groundwater levels biannually using a monitoring network deep wells. LBNRD has installed a 48-well network of dedicated monitoring wells equipped with data loggers for continuous recordings of water fluctuations. Data is collected by NRD staff in accordance to standardized procedures. Data is stored on a database maintained by the NRD. Water level information is used by the NRD to track current conditions, evaluate short & long-term trends, and make management decisions. Information gathered through this network is made available to the general public through the NRD website, public meetings, and NRD publications. The static water-level information is supplied to a USGS database, while water quality information is supplied to a DEQ database. 138

10 High Capacity Well Metering LBNRD began to require flow meters on all high capacity water wells with the installation of flow meters set to begin January 1, Groundwater Rules and Regulations were updated to include a phased plan for flow meter installation on all high capacity wells by March 31, TBNRD requires flowmeters and water use reporting for identified eligible water wells within that District Ambient Groundwater Monitoring Network NDEQ analyzes groundwater data collected for the purpose of determining whether or not ground water quality is degrading or improving and presents the results to the Natural Resources Committee of the Legislature beginning December 1 of each year. Additionally, both NRDs use the data to make decisions on the management of groundwater, including the establishment of Groundwater Management Areas or tracking trends in groundwater quality, mainly nitrates. The Little Blue River Basin is part of the Statewide Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network which identifies localized areas across the state that have nitrate concentrations that measure over 20 mg/l (20 ppm). A majority of wells sampled are irrigation wells Vadose Monitoring The ability to verify the occurrence of nitrate concentrations in shallow groundwater and the vadose (unsaturated) zone allows for a more accurate assessment of potential problems that may occur in the future. This is very important to human health because domestic drinking water wells often utilize the shallow groundwater and are typically not required to be tested for nitrates or other agricultural related chemicals. In 2014, LBNRD conducted a district-wide vadose study to learn more about the effectiveness of current fertilizer management practices in and out of GWMAs. Vadose monitoring is a valuable tool for communities to learn about nitrate loading to source water aquifers. Deep soil sampling should be repeated in the exact same location at least every 5-years to track effectiveness of management practices. The vadose monitoring program should also gather historical land-use information that details crops, fertilizer application practices, use of nitrogen-inhibitors, and other relevant information. Shallow vadose sampling should occur annually, in between the 5- year deep vadose sampling intervals Livestock Facility Monitoring Nebraska s groundwater may be negatively impacted by leakage from holding ponds at livestock waste control facilities (LWCFs). The liquid waste in the holding ponds has elevated levels of nitrate-nitrogen, ammonia, and chloride ions. NDEQ requires monitoring of these chemical parameters to document any impact to groundwater. The contaminated groundwater may negatively impact public water supply and domestic wells (NDEQ 2012). NDEQ s Groundwater Unit began reviewing permitting plans for LWCFs in October The sitespecific hydrogeology, soils, depth to water, and use of the groundwater are reviewed to determine the vulnerability of the groundwater. The Groundwater Unit has reviewed 73 LWCFs (as of the beginning of November 2012), recommending monitoring at 19 of them. Currently in the Little Blue NRD, there are eight approved groundwater monitoring plans with five operations where semi-annual monitoring is conducted. 139

11 Groundwater samples are collected from monitoring wells installed around the lagoons or holding ponds and analyzed at a laboratory for nitrate-nitrogen, ammonia, and chloride concentrations. Additionally, depth to water, ph, temperature, and specific conductivity are collected from each monitoring well. The groundwater quality and the flow direction are monitored in the Spring (before irrigation season) and the Fall (after irrigation season) Sub-Area Nitrate Monitoring In certain areas of the district nitrate levels have already exceeded EPA s health standard of 10 parts per million and in other areas contamination continues to rise. Both the LBNRD and TBNRD utilize a subarea approach for groundwater quality management, meaning that current contaminant levels determine the regulations and monitoring for that area. LBNRD has 8 water quality sub-areas and one water quantity sub-area, while TBNRD has the entire district in a water quality area. Section discusses these areas in greater detail. The purpose of establishing a sub-area is to focus management efforts and education in an attempt to halt and/or reverse contaminant trends. LBNRD currently has seven sub-areas within its boundary, TBNRD has several GWMAs, all out of the Basin planning area. The entire LBNRD was declared a Water Quality Level I Management Area on July 1, 1996, which emphasizes education on water and fertilizer management. When sampling results show 70% of MCL has been reached for any sampled water constituent in 60% or more of at least five sampled wells within an area, the NRD board will take actions to further identify the problem area, establish sub-area boundaries and determine the controls to be implemented. A sub-area for Quality controls is defined as an area containing at least five sampled wells within the LBNRD s well sampling program around which a logical boundary can be drawn. Fish Kills, Spills, and Citizen Complaints Chemical spills can have significant impacts to both surface and groundwater. A host of local, state, and federal entities may be involved in a spill depending on the nature of the chemical, the amount spilled, and the potential for downstream impacts. In most cases, spill monitoring is conducted by regulatory agencies, however, NRDs have and will continue to provide monitoring assistance and support to lead agencies. Sampling protocol for these activities will be defined by the lead or coordinating agencies. Fish kills can be either related to natural conditions or anthropogenic events. Fish kills are investigated by the NDEQ and NGPC. Monitoring associated with these kills are typically conducted by these two agencies. NRDs routinely receives citizen complaints. Some of these complaints require monitoring. Depending on the nature of the complaint and required monitoring, NRDs will either conduct the monitoring themselves or provide support to coordinating agencies. Citizen complaints related to groundwater quantity should be mapped and included into a GIS layer in order to track trends across the Basin to delineate problem areas. Agronomic Soil Sampling Monitoring residual nutrients in soils can directly lead to pollutant loading reductions by producers accounting for the N Credit when estimating fertilizer needs. These reductions will benefit both surface and groundwater quality. While soil sampling is typically the responsibility of the landowner/operator, NRDs utilize this information to provide recommendations on fertilizer use. 140

12 Agronomic soil sampling is likely one of the simplest solutions to reducing nitrate pollutant loading without a significant expense or change in farming procedures. Agronomic soil sampling should be promoted through outreach efforts with an emphasis on the financial gains to an operation along with the environmental benefits. During plan development, the steering committee identified agronomic soil sampling as one of the top actions to begin reducing nitrate levels in groundwater. Quality Assurance, Data Management, Analysis, and Assessment There are a variety of monitoring methods and different levels of technology that range from inexpensive to very expensive. There is no single method that can apply to all situations. Managers need to use a blend of methodologies specific for the situation and intent of the data. Traditionally, water-sampling operations include in situ measurements, sampling of appropriate media (water, biota and particulate matter), sample pre-treatment and preservation, identification and shipment. In most cases, quality assurance responsibilities will fall within the entity coordinating the monitoring network. When appropriate, Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) should be prepared to ensure the scientific validity of monitoring and laboratory activities. Any NRD efforts that result in the collection of data and/or information should be identified for proper data management activities. NRDs maintain several databases that pertain to some type of water monitoring activity and takes the steps necessary to ensure data quality control. NRD databases are considered public information and can be obtained at any point through the NRD. Data collected by other agencies, such as the NDNR and NDEQ, will not be managed by the NRD unless specific arrangements to do so have been made. In most cases, data collected by state agencies are entered into public accessible databases such as EPA s STORET (STOrage and RETrieval) data management system ( Reporting and Information Dissemination NRDs will utilize all pertinent data and information to make informed resource decisions. Ultimately resource decisions within the NRD are made by the Board of Directors. The NRD staff has in place a set of processes that are used to disseminate such data and information to the board. Some of these processes include: monthly board meetings, subcommittee updates, special meetings, presentations by consultants and professionals. The NRD is continually disseminating data and information to the general public. Dissemination processes in place for the general public include: NRD Newsletters, NRD websites, public meetings, and special events. Raw data, reports, and other information gathered by entities outside the NRD may not be made directly available to the NRD. Data collected by NDEQ can be found in many different reports. The Federal Clean Water Act requires the State to provide certain reports and lists, including the Section 305(b) Water Quality Inventory Report and Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters. In some cases data and information will be reported in other documents such as standards revisions, water quality based permits, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and nonpoint source watershed plans. Data from the groundwater level monitoring well network is currently available to anyone through UNL CSD. The information provided includes well location and construction information, aquifer designation, and all of the water level measurements for the well. 141

13 Program Evaluation The Basin NRDs will conduct periodic reviews of each aspect of the Plan monitoring programs to determine how well the program serves its water decision needs for the Basin. This should involve evaluating and determining how needed changes and additions are incorporated into future monitoring cycles. This evaluation will take into consideration the effects of funding shortfalls on its monitoring program strategy. Since water quality monitoring programs are effective only when they meet the information needs of water quality resource managers, the NRDs will have a feedback mechanism for reporting useful information to water managers and incorporating their input on future data needs. Information needs may include site-specific criteria modification studies, support for enforcement actions, validation of the success of control measures, modeling for TMDLs, monitoring unassessed waters, and other activities. Decision-makers at the national, regional, State, and local levels should be considered in this process. General Support for Monitoring Activities Each NRD will, separately and as a Basin, annually evaluate current and future monitoring resources it needs to fully implement this monitoring strategy. This would include staff and training, travel, equipment and supplies, laboratory resources, and funding. Estimates of annual costs for current NRD monitoring programs is provided in Section 10. Also provided are estimated costs of expanded monitoring networks which have been proposed in the recommendations section of this strategy. Monitoring Recommendations Monitoring Recharge Effectiveness Recharge projects retime water by using either surface water reservoirs or aquifers as underground storage. Determining the amount of water recharged is difficult, requiring numerous measurements to calculate the amount of actual recharge. Initial monitoring should measure the amount of water diverted from the stream into the structure, the amount of water returned to the stream, and an estimate of ET. These measurements and studies allow for an assessment of the amount of recharge possible for a given structure or set of structures. The high level of interconnectivity of the hydrologic system suggests that much of the groundwater recharge will return to streams as baseflow; structural projects designed to increase recharge or effect streamflows should consider additional surface gages as part of the long-term monitoring protocol in determining the hydrologic effects of the project. Cost savings are possible if the monitoring efforts rely on gaging techniques that provide useful volume measurements, but are not as accurate as gages used for administration purposes Expand Continuous Stream Gaging Sites Stream gaging in the Basin is currently limited and needs to be expanded. Data on surface water flows are needed to assist with planning, designing, and operating existing and future water resources infrastructure. Data from stream gaging networks are used by a large number of public and private users, including government agencies responsible for water management and emergency response, 142

14 utilities, environmental agencies, universities, colleges, consulting firms, and recreational interests (USGS 2006). Locations where existing and future stream gages are located are also commonly locations where additional water quality data is collected. There are currently four continuous stream gaging sites in the Little Blue River Basin, one on Big Sandy Creek, and three on the Little Blue River. In order to better understand the hydrology of the Basin, it is recommended that at least three additional gaging sites be added to the current network in order to monitoring Spring, Rose, and Little Sandy Creeks. Stream gage measurements are necessary for proper design and construction of dams above a certain size, particularly to determine if sufficient flow exists to fill the structure. Discussion with USGS and NDNR should occur prior to installation of any new stream gaging equipment to determine optimal locations and type of equipment necessary to meet measurement purposes. If the Basin NRDs wish to include water quality measurements as well, discussions should also occur with NDEQ prior to choosing locations and equipment. Additional gages or stream height measurements should also occur at locations where specific projects are built as a result of these planning efforts. Figure 7-5 shows the recommended sites for stream gaging. Figure 7-5: Proposed Stream Gaging Locations Expand Sub-basin Chemical & Biological Monitoring Conducting chemical and biological monitoring at the lower end of sub-basins will allow for pollutant load quantification, critical area identification, and the evaluation of water quality programs implemented in the Basin. Additional monitoring sites are not yet identified, but should be located both above and below proposed project sites. For example, if a project is planned to increase aquatic habitat 143

15 in a stream, first perform biological monitoring in order to establish a pre-project baseline. Any biological monitoring efforts should be coordinated with NDEQ s Surface Water Section E.coli Monitoring to Determine Natural Background There is a lack of information present on the natural background load of bacteria that results from nonanthropogenic sources, mainly from wildlife. The lack of local or even national studies surrounding this issue has hindered understanding the problem and has maybe led resource managers to establish unrealistic goals and expectations from management practice implementation. By starting to define these contributions locally, resource managers can at least set realistic goals and expectations for management. In doing so, background concentrations (baseflow) would need to be quantified along with runoff influenced concentrations. While the effort would be focused on watersheds/sub-watersheds that have no anthropogenic sources it may be advantageous to include watersheds/sub-watersheds under multiple land uses (urban, general agriculture, livestock) to evaluate differences Develop Infrastructure Monitoring Priority System and Standardized Procedures There are over 100 water impoundment structures within the Basin. A majority of these structures were in place prior to the 1980 s. In order to provide adequate maintenance on these structures, standardized assessment procedures should be developed and implemented. Given the large number of structures in the Basin, it is recommended that a GIS based prioritization system be developed in order to best utilize NRD funding. Structures should be evaluated for outlet replacement and repair needs in addition to evaluating structure classification and deficiencies needed to be addressed to meet the new classification. Collaboration with NDNR to utilize the agencies dam inventory and inspection information. This type of collaboration would prevent duplication of efforts and provide cost savings to the Basin NRDs Expand Dedicated Observation Well Network Current and future groundwater quantity concerns in the Basin include groundwater system response to climate change, increased water consumption, and changes in hydrologic and ecologic systems. The current Basin groundwater monitoring network consists of approximately 831 for chemical monitoring and 376 for groundwater level measurements. One NRD goal is to increase the number and density of wells in the groundwater level monitoring network. The NRD should evaluate annually the number of additional wells to add to the monitoring network. This should include identification of well construction costs, well priorities, construction schedules, partners, and funding options be defined and incorporated into a planning document. This expansion will increase understanding of groundwater changes in areas with spatially spare monitoring data. Many areas of the basin are underlain by multiple aquifers, all of which must be considered in developing the long-term network that will provide adequate data to understand and manage this resource Establish Routine Vadose Monitoring Network 144

16 The contamination of groundwater from nitrogen sources is a growing concern throughout the Basin. Information gathered in the vadose zone of soils provides information necessary to assess contaminant migration and mitigation. It is recommended a routine vadose monitoring network be established in the NRD every 5-years. Vadose zone monitoring should be used to support decisions related to new or expanded GWMA, wellhead protection and source water planning, and evaluation of the effectiveness of regulations targeted to reduce the loading of nitrate to groundwater. Summary and Conclusions Increased monitoring throughout the Basin is needed, especially for nitrate levels and stream flows. Due to varying levels of stream flow throughout each sub-basin, additional stream gaging will be important, especially when planning and implementing projects and programs aimed at increasing stream flow, surface water storage for augmentation, and recharge in the future. References Benefits of Stream Gaging Program, USGS, March 2006, National Hydrologic Warning Council 145