Citizen Science Monitoring: Sampling Plan Design and Data Use Monitoring for the DRWI Kathryn Christopher Cluster Outreach and Monitoring Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Delaware River Watershed Initiative kac388@drexel.edu 215-299-1067 Twitter: @ANSStreamTeam
Citizen Science Monitoring: Sampling Plan Design and Data Use Why Monitor? Before Beginning Sampling Plan Questions Sampling Plan Design Appreciating the Data
Why Have a Citizen Science Educating the public Reclassification Monitoring Program? Influencing policy/regulation Contributing to scientific knowledge (ex. DRWI)
Why Have a Citizen Science Monitoring Program? Educating the public: Introduce citizens to their environment Inspire lifelong appreciation of nature Increase awareness of issues affecting local waterways Create stewards who will educate others (friends, family, communities) on water issues and will advocate for local waterways
Why Have a Citizen Science Monitoring Program? Reclassification Swimmable, fishable, drinkable Influencing policy/regulation Scale: neighborhood, municipal, state, federal Examples: land use planning, stormwater or water usages policies
Why Have a Citizen Science Monitoring Program? Contributing to scientific knowledge: Gathering information on areas that aren t covered by other agencies Being the eyes and ears of your watershed; identifying problem areas Sharing data with agencies/partnerships Example: the Delaware River Watershed Initiative
THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED INITIATIVE
THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED INITIATIVE Identified stressors: forest fragmentation and loss, agriculture run-off, stormwater, aquifer depletion Evaluated impact of stressors on 400 HUC-12 watersheds Prioritized watersheds for conservation or restoration Designated 8 sub-watershed areas where high-priority areas were clustered
Before Beginning: Assess your capacity How many volunteers? How much money for equipment? Assess feasibility Can your organization sustain this program (if desired?) What are your time constraints? Answer the question of what purpose your monitoring will serve
Sampling Plan Questions What is your mission? What kind of data do you need? What parameters should you sample? What methods/equipment should you use? Where are your sampling sites? What is your timeline/schedule? How will you store/manage/share your data?
Sampling Plan Design What is your mission?
Sampling Plan Design Take Why Monitor questions and drill down to find the issue or question you are addressing: Working towards a goal will increase likelihood of success of your monitoring program, and will guide you in designing the most efficient program in terms of cost and personnel.
DRWI EXAMPLE: UNDERLYING QUESTIONS How are in-stream ecosystems responding to on-the-ground actions? Which indicators best respond to current stressors and conditions, as well as changes in water (and ecosystem) quality over time? How can monitoring results inform the DRWI and similar work in the future?
DRWI EXAMPLE: MONITORING STRATEGY What is the current knowledge? Impacts of individual measures on runoff, nutrients and sedimentation are known, but scientists need more data over a longer time period to understand how the whole ecosystem is improved. Why do we need to know ecosystem response? Aren t sediment and nutrients enough? We monitor biota to understand year-round and year-to-year functioning of ecosystems. A stream my be physically intact, but the biota haven t rebounded -- no nutrient assimilation, utilization through food chain up to top predators.
DRWI EXAMPLE: MONITORING OBJECTIVES Assess fine-scale change in ecosystems Methods and indicators for maximum capacity to detect changes in short- and long-term Consistent data sets with known data quality A long-term, broad dataset is a resource for answering questions about ecological conditions & processes Whole picture first, then refine indicators for future sampling events Indicator groups: algae, macroinvertebrates, fish, chemistry
Sampling Plan Design These streams are in good condition and should be protected. Why? Important species (ex. trout), drinking water protection These streams are in poor health and action should be taken. How? Restoration projects, nutrient management plans This project was just implemented. In what ways is it improving/degrading this stream?
Sampling Plan Design Who is collecting it? Evaluate the types of volunteers you have What are their skill sets, levels of expertise, availability, level of commitment, etc.
Sampling Plan Design Who will process it? Would you like data with higher integrity (detection limits) than streamside (i.e. kits)? Yes! In-house facilities if you have them (Ex. Green Valleys Watershed Association) Contract a laboratory, consultant, university
DRWI EXAMPLE: CLUSTER DATA PROCESSING
Sampling Plan Design Who will analyze it? Do you already have the expertise on hand to analyze your data? No Some labs might provide analysis Or, utilize partnerships!
DRWI EXAMPLE: MONITORING PARTNERS Non-profits, Local Government, Universities Middle Schuylkill Upper Lehigh Wildlands Conservancy Moravian University Schuylkill Action Network Miller Environmental Stroud Water Research Center Berks County Conservancy Schuylkill Highlands Green Valleys Association French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust Hay Creek Watershed Association Berks County Conservancy Chester County Water Resources Authority Stroud Water Research Center Brandywine-Christina Poconos-Kittatinny Stroud Water Research Center The Nature Conservancy (PA) North Pocono CARE Brodhead Watershed Association East Stroudsburg Univ. Citizen Scientists Students Volunteers NJ Highlands The Nature Conservancy (NJ) Musconetcong Watershed Association Wallkill River Watershed Mgmt. Group Upstream Suburban Philadelphia Tookany-Tacony Frankford Watershed Partnership Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association Lower Merion Conservancy Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust Friends of the Poquessing Villanova University & Temple University Kirkwood-Cohansey Association of NJ Environmental Commissions NJ Audubon Pinelands Preservation Alliance
DRWI EXAMPLE: MONITORING PARTNERS Non-profits, Local Government, Universities A great partnership! Groups collect data on a geographic and temporal scale that the Academy cannot achieve alone. They contribute a lot of data to the DRWI database, which are available for use to us and to all DRWI partners (eventually to the public). In turn, we support them in the execution of their monitoring programs: Guidance on monitoring strategies (where/when/what to sample) Lending equipment; providing supplies Analyzing data, providing data products (raw data, maps, summaries, etc.)
Sampling Plan Design Who will see your data? Raw data Sharing with government agencies or scientific endeavors (Ex. PA DEP, DRWI) Make sure you are following accepted protocols
DRWI EXAMPLE: CLUSTER GROUP QAPP
Sampling Plan Design Who will see your data? Data products (more later) Policymakers Collect parameters that are pertinent to the local geography and/or to the issue at hand Neighbors, community Volunteers show them what they ve done!
Sampling Plan Design Habitat Water chemistry Aquatic insects Algae Fish Bacteria
Sampling Plan Design What best relates to the issue at hand? Examples: Swimmable? Bacteria Fishable? Aquatic life criteria temperature, nutrients, dissolved oxygen; habitat quality Drinkable? Biological communities insects, algae, fish; protected riparian areas
Sampling Plan Design Habitat Important information for overall stream conditions, and for evaluating fish and algae data Visual assessments Physical Flow Films/odors
Sampling Plan Design Water Chemistry Stream-side (ph, temperature, DO, sonde (ex. YSI) kits Grab sample Laboratory Lower detection limits Nutrients, ions
Sampling Plan Design Insects Surber sampler kicknet, D-net, etc.
Sampling Plan Design Algae Visual assessment lab analysis (ANS example)
Sampling Plan Design Fish Seining, trapping, observation signs of disease counting carcasses CPUE of target species (e.g. trout)
Sampling Plan Design Fish Electrofishing Assemblage and species-specific responses Partner with fisheries professionals (e.g. ANS)
Sampling Plan Design Bacteria Microbial source tracking (MST) E. coli Farm run-off (animal inputs) Septic issues
Sampling Plan Design Consider detection limits stringent enough to prove your point.
Sampling Plan Design Think back to how data will be used What is necessary to achieve goals? What is feasible considering your capacity?
DRWI EXAMPLE: THREE-TIER APPROACH
DRWI EXAMPLE: THREE-TIER APPROACH TRAINED VOLUNTEERS, QA/QC ANY VOLUNTEERS, NO QA/QC
Sampling Plan Design Where should you sample?
Sampling Plan Design Upstream and downstream of an action (ex. restoration or development) Impacted site and a control site (ex. developed vs. forested) Maybe where opportunity exists (ex. volunteer s backyard)
Sampling Plan Design Things to consider: Size of stream Is your stream too big to show evidence of change in water quality with the equipment/methods you are using? Permits/permission
Sampling Plan Design What is your timeline or schedule?
Sampling Plan Design Things to consider: Commitment of volunteers Do we have enough capacity to be successful? Time-sensitive nature of certain issues (policies, shovel-ready projects) Can we answer this question in time? You have X amount of funding that will last X years Is this enough money to fulfill our plan?
DRWI Example: Monitoring Plan Design
DRWI EXAMPLE: SCHEDULE
Sampling Plan Design How will you manage and share your data?
Translating and Reporting Reports Newsletter Web-Mapper Database Government Relations Tapping Our Watershed Seminars
DRWI EXAMPLE: CLUSTER BASELINE DATA SUMMARIES
Citizen Science Data are Valued! Show volunteers their data are being used Embrace partnerships Happy to share our QAPP with you!
Thank you! Kathryn Christopher Cluster Outreach and Monitoring Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Delaware River Watershed Initiative kac388@drexel.edu 215-299-1067 Twitter: @ANSStreamTeam