Wetland and Water Quality Issues for Parks of the Northeastern US

Dudley, Robert

The ecological health of water resources within national park boundaries are subjected to natural and anthropogenic impacts and alterations. In many cases, such stressors have affected them for many years. Threats confronting NPS aquatic ecosystems throughout the northeastern US include: • Increased visitor usage • Nutrient and contaminant inputs (e.g. agriculture, septic leaching) • Hydrologic and hydraulic alterations (e.g. bridges, roads, culverts, drainage improvements) • Groundwater withdrawal impacts on surface water resources(e.g. competing water-use interests) • Invasive and non-native species encroachments • Air deposition of contaminants Provide the National Park Service and their collaborative agencies with data and guidance for identifying and prioritizing water resource monitoring needs to identify stressors and detect change in park water resources throughout the Northeastern Temperate Parks Network. Objectives: Create a basic resource inventory for water resources in the Northeast Temperate Network upon which the design of long term monitoring efforts to detect change can be based. The inventory will include: a. Location and classification of primarily surface water resources b. A catalogue describing significant park waterbodies and potential stressors, currently available water quality data and ongoing monitoring c. Identification of park-specific threats (issues) to water resources d. Assess how those threats and stressors have the potential to or presently are altering the health of the water resources and aquatic ecological systems e. Provide guidance for designing ongoing and future monitoring at a Network wide level to establish baseline conditions, trends or changes in water quality and select those measurement parameters for monitoring that are most sensitive to human induced impacts f. Identify sources and locations of water quantity/flow data (e.g. stream/lake/reservoir gaging stations of flow/level)to facilitate interpretation of water quality information To meet this objective, the USGS Maine District proposes a three-phase approach. (See how compatible this 3- phase approach is to May 2, 2002 Memo to Regional Directors outlining 3-phase approach of I & M Program that Integrates Water Quality Monitoring)

Wetland and Water Quality Issues for Parks of the Northeastern US

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