Power analysis of water quality of standing water bodies in the Pacific Island Network, 2009-2017

Gorresen PM, Camp RJ, Raikow D . 2024. Power analysis of water quality of standing water bodies in the Pacific Island Network, 2009-2017. Technical Report HCSU-114. National Park Service

The National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring Division (IMD) aims to provide data on park ecosystems' health to guide management decisions. Since 2007, NPS IMD has monitored water quality in marine areas, streams, anchialine pools, wetlands, and lakes in the Pacific Island Network (PACN) national parks. To maintain long-term monitoring program efficiency, protocols are reviewed and revised every 10 years based on trend analyses, including new power analyses for significant sampling regime changes. This report focuses on standing water bodies, evaluating statistical power across different sampling intensities to detect water quality trends and anomalies. It covers 10 areas with a varying number of sample stations. Data from 2009–2017 for nine water quality parameters were examined, and statistical power was assessed by using linear regression and Wilcoxon two-sample tests with 80% power and a Type I error rate of 0.05. Results show that higher sampling effort and larger effect sizes increase the power to detect changes, although power varies by parameter and site due to differences in mean and variance. The analysis results may be used to devise optimal sampling strategies, including balancing the number of sample sites and sampling frequency. Periodic evaluations and adaptive strategies are essential for maintaining statistical power and for the long-term management of the PACN water quality monitoring program, especially in the context of climate change.

Type
Published Report
Authors
Gorresen, P.; Camp, Richard; Raikow, David
Date of Issue
2024-10
Publisher
National Park Service
Units
AMME , KAHO , PACN , PUHE , PUHO
Keywords
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Fresh and Brackish Water Quality Monitoring Report, Groundwater, Hawaii, Island of Hawai'i, Saipan, Salinity, Surface Water, Water Quality, Water Quality Monitoring Report, Wetland, Wetlands
Subjects
Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Nutrient Dynamics

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