County Stream Monitoring Program

The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection has received national recognition for its watershed-based stream monitoring program. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water and the Office of Science and Technology, highlights the County program in a case study developed for a new website about biological monitoring and biocriteria.

The website can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/ost/biocriteria/
The webpage about the County’s stream monitoring program is:
http://www.epa.gov/ost/biocriteria/casestudies/npdesmaryland.html

The NPDES Permit that was negotiated between the County and the State of Maryland enables integration of biological and stream habitat monitoring results into a comprehensive, countywide watershed-based approach to stream protection and restoration. This program has been cost-effective and has the added benefit of invigorating public outreach and education programs, which in turn have fostered public support for the County’s effort’s to protect and improve stream quality.

EPA recommends the use of biological assessments as a measure of true environmental results. The case studies that were selected provide a series of examples to illustrate the value of such information for a variety of management and scientific uses. They are also a part of EPA's long-term strategy to provide better assessment tools, to promote the adoption of more effective and meaningful indicators of ecological condition, and to foster the public's informed involvement in setting goals for their resources.

For more information regarding this initiative, contact DEP and for information about the County's NPDES Permit, contact DEP/NPDES.

Additional Internet Resource materials addressing biological monitoring may be found at the following URLs:

EPA's Bioassessment and Biocriteria Program
The EPA's Bioassessment and Biocriteria Program helps to describe and evaluate the biological condition of aquatic communities by monitoring changes in particularly sensitive species. The site lists five different categories of case studies, to illustrate the value of such monitoring to both scientists and policy-makers. Also offered is a glossary of terms, a list of technical assistance and guidance documents, and descriptions of the uses of biocriteria and bioassessment data. The Training link provides different opportunities for instruction on biological monitoring and other watershed issues.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Bioindicators of Aquatic Ecosystems Stress
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)'s Bioindicators of Aquatic Ecosystems Stress web page contains information about the Biological Indicators Program in the Environmental Sciences Division (ESD) at ORNL. The site offers considerable explanation of the concepts and theories behind the use
of bioindicators, as well as the structures behind the studies. The progress of five different studies is also presented, as well as profiles of its numerous laboratories, both indoor and field labs.

Biological Stream Monitoring at the Center for Environmental Education
The Center for Environmental Education is part of Washington State University, and supports education on biological stream monitoring. The page offers information on how biological monitoring works, and descriptions of various species used. Educational information is presented for K-12, as well as workshops and field trips. The Habitat Restoration page presents the basics of how to go about such restoration, including volunteer information, how to identify native plants, and a calendar of events.

Xerces Society
The Xerces Society is an international nonprofit organization, focused on public education about invertebrates and conservation projects that demonstrate their critical roles in endangered ecosystems around the globe. The page offers a listing of biomonitoring projects, such as the Northwest Regional Macroinvertebrate Database, which is in cooperation with the Pacific Northwest's Fish and Wildlife Program. Also showcased is a group of Taxonomic Workshops, which take place once a year and focus on one particular macroinvertebrate. The Xerces Society Volunteer Monitoring Project provides education and training for volunteer organizations in collecting and analyzing information on biological monitoring efforts in their area.

SalmonWeb
SalmonWeb is a non-profit agency that strives to connect and inspire scientists, decision-makers and citizen volunteers to build and share the knowledge we need to restore and protect the integrity of living waters. They endeavor to establish a standard biological monitoring protocol in all streams in the Puget Sound watershed. The How To Participate page explains the different parts of the site and presents workshops on biological monitoring. Click on Interactive Stream Maps for detailed maps of the Puget Sound area, allowing you to not only view stream monitoring data, but upload data you have collected. The Field Resources offers print resources, contact information for taxonomic identification labs and monitoring equipment. There is also a message board where participants can maintain dialogs on various topics.