Southeast Wetlands Monitoring Intensification Grant 2012

James GrahamNC Dept. of Environment and

Natural ResourcesDivision of Water Quality

SWPBA 2012

Summary

• Grant and Project History• Objectives• Site Selection• Methods• NCWAM/ORAM• Data/Collaboration• Staff

Wetland Monitoring in NC: 2011• EPA’s National Wetland Condition Assessment

(NWCA)• NC had 47 sites to survey/monitor and 2 revisits in

Inner and Outer Coastal Plain• Wetland types were:

– Salt/ Brackish Marshes (18)– Riverine Swamp Forest (5)– Pocosins (2)– Pine Flat (3)– Hardwood Flat (8)– Esturine Woody (3)– Bottomland Hardwood Forest (4)

ObjectivesTo collect data based on the NWCA protocol to add to theNWCA database of wetlands to further assess condition

To make some conclusion about the condition of wetlands (riverine swamp forest in ecoregion 65 and bottomland hardwood forests in ecoregion 45 in the southeast region

To expand the data collected from the NWCA protocol to include hydrology monitoring, amphibian and macroinvertebrate sampling

To collect data that could lead to a regional rapid assessment method.

Southeast Wetlands Monitoring Intensification Grant 2012

• North Carolina: 20 sites (10 Riverine Swamp Forest (RSF) and 10 Bottomland Hardwood Wetlands (BLH))

• South Carolina and Alabama: 10 RSF + RAM and Buffer assessment in 10 BLH

• Georgia: 15 RSF and 15 BLH

Palustrine Forested-PFORiverine Swamp Forest Bottomland Hardwood Forest

Methods• NWCA monitoring protocol included:

– Extensive Vegetation Survey– Soil Survey (4 soil pits)– Extensive Buffer assessment– Water quality and Algal samples– Hydrology analysis– USA-RAM– Aquatic macroinvertebrates– Amphibians– Hydrology Monitoring

40 m140 m

X

XX

X

X

WQ

WQ

FLOW

AmphibiansGreen Frog- Rana clamitans

Marbled Salamander-Ambystoma opacumSpotted Salamander- Plethodon cylindraceus

Acris crepitans and Acris gryllus

Aquatic Macroinvertebrates• As many as 5 stations per site (March 2012)• Sweep net : 1 square meter (3-4 sweeps)• NC had over 80 samples to pick• Finished Picking-Ready For ID

Water Quality/Hydrology

Vegetation• Preliminary Data for NC

• Canopy species are consistent with wetland types • Shrub and herb layer’s species diversity is

decreased.• Problem: Invasives and lack of hydrology due to

stream Incising in Piedmont• RSF less invasives than BLH (some Murdannia)• BLH lots of Microstegium and Ligustrum

Soils and Buffer Analysis

• 4 pits in SW corner of each veg plot• 60 cm• Pick one as reference• Profile • Collect for soil chemical analysis• Upland sample

Differences between NCWAM and ORAM

• NCWAM is a functional assessment method• ORAM is a condition assessment method• NCWAM assigns a high, medium, low rating• ORAM assigns a numeric score• NCWAM: Hydrology, Water Quality, Habitat• ORAM: No emphasis on Water Quality, more

emphasis buffer, habitat, stressors

The 16 General Wetland Types• Mountain Bogs• Salt/Brackish Marsh• Estuarine Woody• Non-Tidal Freshwater

Marsh• Tidal Freshwater

Marsh• Pine Savannas• Seeps

• Bottomland Hardwood Forest

• Riverine Swamp Forest• Headwater Forest• Floodplain Pool• Pocosin• Hardwood Flats• Pine Flats• Small Basin Wetlands• Non-Riverine Swamp Forest

Results from the Intensification Grant for NC

Ecoregion County Wetland Type NC WAM Score ORAM Score

Coastal Plain Duplin Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 86Coastal Plain Duplin Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 83Coastal Plain Halifax Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 81Coastal Plain Duplin Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 77Coastal Plain Edgecombe Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 71Coastal Plain Duplin Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 69Coastal Plain Pitt Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 66Coastal Plain Nash Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 64

Coastal Plain Duplin Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 63Coastal Plain Sampson Riverine Swamp Forest HIGH 62

Piedmont Cabarrus Bottomland Hardwood MEDIUM 68Piedmont Cabarrus Bottomland Hardwood HIGH 67Piedmont Granville Bottomland Hardwood HIGH 60Piedmont Wake Bottomland Hardwood MEDIUM 60Piedmont Granville Bottomland Hardwood HIGH 58Piedmont Rowan Bottomland Hardwood LOW 50Piedmont Cabarrus Bottomland Hardwood LOW 47Piedmont Cabarrus Bottomland Hardwood LOW 45Piedmont Granville Bottomland Hardwood MEDIUM 40Piedmont Granville Bottomland Hardwood LOW 38

Wetland Monitoring: Use of WM data, Future

• Use of data to supplement the NWCA.• Use of data to provide reference wetlands.• Use of data to establish Water Quality

standards.• By establishing a WM Network in NC and with

current work with other SE states, extend that WM to the SE region.

• Use of WM data in a regional scale.

Wetland Monitoring: Use of WM data, current and future

• Use of WM methodology in 401/404 permitting.

• Use of WM data in 401/404 permitting.• Use of WM data in restoring wetland function.• Use of WM data in guidelines for determining

wetland restoration/mitigation success.• Use of WM data (long term, WM Network) to

analyze trends in wetland condition/function overtime.

Wetland Monitoring in NC: Into the Future & Taking WM to a New Level

• A key effort is to form partnerships with other states and agencies and integrate wetland monitoring data in basin plans, permitting, protection, mitigation, etc.

• Partnerships include:– Basinwide planning– APNEP– Ambient monitoring for streams, lakes, rivers– Biological assessment– 401 Water Quality Certification and Isolated Wetland/Waters

Permitting

Who is NC’s Wetland Monitoring Team?• Rick Savage• James Graham• Anthony Scarbraugh• Michael Coleman• Ross Vander Vorste (Now in France)• Larry Eaton• Ginny Baker• Aquifer Protection Staff – Amy Keyworth, Rick Bolich, Ray Milosh• MUCH help from temporary staff and supervisor:– Greg Rubino -- Lori Montgomery– Cheryl Gregory --Amanda Johnson– Kristie Gianopulos -and others

South Carolina Crew :

Michael BishopNydia Burdick

Scott CastleberryWill DillmanDavid Eargle

Harriet GilkersonDr. Jim GloverChuck Gorman

Chuck HightowerEmily HollingsworthJustin Lewandowski

Dr. John Nelson, Curator at USC HerbariumErin Owen

Heather PrestonJeff Schrag

Rusty Wenerick& numerous DHEC EQC Laboratory Staff

Alabama

Brien DiggsAshley LockwoodBonnie ColemanAaron GoarPreston RobertsRon SparksRuthie YoungRebekah MooreGena TodiaDan SpauldingGina CurvinLisa HuffFred Leslie

Questions?