EPA Kicks Off Survey of the Nation's Lakes

EPA, States, Tribes and other partners soon will embark on a Survey of the Nation's Lakes to provide regional and national estimates of lake condition, similar to the draft Wadeable Streams Assessment. On April 25-28, 2006, EPA's Monitoring Branch co-sponsored a meeting in Chicago with 140 lakes experts, including representatives from 45 States, to plan the Lakes Survey. The meeting was cosponsored by the Chicago Botanic Garden and the North American Lake Management Society. The Survey will use a statistically valid approach which, like an opinion poll, randomly selects lake sites that represent the condition of all sites in regions sharing similar ecological characteristics. Survey participants will use consistent sampling and analytical procedures to ensure that the results can be compared across the country. At the meeting, EPA provided packets to States (and Tribes) identifying a preliminary list of sites that will be sampled in the summer of 2007.

For more information on the Lakes Survey visit: http://www.epa.gov/owow/lakes/lakessurvey/

Source: EPA's Waterheadlines for May 8, 2006 Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator,Office of Water

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Wadeable Stream Assessment Survey Released

EPA released the Wadeable Streams Assessment (WSA), which is the first consistent evaluation of the streams that feed rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Alaska and Hawaii were not included in the report but have pilot projects underway. ?Wadeable streams? are those which are shallow enough to be adequately sampled without a boat. They are an important natural resource that has been under-sampled in the past.

Conducted between 2000 and 2004, the study was based on sampling at 1,392 sites selected to represent the condition of all streams that share similar ecological characteristics in various regions. The survey found that stream conditions vary widely across the diverse ecological regions of the country, and that, in general, streams in the West were in the best condition.

The WSA is part of a series of surveys to evaluate all of the nation's waters. Coastal condition has already been evaluated. During the next five years, EPA will sample the condition of lakes, large rivers, and wetlands. Then the process will be repeated to provide ongoing comparisons of the state of the waters and point to possible future action.

More information: Wadeable Streams Assessment: http://www.epa.gov/owow/streamsurvey

Source: EPA's Waterheadlines for May 8, 2006 Benjamin H. Grumbles, Assistant Administrator,Office of Water

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More than half of US streams polluted: EPA

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than half of U.S. streams are polluted, with the worst conditions found in the eastern third of the country, according to a study by the
Environmental Protection Agency.

In its first-ever study of shallow or 'wadeable' streams, the agency found 42 percent were in poor condition, and another 25 percent were considered fair. Only 28 percent were in good condition, EPA said. Another 5 percent were not analyzed because of sampling problems in New England.

Streams running in the East, from the Atlantic coast through the Appalachian Mountains, fared the worst, with 52 percent listed as poor. Streams in 48 states were sampled from 2000 to 2004. The EPA plans to extend the study to Alaska and Hawaii.

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