TRIBAL WATER QUALITY MONITORING STRATEGY (2019)

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TRIBAL WATER QUALITY MONITORING STRATEGY

(2019-2024)

PREPARED BY:

THE CULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF

COOS, LOWER UMPQUA, AND SIUSLAW INDIANS

DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

1245 FULTON AVE

COOS BAY, OR 97420

Time Period Strategy Covers:

2019-2024

Date Issued:

10/2019

Tribal Contact:

Ashley Russell, Water Protection Specialist

Alexis Barry, Interim Director

Department of Culture and Natural Resources

1245 Fulton Avenue

Coos Bay, OR 97420

Telephone: (541) 888-7511

(541) 888-7527

arussell@ctclusi.org

abarry@ctclusi.org

EPA Contact:

Kristine Carre, EPA Tribal Coordinator

Region 10: Pacific Northwest

805 SW Broadway, Suite 500

Portland, OR 97205

Telephone: (503) 326-7024

Fax: (503) 326-3399

carre.kris@epa.gov

Table of Contents

Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 3

Elements of a Monitoring Strategy ............................................................................................................... 4

I. Monitoring Program Strategy ............................................................................................................... 4

Introduction and Scope......................................................................................................................... 4

Background ........................................................................................................................................... 7

II. Monitoring Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 8

III. Monitoring Design.............................................................................................................................. 10

IV. Core and Supplemental Water Quality Indicators ............................................................................. 14

V. Quality Assurance ............................................................................................................................... 16

VI. Data Management ............................................................................................................................. 19

VII. Data Analysis/Assessment ................................................................................................................ 21

VIII. Reporting ......................................................................................................................................... 22

IX. Programmatic Evaluation ................................................................................................................... 22

X. General Support and Infrastructure ................................................................................................... 23

Attachment A: ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Elements of a Monitoring Strategy

Monitoring Program Strategy

Introduction and Scope

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Final Guidance on Awards of Grants to Indian Tribes

under Section 106 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires tribes, whose CWA 106 grants start in

calendar year 2007 with fiscal year 2007 funding, to develop a Tribal Assessment Report (TAR). These

TARs are comprised of three elements: (1) a description of the monitoring strategy, (2) a water quality

assessment, and (3) electronic copies of surface water quality data for nine basic parameters submitted in

a STORET-compatible format. This document addresses development of a water quality monitoring

strategy, satisfying element (1) of the TAR. The purpose of this strategy is to provide a long-term plan for

meeting identified water resource objectives. This strategy describes current and future monitoring

strategies and incorporates a timeline for implementation, with associated milestones, to address needed

enhancements.

Consistent with the CWA’s mission “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological

integrity of the Nation’s waters”, (33 U.S.C § 1251(a)), the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower

Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians (CTCLUSI or Tribe) also strives to restore, protect and enhance not only

the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of impaired waters within our Ancestral Territory, but also

to restore, protect, enhance, and sustain the native flora and fauna that depends on those waters.

In an effort to protect and manage Tribal waters for their multiple ecological, cultural, economic, and

intrinsic values for the next seven generations, the Tribe has developed this water monitoring strategy and

established an Integrated Water Quality Monitoring Program (IWQMP). The purpose of the IWQMP is to

generate scientific data that documents short-term variability and long-term changes in estuarine, stream,

and lake water quality of waters of/pertaining to Tribal lands. Data collected through the program will

inform the Tribe about the ecological health of aquatic resources within Tribal lands as well as the Tribe’s

Ancestral Territory. Moreover, data will aid in the development of strategic action plans addressing point

and non-point source pollution, management plans, best management practices, stewardships, total

maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and ordinances.

The ancestral homelands of the Tribe totals approximately 1.6 million acres located in southwestern

Oregon (Figure 1). CTCLUSI’s landholdings are composed of 94 parcels that total approximately 15,000

acres over seven watersheds. These lands are scattered among the Siuslaw River, Lower Umpqua River,

Lower Smith River, Lower Umpqua, Tenmile Lakes, Coos River, and Sixes River watersheds. The

parcels themselves consist of riparian areas, wetlands, forestlands, coastal beach front, lakefront, rural

residential and commercial development land uses. In total, this land base includes approximately .8 miles

of shoreline, 26 miles of rivers and streams, and 243 acres of wetlands.

Environmental issues occur within all of these watersheds and are negatively impacting the Tribe’s

cultural and natural resources in numerous noticeable conditions, including:

•

Impacts linked to natural resource extraction and recreation;

•

Water quality degradation due to point and non-point water pollution, including from agriculture,

timber harvesting, construction, wastewater management, and residential dumping;

•

Urban, industrial, and energy production discharges;

•

Downward trend of salmonid, lamprey, herring, eulachon, flounder, and green sturgeon returns;

•

Downward trend of other aquatic/marine traditional foods, such as abalone;

•

Maritime and chemical spills;

•

Toxins within water, sediments, cultural resources, and traditional foods;

•

Ocean acidification and hypoxia;

•

Environmental changes attributed to climate change, such as the reoccurrence of drought,

flooding, wildfires, harmful algal blooms, and invasive species, such as greenhouse thrips and

green crabs;

•

Shellfish closures due to harmful algal blooms;

•

Spreading of existing and new non-native invasive species.

Figure 1.

Background

In 2002, EPA approved the Tribe’s "treatment in a manner similar to a state" or TAS application under

Section 106 of the Clean Water Act. With this TAS approval, the Tribe became eligible to apply for EPA

grants under CWA 106 to develop and implement a Tribal water quality program. Initially, the

development of a water quality monitoring program was the primary focus. Late in 2003, the WQP

completed its first ever Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for surface water quality monitoring.

Soon after receiving EPA approval for QAPP 1.8, the WQP collected its first ever water sample on

February 5, 2004 on the North Fork of the Siuslaw River. Water quality monitoring was targeted on four

core water quality parameters in addition to salinity/specific conductivity:

•

dissolved oxygen

•

water temperature, and

•

turbidity.

In December 2005, EPA approved QAPP 2.0, which incorporated YSI 6600 continuous data loggers at

three estuarine monitoring sites. In addition, QAPP 2.0 added measurement for the parameters of depth,

bacteria (Escherichia coli and enterococci), and chlorophyll monitoring to the WQP. QAPP 2.0 improved

the program’s ability to document and understand tidally influenced water quality fluctuations and

improved scheduled monitoring times. QAPP 2.0 also significantly increased the amount of data

collected, which resulted in the development of a Microsoft Access database capable of storing and

manipulating the dataset. The database was designed so that water quality data stored in the database

could be exported into a STORET compatible format.

Then in April 2007, a new revision for QAPP 3.0 received EPA and Tribal approval. The purpose of

QAPP 3.0 was to meet new requirements identified under EPA’s Final Guidance on Awards of Grants to

Indian Tribes under Section 106 of the Clean Water Act for Fiscal Years 2007 and Beyond. (EPA 832-R06-003). Four new water quality parameters were added to measure phosphorous and total nitrogen,

identify macroinvertebrates, and document basic habitat information.

In 2016, EPA approved QAPP 4.0, which added fresh water Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) monitoring,

two new monitoring sites, required limits for the parameters measured for all previous QAPPs listed

above, and replaced YSI 6600 continuous data loggers with YSI EXO 2’s and 3’s. This latest revision of

the QAPP now listed a total of 14 water quality indicators measured.

More recently in 2018, the Western Oregon Tribal Fairness Act of Public Law 115-103, 131 Stat. 2253

was enacted and approximately 15,000 acres of Oregon and California Railroad Revested Lands (O&C

Lands) were conveyed to CTCLUSI, expanding the Tribe’s reservation and trust lands from less than 165

acres. Due to this significant increase in land management, IWMQP staff are currently revising for QAPP

5.0 to include additional water quality monitoring sites and additional water quality indicators, including

organic pollutants (e.g. diesel, oil, pesticides, pharmaceuticals), heavy metals (e.g. arsenic, mercury,

lead), as well as microbiota (e.g. phytoplankton, zooplankton, diatoms, dinoflagellates, and

cyanobacteria).

II.

Monitoring Objectives

The main goals of the Tribe’s IWQMP are to perform water quality investigations. Data generated from

these investigations will inform the Tribe about the ecological health of aquatic resources within Tribal

lands as well as the Tribe’s Ancestral Territory. Collected data will help to evaluate water quality trends,

determine water quality assessments, aid in the development and implementation of management plans

and best management practices, and advance Tribal Water Quality Standards (WQS), TMDLs, and

ordinances that protect both human and aquatic health.

Table 1.

Monitoring Objectives

Program Area

Objectives

Overall Water Quality Program

1. Establish baseline water quality conditions for all waters

of/pertaining to newly conveyed lands for all pertinent

uses.

2. Continue to document short term and long-term water quality

trends for all waters of/pertaining to Tribal lands.

3. Assess whether water quality standards are being met and

beneficial uses are being supported.

4. Identify waters needing restoration

5. Identify waters needing protection.

6. Develop restoration/protection plans.

7. Evaluate restoration/protection projects.

8. Develop Data Management Plan with partners/water quality

stakeholders.

Water Quality Standards

1. Continue to develop and refine Tribal water quality

standards.

2. Complete water quality standards and submit to EPA by

2021.

3. Adopt Tribal water quality standards.

4. Assess whether water quality standards are being met and

beneficial uses are being supported.

5. Obtain 303 Certification

6. Develop TMDLs in collaboration with Oregon Department

of Environmental Quality (ODEQ).

7. Develop 401 Certification Program

8. Develop a regulatory framework that ensures water quality

standards are being met and beneficial uses are being

supported.

Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program

Wetlands

Biomonitoring

1. Biological assessment of macroinvertebrate communities.

2. Biological assessment of fish communities, where appropriate.

3. Biological assessment of algal communities.

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

1. Continue to develop a Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring Program.

Continue to identify impaired waters.

Identify causes/sources (point and nonpoint).

Identify waters needing restoration.

Identify waters needing protection.

Develop restoration/protection plans.

Employ post monitoring techniques to determine and quantify the

effectiveness of NPS projects in meeting water quality

standards and supporting beneficial uses.

7. Build partnerships/stewardships with water quality stakeholders

and private land owners to address NPS issues.

8. D e ve l o p w a t e r s h e d improvement projects with partners.

9. Evaluate cumulative watershed impacts from best management

practice (BMP) implementation.

Develop indicators and assess beneficial use attainment.

Continue to identify degraded/impaired wetlands.

Identify vulnerable wetlands needing protection.

Develop restoration plans to restore degraded/impaired wetlands.

Develop protection plans to protect vulnerable wetlands.

Evaluate restoration/protection projects.

Employ post monitoring techniques to determine and quantify the

effectiveness of restoration/protection projects in meeting water

quality standards and supporting beneficial uses.

Contaminants of Concern (COCs)

Monitoring

1. Establish baseline conditions for COC’s in water, sediment, culturally

significant vegetation, and fish tissue.

2. Document short term and long-term water quality trends.

3. Assess whether water quality standards are being met and beneficial

uses are being supported.

4. Identify waters needing restoration.

5. Identify waters needing protection.

Emergency Monitoring

1. Develop an emergency monitoring program for waters impaired by oil

spills or other chemical/pathological releases.

III.

Monitoring Design

The IWQMP has identified 14 new water monitoring sites (for a total of 21 sites) in which the Tribe

would like to expand water monitoring capabilities (see Attachment A). Most of these new water

monitoring sites are located on the newly conveyed lands and represent an initial assessment of

recognized water uses, including salmonid critical habitat or recreational activities. The other additional

sites have been identified as a result of emerging issues associated with increased pathological releases.

NPS effectiveness monitoring locations will be identified prior to any NPS project implementation and

parameters to be monitored will be determined on a project by project basis. Wetland monitoring sites

will be selected as soon as all wetlands on Tribal lands are assessed and degraded/impaired and

vulnerable wetlands have been identified. Sites for emergency monitoring will be selected based on

reported spill and sewage events, such as from the National Response Center and Oregon Office of

Emergency Management, that have been evaluated to have potential contamination to waters or other

vulnerable resources.

Table 2.

Monitoring Activities and Design

Program Area

Design

# Sites

Frequency Resources

Program

Description

Overall Water

Quality

Fixed

Station &

Targeted

Sites

7 sites

Continuous

7 sites

Bacteria

Once a month

Begun in 2005

Fixed YSI

EXO

dataloggers

located in the

Annual Avg.

of 3 FTE

Water Quality Status

& Trends

NPS Effectiveness

Monitoring

Same As

Above

Targeted

design

upstream/

downstream

of NPS

projects

14 sites

WQ+Bacteria

Seasonally

(Once a

month)

9 sites

Dissolved

Oxygen &

Temperature

9 sites

WQ+

Nutrients

Continuous

(Launched

Seasonally)

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

To Be

Developed

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

To Be

Developed

estuary that are

of/pertaining to

Tribal lands

and at North

Tenmile Lakes.

Long-term sites

for trends.

Seasonal Sites

will usually

extend from

May until

October.

Plan to

continue

monitoring

strategies as

long as

resources allow

to support

TMDLs.

Biannually

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

To Be

Determined

NPS sampling

targets sites

above and

below

restoration/

BMP

implementation

projects.

Sampling

timeframe for

each project

will be project

specific.

Wetlands

To Be

Developed

To Be

Determined

To Be

Developed

To Be

Determined

To Be

Developed

Biomonitoring

Targeted

Sites

9 sites

Macro

Communities

Biannually

2 FTE for 2

months

Sixes RiverStarted in 2007

Johnson Creek2 sites Spencer

Creek- 2 sites

Lake Creek 4 sites

Pucker Creek1 site

Sites To Be

Determined

Fish

Communities

WQ+Habitat

Assessment+

Flow

Seasonally

3 FTE for 4

months

Monitoring to

begin after

training has

been completed

(2020)

Lake Creek

Pucker Creek

Spencer Creek

Johnson Creek

Sixes River

3 (Additional

sites as

needed in

response to

newly

emergent

algal bloom

events)

Algal

Communities

+Nutrients

Seasonally

2 FTE for 3

months

Monitoring to

begin after

equipment has

been procured

and training

has been

completed.

Discrete grab

samples will be

collected at

North Tenmile

Lakes, Fossil

Point &

Gregory Point

HABs

Targeted

Sites

COCs

Targeted

Sites

Emergency

Monitoring

To Be

Developed

3 (Additional

sites as

needed in

response to

newly

emergent

algal bloom

events)

WQ+

Nutrients

(Additional

sites as

needed in

response to

newly

discovered/

suspected

contaminated

sites

Seasonally/As

Often As

Needed

2 FTE for 3

months

Discrete grab

samples and/or

fish tissue

samples will be

collected at

North Tenmile

Lakes, Fossil

Point &

Gregory Point

Seasonally/As

Often As

Needed

To Be

Determined

Discrete water,

soil, vegetation,

and/or fish

tissue samples

at Lake Creek

& Coos Bay

Contingent

upon extent

of release/

bloom

As needed, in

response to

incidents/

releases

Contingent

upon extent

of release/

bloom

Discrete water,

soil, vegetation,

and fish tissue

samples

contingent

upon type of

incident/release

The monitoring design will be reviewed at the end of Water Year 2020. At that time, Environmental

Protection Staff will assess and make changes to the monitoring design, if necessary, to ensure that water

monitoring objectives are being met.

IV.

Core and Supplemental Water Quality Indicators

In 2018, the Tribe was awarded the BIA Tribal Resilience Program Ocean and Coastal Management

Planning Grant, which significantly increased the Tribe’s capacity to monitor additional water quality

indicators, particularly Contaminants of Concern and Contaminants of Emerging Concern. Efforts are

currently being been made to obtain additional equipment and training to further expand the Tribe’s

capacity and monitor for heavy metals (e.g. arsenic, mercury, lead) and microbiota (e.g. phytoplankton,

zooplankton, diatoms, dinoflagellates, harmful algal blooms (HABs), and cyanobacteria).

The following table shows the core and supplemental water quality indicators that the Tribe will monitor

for the next five years as part of their water quality investigations.

Table 3.

Dissolved Oxygen

Water Temperature

Turbidity

Salinity

Conductivity

Pathogens

Chlorophyll

Nutrients (TP/TN)

Biological

Communities

Habitat Assessment

HABs

COCs

Flow

Program

Area

Wetlands

Biomonitoring

HABs

COCs

Emergency

Monitoring

Overall Water

Quality

Water Quality

Status &

Trends

NPS

Effectiveness

Monitoring

Wetland

Hydrogeomorphic

Settings &

Function

Indicator Categories Sampled by Program Area

Data generated through monitoring the indicators listed in the table above will aid the Tribe in meeting

our monitoring objectives. Continuous samples of the surface water quality parameters (dissolved oxygen,

pH, water temperature, turbidity, salinity, and specific conductivity) and physical parameters (depth/tidal

stage) will be collected using automated data loggers at six estuarine sites and one freshwater site every

15 minutes. Seasonal continuous dissolved oxygen, where appropriate, and temperature data will be

collected using automated data loggers at 9 stream sites every 15 minutes.

Discrete samples of the surface water quality parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature,

turbidity, salinity, and specific conductivity) and physical parameters (depth) are collected using a handheld meter at all other sites seasonally. In addition, monthly water samples will be collected for the

quantitative analysis of bacteria (E.coli and enterococcus where appropriate) at the continuous data

logging sites, seasonally for enterococcus at beach sites, and seasonally for E.coli at all other sites.

Discrete nutrient sampling will be conducted twice in a season at 9 of the 21 water monitoring sites.

Nutrient samples will also be collected at algal communities and HABs monitoring sites.

Macroinvertebrate samples will be collected seasonally at 9 stream sites. Aquatic inventories, particularly

fish communities assessments, habitat assessments, and flow sampling sites are yet to be determined but

initial determinations suggest that these will likely occur at the 9 stream sites. Algal communities and

toxic algal samples will be taken seasonally at 3 sites and additionally as needed in response to newly

emergent algal bloom events.

COCs samples will be collected at least seasonally at 5 sites to establish baseline data and additionally as

needed in response to newly discovered sites or suspected contamination events. Emergency monitoring

for pathogens, HABs, and COCs will be contingent upon type of incident/release and extent.

Quality Assurance

Table 4. QAPPs in Place for Water Quality Investigations

Type

QAPP

QA System Documents

Title and Grant Number

Completion

Date

EPA Approval

Date

In Progress

2/26/2016

3/17/2016

10/31/2008

02/25/2009

12/28/2006

4/30/2007

QA/QC

QAPP 5.0 for the Tribal Integrated Water

Quality Monitoring Program

QAPP 4.0 for the Tribal Integrated Water

Quality Monitoring Program

QAPP 3.1 for the Tribal Water Quality

Monitoring Program

QAPP 3.0 for the Tribal Water Quality

Monitoring Program

YSI 6600 Data Editing and Management

09/06/2006

QA/QC

YSI 556 & YSI 650 Data Upload

3/10/2006

QAPP

QAPP 2.0 for Water Quality Monitoring on

the Tribal Reservation

QAPP 1.8 for Baseline Water Quality

Monitoring Project on the Tribal Reservation

12/16/2005

01/03/2006

12/10/2003

12/29/2003

QAPP

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been effective for a number of parameters, including for the

YSI EXO1 and EXO2 Sonde Multi-Parameter Dataloggers (5/31/2016), the YSI 6600 EDS Sonde

Retrieval (6/6/2006), and the Water Quality Monitoring Program (6/5/2006) as a whole. As seen in Table

4, several QA/QC procedures exist for data management. However, due to the program’s steady

maturation, the IWQP is currently formulating a more comprehensive QA/QC management plan.

Although not yet formalized, this mission recognizes needed elements in the quality system, such as:

•

management of quality records and other documents

•

management of chemicals and other materials

•

equipment tracking and maintenance tracking;

•

training procedures;

•

ubiquitous health and safety considerations in field and laboratory undertakings;

•

quality control of data outputs and reports;

•

understanding nonconformances and deviations; a

•

scheduling regular auditing of procedures.

In the long-term, these formalized procedures will result in validated data, sufficiently and standardized

cross-trained staff, and foremost, ensure the quality of data. As a result of these findings, the IWMQP has

completed a number of SOPs to initiate the process that span several categories: document management

(DM); materials management (MM); field operating procedures (FOP); laboratory operating procedures

(LOP); equipment operation, maintenance, and calibration (EQ); data and information management (IM);

facility and safety (FS), quality assurance (QA), and chain of custody (CC). Table 5. provides a list of

(newly or planned revision) completed and anticipated SOPs. Moreover, SOPs for field and laboratory

procedures are currently being updated and are in the process of being reviewed and formally adopted

into an updated QAPP.

The IWQMP has identified an issue to capacity building that encompasses smaller issues in efficiency,

deliverables, and overall capacity building. Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) should be

supervisory to the quality management system and oversee the correct implementation of checks and

balances of all procedures. This need can be realized with 1.0 FTE. This staff person would handle quality

control of field and laboratory processes, put control measures and validate data outputs, and ensure

health and safety and other appropriate procedural trainings. With an increase in the programs ability to

measure water quality indicators, ensuring the quality management system is essential, and a quality

manager is thus paramount.

Table 5. New or Anticipated SOPs in the IWQMP Quality System

VI.

Data Management

The Department of Culture and Natural Resources is responsible for water quality investigations data

management for the Tribe. Water quality data generated from these investigations is managed by various

means, and is more explicitly outlined in Table 6.

Table 6. Data Management System Currently Employed by the IWQMP

Water Resource

Type and/or

CWA Program

Area and/or

Monitoring

Objectives

Overall Water Quality

Data

Mgmt

–on site

Data is

entered

into MS

Excel

Files are

backed-up

daily

Water Quality Status

& Trends

NPS Effectiveness

Monitoring

Wetlands

Biomonitoring

HABs

COCs

Emergency

Monitoring

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Same As

Above

Data Management

Storet

Land Use Data

All data, except for

continuous data,

will be exported

into STORET using

the Central Data

Exchange (CDX)

annually.

Georeferencing

CTCLUSI is new to

managing land use data

and is currently

developing a GIS

database and team.

1:24,000 scale

Yes

New staff will need

trained on STORET

Same As Above

Yes

Same As Above

Yes

Same As Above

Yes

Same As Above

Yes

Same As Above

Yes

Same As Above

Yes

Continuous monitoring data (dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature, turbidity, salinity, specific

conductivity, and depth) generated by data loggers is initially collected and stored on the data logger.

After the logger is retrieved from the field, the data is then transferred from the data logger to the

laboratory work station computer via the data logger’s associated installed software and stored as an xlsx

file on the Culture and Natural Resources Department’s dedicated server. After the raw data is

transferred, it will remain on the data loggers as back-up. At the end of the fiscal water year, the data is

combined, trimmed, and used in writing the water quality annual assessment report and shared with our

partners/water quality stakeholders. Raw data is kept intact and copies are used when combining and

manipulating data in case of overwrite errors. Technical assistance is needed in order to save continuous

data in a STORET compatible xlsx file.

Discrete water quality grab sample data is recorded on rain proof field data sheets that will include basic

information, such as station id, date, time, water/weather conditions, tide, and any other information

deemed useful for that particular water quality investigation. Once in the laboratory, the data will be

written into an xlsx file and saved on the departmental server. Since bacteria data is generated in house, it

is automatically saved in a STORET compatible xlsx file after it is analyzed and uploaded to WQX via

CDX biannually. Nutrients and Macroinvertebrates data are sent from the associated processing lab in an

xlsx file format. Technical assistance is still also needed for other discrete water quality grab samples and

assessments, such as other physical-chemical data (COCs), nutrients, macroinvertebrates, habitat,

biological, in order to save that data in a STORET compatible xlsx file and upload it to WQX via CDX.

The Tribe is currently working with the Siuslaw Watershed Council (SWC) to receive guidance on how to

save data in a STORET compatible xlsx file and may be uploaded to ODEQ’s Ambient Water Quality

Monitoring Portal for the interim.

Monitoring locations and data are georeferenced to the Projected Coordinate System NAD 1983 2011

StatePlane Oregon South FIPS 3602 Ft Intl. All scales are 1:24,000 or less, as scales are typically

customized to the audience, required formatting, and feature visibility. Garmin and Trimble data

collectors are used for field deployment and further manipulated with standardized software, such as

ESRI ArcGIS. Data is manipulated in reference to shared data, such as protected species critical habitat

layers from USFS and ODFW, hydrography layers from BLM, and spill response layers from NOAA and

USCG, to name a few. Formal published map products are generated by both internal and external

department staff under team-managed data permissions. CTCLUSI’s formalized GIS Team regularly

meets to discuss and collaborate on projects, data management, and resource procurement.

VII.

Data Analysis/Assessment

The Tribe uses Microsoft Excel and RStudio to analyze data for Water Quality Annual Assessment

Reports. Furthermore, formal training using EPA recommended statistical analyses specific to trend

analyses of water quality data and project design would help build departmental capacity.

The Tribe currently does not have a documented method for assessing attainment of water quality

standards. However, the Tribe currently includes an assessment of Tribally adopted water quality

standards in our annual water quality report. For the purposes of TAS for CWA 303 and 401 certification,

we will need to develop an assessment methodology, which will consist of a panel of Environmental

Protection Staff members who report to Tribal Council. This panel will analyze monitoring data from

CTCLUSI, as well as from Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), Oregon Health

Authority (OHA), South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (SSNERR), United States

Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other water quality partners/stakeholders (e.g. watershed

councils) data, where appropriate. The panel will then forward its findings and recommendations to the

Tribal Council on an annual basis at minimum, and on an emergency basis when the need arises.

Determinations derived from discussions with Tribal Council will be included in the Tribe’s annual Tribal

Assessment Report (TAR) (i.e water quality assessment report).

VIII.

Reporting

An annual Tribal Water Quality Assessment Report (TAR) is completed and submitted to our EPA Tribal

Coordinator at the end of each water calendar year. The report includes a graphical display of the data

collected during the water year (October thru September) and provides a brief narrative for each

monitoring site. The final report is available on the Tribe’s website (www.ctclusi.org) within the Water

Quality Program page. In addition, Quarterly Performance Reports are completed thirty days after each

fiscal quarter. These reports describe the quarterly activities completed by the IWQP and are provided to

our EPA Tribal Coordinator.

Table 7.

Tribal Reports

Report

Timeframe

Entities receiving Comments

copies of the

report

Annual Water Quality

Assessment Report

Annually by December

1st

Summary of WQ data

with comparisons to

WQ criteria

Quarterly Performance

Report

Quarterly

EPA

Posted on CTCLUSI

Website for public

EPA

Nonpoint Source

Pollution Assessment

Report

Wetland Inventory and

Assessment Report

2022

EPA

Posted on CTCLUSI

Website for public

EPA

Posted on CTCLUSI

Website for public

Updated report that

includes newly

conveyed lands

Updated report that

includes newly

conveyed lands

IX.

2022

Programmatic Evaluation

The Director of the Department of Cultural and Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Staff

will meet at the beginning of every new water calendar year (beginning October 1st) to evaluate the

performance of the IWQMP. During the evaluation, emerging issues, data needs, and resource gaps

identified during the previous year’s water monitoring investigations and assessments will be addressed.

Objectives will be reprioritized based on data needs and resource availability. Emerging issues and

resource gaps may also be addressed anytime during the water calendar year to ensure that water

monitoring investigations are meeting program objectives. Programmatic coordination for effectiveness

monitoring and assessments with partners/water quality stake holders will also be evaluated at the

beginning of every new water calendar year.

The Tribe looks forward to any technical assistance the EPA can provide to aid the Tribe in furthering

their endeavors to restore, protect, enhance, and sustain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of

impaired waters within our Ancestral Territory and the native flora and fauna that depends on those

waters. Specific areas of focus will be selected during the annual evaluation of the strategy.

General Support and Infrastructure

As of 2018, the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act in addition to CWA 106 and 319

grant funding provides the IWQP with 2.07 FTE to complete all water quality monitoring and reporting

tasks. The current funding level sufficed monitoring needs for the small acreage of approximately 540

acres that the Tribe owned previous to January 8, 2018. On that date, the Western Oregon Tribal Fairness

Act was enacted and the Tribe was conveyed 7 tracts of O&C lands spread over 3 counties and totaling

14,742 acres.

Many of the waters within these tracts have been designated critical habitat for Oregon coastal coho

salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and will require that additional water quality indicators be monitored for

to ensure that water quality standards are being met, beneficial uses are being supported, and human

health and aquatic health are being protected. Reference Table 8. for resources the Tribe currently utilizes

for monitoring and those that the Tribe will need in order to meet the new objectives set forth in this

strategy.

In order to be able to monitor for the additional water quality indicators set forth in this strategy, the Tribe

has been building laboratory capacity to monitor for COCs and COECs. Efforts are still ongoing to build

in house capacity to monitor HABs. Additional training will also be required to perform aquatic

inventories and wetland inventories and assessments.

Table 8.

Objectives

Existing:

Provide Water

Quality

Investigations and

Assessments and

continuity with

past water quality

investigation

efforts

Work with

Partners/Water

Quality

Stakeholders to

address NPS

issues

Staffing

2.07 FTE

Biologist

Water

Protection

Specialist

Air & Water

Protection

Specialist

Training

Current staff are

highly competent

in ambient water

quality

monitoring;

bacteria

monitoring;

nutrient

sampling; and

macroinvertebrate

communities

sampling

Scuba

Certification

Equipment

1 GSA Leased

Vehicle

1 Flat Bottom Boat

and Trailer

1- 40 hp Honda

Outboard Motor

1- 8 hp Yamaha

Outboard Motor

1 YSI EXO 1

Handheld MultiParameter Sonde

Probe with cable

and complete set of

probes

6 YSI EXO 2 data

loggers with a

complete set of

probes

Lab Resources

Marine Chemistry

Laboratory at the

University of

Washington’s

School of

Oceanography for

nutrient analyses

Aquatic Biological

Associates, Inc. for

macroinvertebrate

analyses

Oregon Department

of Fisheries and

Wildlife’s Marine

Resources Program

for phytoplankton

analyses

1 YSI EXO 3 logger

with a complete set

of probes

17 HOBO water

temperature data

loggers and software

1-IDEXX

Bacteria Lab QuantTray sealer and

trays, supplies, and

2 incubators.

1 GCMS with

workstation

computer and

software

1 Centrifuge

1 Analytical Balance

2 Microscopes

1 Nutrient

AutoAnalyzer

1 Fume Hood

1 Mini Refrigerator

1 Freezer

4 Workstation

computers &

software

Future:

Reassess

monitoring

priorities and

design

NPS Effectiveness

Monitoring

Wetlands

Monitoring

Wetlands

Monitoring

EPA Approved

Water Quality

Standards

Establish

Regulatory

Framework for

3.50 FTE

Biologist

Water

Protection

Specialist

Air & Water

Protection

Specialist

Lab

Technician

GCMS Training

Handheld XRF

Analyzer

Training

FlowCam

Training

Current

Meters/Flow

Gauges

Installation;

Operations; &

Data Analyses

Training

Wetland

Functions

Assessment

Training

1 Field

Laptop/Tablet

~10 Dissolved

Oxygen Data

Loggers

1 Handheld XRF

Analyzer

Southwestern

Community College

Laboratory

HABs analyses

Heavy Metals

analyses

1 FlowCam

~ 10 Current

Meters/Flow Gauges

WQ statistical

software

ARC-HYDRO

Developing 303

and 401

Certification

Programs

Regulatory

Framework

Aquatic

Inventories

Training

Habitat

Assessment

Training

Algal

Communities

Inventories &

HABs monitoring

Training

COCs Training

Flow

Measurements

Training

Emergency

Monitoring

Training

STORET

Training

RStudio Training

WQ Statistical

Software

Training

ARC-HYDRO

GIS Training

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.