Interpreting and Presenting Data Baseline and Hotspot Monitoring
Define questions Collect water quality data Manage data Interpret data Present data TAKE ACTION!
Steps for Data Interpretation 1. Go back to your original question 2. Describe the data 3. Play with data graphically 4. Plug in additional information 5. Summarize conclusions and further questions
Sample baseline questions: What are summer dissolved oxygen levels on Gallagher Slough? Are oxygen concentrations high enough to support salmon? How do bacteria concentrations on Beaver Creek compare with the state standard for water contact recreation? Do ph concentrations on Birch Creek exceed the state standard? If so, when?
Descriptive Statistics What is the central tendency? (mean, median, mode) How does one reading compare to the rest? (50 th, 75 th, 25 th percentiles) What s the variation? (range, variance, standard deviation)
Compare using box and whisker plot
12 10 Frequency 8 6 4 2 0 0-4 5-9 10-14 15-20 mg/l Dissolved Oxygen If you have a lot of data, collected regularly, it may be useful to see how the data are distributed. When is this NOT useful?
Arrange Data Graphically Identify patterns and trends Quickly confirm or disprove hypotheses Discover new phenomena Identify potential problems with data collection Communicate initial results to partners, funders, etc. Gasp I can t believe my eyes!
Examples of Useful Graphs Box-and-whisker plot Scatter plot Time plot
Example: What are summer dissolved oxygen concentrations on Gallagher Slough? Are concentrations high enough to support salmon?
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Dissolved Oxygen 6/1/02-10/1/02 16 14 16 max min Average Gallagher Slough Mill Creek Beaver Creek Site Salmon, trout die
Plot data against time 16 14 12 DO (mg/l) 10 8 6 Level recommended by DEQ 4 2 0 3/20/2003 5/9/2003 6/28/2003 8/17/2003 10/6/2003 11/25/2003 Date What are summer dissolved oxygen levels on Gallagher Slough? Are oxygen concentrations high enough to support salmon?
What baseline / standard are you using? A biological baseline A water quality standard Other Go back to your original question
What else do you know about DO that can help you answer your question?
What else do you know? Warmer water can hold less DO Algae give off oxygen when they respire during the day Algae use oxygen when they decompose DO concentrations can be lowest late at night
What other information might be Temperature data Flow information Site characteristics helpful? Observations about the stream reach (Visible algae? Obvious nutrient sources?)
Challenges for Interpreting Data Available resources (can t monitor continuously everywhere) Hard to pinpoint location and timing of extremes May have to do some hypothesizing
10 Umatilla River at Yoakum ph ph standard upper limit (for eastern Oregon rivers) ph Units 9 8 7 ph standard lower limit 6 6/19/97 1/5/98 7/24/98 2/9/99 8/28/99 Date
Identifying Hot Spots Identifying reaches with high / low readings Identifying sites with very high / low readings Comparing results from different sites
Comparing Sites Graphically Using tables Using maps This is a judgment call
Box and whisker plot plus standard by each site Total Phosphorus, Ninilchik River, Alaska
Jan-02 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Trask River Upper Trask Mill Creek Upstream of Tillamook Oct-00 Jan-01 Apr-01 Jul-01 Oct-01 Jan-00 Apr-00 Jul-00 Oct-99 E. Coli (mpn/100 ml)
Oct-01 Jan-02 Apr-00 Jul-00 Oct-00 Jan-01 Apr-01 Jul-01 Jan-00 Oct-99 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Three Wilson River Sites Date e. coli (mpn) / 100 ml
Data Summary Site Days > 64 F Days >70 F 1 66 12 2 21 0 3 48 0 4 8 0 5 0 0 Strengths / drawbacks associated with this method?
Sites that violate the bacteria quality standard in August Miami R. Wilson R. Kilchis R. Tillamook R. Trask R.
2500 Tillamook River and Tributaries August 2001 E. Coli Concentration (Geomean) 2000 1500 1000 500 tributaries Bacteria standard Bewley Creek 0 TL7 TL6 TL5 TL4 TL2 TL8 TL3 TL1
Summary for Data Interpretation 1. Go back to your original question 2. Describe the data 3. Play with the data graphically 4. Plug in additional information 5. Write down your conclusions and further questions
Presenting Water Quality Information Getting Your Message Across
Planning Your Data Presentation Focus on your message Decide on target audience Decide how the message will be delivered Pick your time and place Take home message: Inform! Educate! Persuade!
Focus on Your Message Help! Bacteria levels violate Oregon s standard! Go back to your study design and results Review your questions and conclusions Stick to them! Make sure presenter understands the message
Sample messages: Stream meets standard for bacteria; BMPs can keep it that way Bacteria levels show a risk for swimming Japanese knotweed is in our area; action is needed now
Issue: Mill Creek, which drains a rural-residential area, violates Oregon s bacteria standard every August. Potential sources include failing septic systems, pets, and wildlife.
Potential Audience Chamber of Commerce General public Neighborhood residents County sanitary program
Mill Creek, which drains a rural-residential area, violates Oregon s bacteria standard every August. Potential sources included failing septic systems, pets, and wildlife. Knowledge needed for action: 1. Watershed processes 2. Condition of water body 3. Causes of current conditions 4. Sources of pollution or related problems 5. Consequences 6. Solutions
Data Factual information used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation Information Communication or reception of knowledge or intelligence
What motivates people? Crisis Enthusiasm Guilt Public Image Self Interest Help Fear?
Choose format to match audience Slide show? One-on-one meeting? Report? Flyer? Presentation? News article?
Graphics CA Dept. of Fish and Game Thousands of Mitten Crabs Point of no return Time
Maps and Aerial Photos Source Transport Deposition Stream Reach Types, Cascade Creek
Bacteria levels violate Oregon s standard for water recreation in August Bacteria levels are below Oregon s standard for water recreation in August
Turbidity during first fall storm, in NTUs 0-20 NTUs 21-50 NTUs >50 NTUs
wetland Monitoring point
Dissolved Oxygen Concentration Blind Slough Near Highway 101 Salmon and trout stressed
12 10 8 6 4 2 0 9/26/2002 9/21/2002 9/13/2002 9/6/2002 8/30/2002 #6 - East Bridge Series1 Series3 Series4 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 8/9/2002 8/23/2002 8/4/2002 7/26/2002 7/18/2002 7/11/2002 7/3/2002 6/25/2002
A Word On Tables Make as simple as possible Better for an audience already familiar with what you re doing Explain clearly in text or presentation
Effects of Urbanization on Year # of Houses Peak Stream Flows Years of Flow Data # of Times Flow>220cfs # of Times Flow >350cfs 1950 140 None No Data No Data 1955 420 None No Data No Data 1965 780 1958-1967 21 10 1984 2060 1978-1987 73 32 Watts Branch, MD. (Leopold, 1994) 220cfs is considered an 1.5 year event
Photos
For More Information Ready, Set, Present! Massachusetts Water Watch Partnership http://www.umass.edu/tei/mwwp/ (check under manuals and publications) $5! Discusses brochures, displays, newsletters etc.
In Summary Plan your strategy Inform, educate, persuade Use graphics to strengthen your case During winter storms, animal waste is washed into the river.