VSP Monitoring Symposium

October 13th, 2021

VSP Monitoring Symposium Fall 2021

Logistics• This web meeting is being recorded. The recording will be posted on the

Commission’s VSP web page.

• All attendees will be muted, except for presenters.• If you have a question or comment you can:

(i) type them in the chat box on your dashboard(ii) Raise your “virtual hand” and we will call on you (please

remember to unmute yourself) – you may need to enter *6 on your phone to unmute

Agenda9:00 AM: Opening comments, introductions, symposium objectives & agenda

Levi Keesecker, WSCC

9:10 AM: Overview and purpose of monitoring within VSP Bill Eller, WSCC

9:25 AM: Orientation to the quarterly VSP monitoring symposium – symposium schedule, existing & forthcoming resourcesLevi Keesecker, WSCC

9:35 AM: Discuss VSP monitoring survey and monitoring needs of watershed work groups Levi Keesecker, WSCC

10:15 AM: *Break*

Agenda

10:15 AM: *Break*

10:30 AM: Technical Panel agency staff support and perspectives Sean Williams, WDFW; Chelsea Benner, ECY; Leslie Michel, WSDA

11:00 AM: “Warming up the Oven” – re-evaluating work plans in light of monitoring needs and setting the table for the next symposium Levi Keesecker, WSCCLindsay Chutas & Joe Zimbric, Spokane CDRebecca Schexnayder & Angie Orpet, Foster Creek CD

11:30 AM: Adjourn

Introductions

Sean WilliamsVSP CoordinatorDept. of Fish & [email protected]

Leslie MichelSoil ScientistDept. of [email protected]

Chelsea BennerVSP CoordinatorDept. of [email protected]

Levi KeeseckerNatural Resource ScientistConservation [email protected]

Bill EllerVSP CoordinatorConservation [email protected]

Lindsey Chutas & Joe ZimbricSpokane Conservation District

Rebecca Schexnayder & Angie OrpetFoster Creek Conservation District

Alicia McClendonAdministrative AssistantConservation [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




mailto:[email protected]?subject=Website%20Contact


Objectives

Regroup after 5-yr report feedback from Technical Panel

Objectives


Reiterate purpose of monitoring within VSP

Objectives



Orient to VSP monitoring symposium

Objectives



Orient to VSP monitoring symposium Highlight existing & forthcoming monitoring resources & training

Objectives




Connect w/ staff at Technical Panel agencies

Objectives





Discuss monitoring needs of county work groups

Objectives





Discuss monitoring needs of county work groups

Start diving in – “warm up the oven” for next symposium

Overview and purpose of monitoring within VSP

Hand-off to Bill

Orientation to monitoring symposium

July 2021 - Beginning of funding period June 2023 - End of funding periodO

ct. ‘

21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

‘23

“You are here”

Symposium schedule

Symposium ScheduleJuly 2021 - Beginning of funding period June 2023 - End of funding period

Oct

. ‘21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

‘23

“You are here”

VSP work group-led topics

State agency-led topics

Group discussions/”homework”** Networking

Field Training? Miscellaneous

Special topics*

Case studies

Note: All resources, content, and training provided is intended to support monitoring within VSP. There is no requirement to participate.


Oct

. ‘21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

‘23

“You are here”

Special topics* *Special TopicsSpatial planning & prioritization

Mapping & GIS

Field methods for on-the-ground monitoring

Data analysis & storage

Stakeholder participation Climate change & critical areas/agriculture

Adaptive management Critical areas (additionaldepth for each type)


Oct

. ‘21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

‘23

“You are here”

Group discussions/”homework”**

**Homework

Focused around county VSP work plans

Apply tools from trainings, watershed guide, symposium, etc, to specific work plans for each county


Oct

. ‘21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

‘23

Group discussions/”homework”**

**Homework

Focused around county VSP work plans

Apply tools from trainings, watershed guide, symposium, etc, to specific work plans for each county

Example: today we will “dive in” to a few county work plans to explore how to begin to better focus/target monitoring efforts

Existing & Forthcoming Resources

VSP Monitoring Symposia


VSP Monitoring Symposia

Library of Resources


VSP Monitoring Symposia Watershed Project Development Guide




Modular Virtual Trainings (w/ CTD)Library of Resources




Effect of BMPs at watershed scale

Monitoring at watershed scale

Assessment methods/protocols

Available data –e.g., ECY, DFW, etc

Case studies Special topics*




Effect of BMPs at watershed scale



Available data –e.g., ECY, DFW, etc

Case studies Special topics*

Goals, objectives, and questions

Scales and data quality

Critical Area functions & values Hypotheses

Sample timing/frequency

Study/monitoring design


ct. ‘

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Jan.

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April

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July

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Oct

. ‘22

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Unit 1Unit 2

Unit 3Unit 4

Unit 5Unit 6

Unit 7Unit 8

Unit 9Unit 10

Units as needed….

Modular Virtual

Trainings (w/ CTD)

Note: “Units” are distinct training sessions. They are do not translate into education credits


ct. ‘

21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

‘23


Unit 1Unit 2

Unit 3Unit 4

Unit 5Unit 6

Unit 7Unit 8

Unit 9Unit 10

Units as needed….

Modular Virtual

Trainings (w/ CTD)



Critical Area functions & values

Local/regional context

Exploring data, error, & change detection

Hypotheses

Central Tendency/noise

Sample size & testing hypotheses




ct. ‘

21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

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Development – pt.2

Review/Revision – pt.1


Watershed Project

Development Guide


ct. ‘

21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

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Development – pt.2



Watershed Project

Development Guide



Critical Area functions & values

Local/regional context

Exploring data, error, & change detection

Hypotheses

Central Tendency/noise

Sample size & testing hypotheses




ct. ‘

21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

‘23


Watershed Project

Development Guide

Modular Virtual

Trainings (w/ CTD)

Linked


ct. ‘

21

Jan.

‘22

April

‘22

July

‘22

Oct

. ‘22

Jan.

‘23

April

‘23




Available data sources

Effects of BMPs at watershed scale


Case studies/special topics




Note: All resources, content, and training provided is intended to support monitoring within VSP. There is no requirement to participate.

VSP monitoring survey

https://www.formstack.com/forms/?4486403-0y2VVt0V7k

*Special TopicsSpatial planning & prioritization

Mapping & GIS

Field methods for on-the-ground monitoring

Data analysis & storage

Stakeholder participation Climate change & critical areas/agriculture

Adaptive management Critical areas (additionaldepth for each type)

Assess training needs and capacity

https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.7UiHocRzv75G0d6aBCHS80FnednTfjqCxZP6m7kBKNY/s/1109142630/br/113250645920-l


https://www.formstack.com/forms/?4486403-0y2VVt0V7k

https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.7UiHocRzv75G0d6aBCHS80FnednTfjqCxZP6m7kBKNY/s/1109142630/br/113250645920-l


28 Total Respondents

9 responses from state agency staff19 responses from county-specific stakeholders (TSP, work group member, county staff, etc)

18 counties (of 27)

VSP monitoring survey - participants

28 Total Respondents

9 responses from state agency staff19 responses from county-specific stakeholders (TSP, work group member, county staff, etc)

18 counties (of 27)

VSP monitoring survey – need

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

i. Theme should be covered this 2-yr period

VSP monitoring survey – need

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

i. Theme should be covered this 2-yr period

VSP monitoring survey – priorities

Highest

Medium

Low

• Field methods

• Data Analysis

• F & W Habitat

• Wetlands

• Maps & GIS

• Spatial Planning & Prioritization

• Surface water

• Groundwater

• Riparian areas

• Ag viability

• Adaptive Management

• Frequently flooded

• Data storage

• Participation

• Climate Change

• Geo-hazard areas

• Citizen science

• Soil Health

All respondents

VSP monitoring survey – need*

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

i. Theme should be covered this 2-yr period*only non-state-agency respondents

VSP monitoring survey – need*

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

i. Theme should be covered this 2-yr period*only non-state-agency respondents


• Field methods

• Data Analysis

• F & W Habitat

• Wetlands

• Maps & GIS


• Surface water

• Groundwater

• Riparian areas

• Ag viability



• Data storage

• Participation

• Climate Change


• Citizen science

• Soil Health

All respondents

• Field methods

• Data Analysis

• F & W Habitat

• Wetlands

• Maps & GIS


All non-state-agency respondents

• Participation

• Groundwater

• Surface water

• Ag viability • Adaptive Management


• Riparian areas

• Data storage

• Climate Change


• Citizen science

• Soil Health

High

Medium

Low


• Field methods

• Data Analysis

• F & W Habitat

• Wetlands

• Maps & GIS


• Surface water

• Groundwater

• Riparian areas

• Ag viability



• Data storage

• Participation

• Climate Change


• Citizen science

• Soil Health

All respondents

• Field methods

• Data Analysis

• F & W Habitat

• Wetlands

• Maps & GIS



• Participation

• Groundwater

• Surface water



• Riparian areas

• Data storage

• Climate Change


• Citizen science

• Soil Health

High

Medium

Low


• Field methods

• Data Analysis

• F & W Habitat

• Wetlands

• Maps & GIS


• Surface water

• Groundwater

• Riparian areas

• Ag viability



• Data storage

• Participation

• Climate Change


• Citizen science

• Soil Health

All respondents

• Field methods

• Data Analysis

• F & W Habitat

• Wetlands

• Maps & GIS



• Participation

• Groundwater

• Surface water



• Riparian areas

• Data storage

• Climate Change


• Citizen science

• Soil Health

High

Medium

Low

VSP monitoring survey – capacity

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Themes with "a little" or no capacity

i. None ii. A little, but we need more training


• Field methods

• Data Analysis

• F & W Habitat• Wetlands

• Surface water

• Groundwater

All respondents

High Need Low/med Capacity

VSP monitoring survey – respondent comments

“Monitoring discussions should include consideration for how some monitoring is a bigger scope than VSP effectiveness. Some topics, like groundwater quantity & quality and fish and wildlife habitat and population viability, include many

more responsible stakeholders.”

“How to encourage the Technical Advisory Group agencies to provide meaningful monitoring data for VSP.”

M. Other: please list themes you would like to see covered in future forums

“It would be great to hear from both WDFW and Ecology on what is being collected on the landscape that would help VSP. Also, we need to get the NRCS practices that are in Approved plans to be recognized by all Technical Panel

members.”

“I know I marked everything, but priorities would be related to data/planning: A,B, F,G [planning/prioritization; GIS; data analysis; data storage]

“Meeting facilitation”

“Collaborative Efforts with others collecting data and/or using existing data. My personal opinion is that VSP will be most effective if the funds available are used to maximize projects implemented on the ground. Maybe a theme about different ag activities that have multiple critical area benefits and help with Ag viability?”

VSP monitoring survey – respondent comments

“Current budgets will be an issue with how much monitoring and analysis can be met. We have focused on goals and objectives with stewardship that should protect or restore critical areas. Lack knowledge and understanding to connect those dots. It is expensive to get producer participation with stewardship and get a handle on what has been completed

with stewardship actions on a farm scale and more expensive to prove those actions are affecting water quality in a positive note.”

M. Other: please list themes you would like to see covered in future forums

“Clarify SOPs that are already approved and utilized for critical areas or priority habitats. WDFW, Ecology etc. probably have standards for most of these topics. Watershed Health Assessment program, etc.

How can VSP participants contribute to existing monitoring efforts or datasets by Ecology and others.

Clarify parameters of importance for groundwater.

How will capacity be improved in VSP counties where technical experience in data collection and management is limited?

Do we need to isolate the impacts of agriculture from the impacts of non-agricultural development or wildfires for parameters like water quality, quantity and wildlife populations.”

“Creating assessments to track progress would be very valuable”

Break

“Warming up the oven”Re-evaluating work plans in light of monitoring needs

Setting the table for the next symposium

Formulating goals, objectives, and questions

Identifying appropriate scales and data quality needed

Defining the Critical Area functions and values of interest

Identify relevant local/regional context(geography, current/historical

conditions)

Statistical considerations

Select a monitoring plan/tool/approach

General

Specific

Wat

ersh

ed P

roje

ct

Dev

elop

men

t Gui

de/

Mod

ular

Virt

ual T

rain

ings

“Warming up the oven”

Monitoring as pizza:• Not all approaches are the same - but you know a good one when you see it

Key ingredients

Sauce

Toppings

Crust


Key Ingredients

Sauce

Toppings

Crust Thin crustGluten free

Stuffed crustDeep dish

Olive oilCream sauce

MarinaraPesto

CheesePepperoni

OlivesOnions


Key Ingredients of Monitoring

Sauce

Toppings

Crust ProtectionImplementation

ParticipationEnhancement

WetlandsPrecipitation

NutrientsTemperature

HypothesisDo-something-level

Signal


Key Ingredients of Monitoring

Monitoring as pizza:

• Better not to start baking until you’ve assembled the pizza

Sauce

Toppings






Signal

Would you eat it?

Sauce

Toppings






Signal

Is a hot pocket “pizza”?

Re-evaluating“Low Hanging Fruit”

Re-evaluate recipe in light of what we know now

Many projects & programs referenced in work plans contain useful ingredients

Examples from county VSPs

Hand-off to Lindsay & Joe

Bonus time slides





Timeframe: 2004-2011 13 total projects



Recommendations

“work at watershed scale”

“…the smaller the watershed area, the greater the ability to determine the effects of conservation practices…”



Recommendations

“develop and assess background information”

Examples: soils, climate, topography, land use, socio-economics, existing data



Recommendations

“Design a monitoring strategy to detect change in pollutant concentration or load in response to land treatment [BMPs]”



Recommendations

Monitor using: • paired watersheds,

• upstream/downstream, • multiple sub-basins within larger watershed

*In order to detect “signal” in response to BMPs*

Documents

VSP Monitoring Symposium