Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology–Toward a Compendium of Best Practices

CALM provides a framework for states and other jurisdictions to document how they collect and use water quality data and information for environmental decision making. The primary purposes of these data analyses are to determine the extent that all waters are attaining water quality standards, to identify waters that are impaired and need to be added to the 303(d) list, and to identify waters that can be removed from the list because they are attaining standards.

The CALM development process has been and will continue to be an iterative process. Its development has involved many different workgroups consisting of federal and state staff. A series of public meetings to receive the input of a variety of stakeholders was an important part of the process. This first edition is an evolving document and will be updated as additional chapters are completed and existing chapters revised. As you’re using this web-based document, please provide comments, case studies and examples where methods are working or need to be modified to work better.

Report Package Contents:

• Cover, disclaimer, table of contents
• Chapter 1. Introduction
• Chapter 2. Elements of a Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology [Reserved]
• Chapter 3. Overview of Process To Assess WQS Attainment and Identify Impaired Waters
• Chapter 4. Using Chemical Data as Indicators of Water Quality
• Chapter 5. Using Biological Data as Indicators of Water Quality
• Chapter 6. Using Toxicity Data as Indicators of Water Quality
• Chapter 7. Using Bacteria Data as Indicators of Water Quality
• Chapter 8. Using Habitat Data as Indicators of Water Quality
• Chapter 9. Using Other Types of Data to Support WQS Attainment Decisions [Reserved]
• Chapter 10. Selecting Metrics or Indicators of WQS Attainment
• Chapter 11. Monitoring Network Design and Implementation Scenarios
• Chapter 12. Integrated Data Management and Documentation [Reserved]
• Appendices
  • Information To Be Included In 2002 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report
  • Data Elements for 2002 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report and Documentation for Defining and Linking Assessment Units to the National Hydrography Dataset
  • Statistical Considerations for Data Quality Objectives and Data Quality Assessments in Water Quality Attainment Studies -- Draft
  • Interval Estimators and Hypothesis Tests for Data Quality Assessments in Water Quality Attainment Studies -- Draft
• Summaries of Stakeholder Meetings
  • June 27-28, 2000 Stakeholder Meeting
  • October 17-19, 2000 State/EPA Meeting
    • Breakout Sessions from meeting
  • December 4-5, 2000 Stakeholder Meeting

Report Package File:

• Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (CALM) (PDF)(375 pp, 2 MB, July 2002)