EPA and BLM embark on first collaborative study of western streams

Scientists from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Bureau of Land Management are collaborating to conduct a streams assessment for the first time, according to the National Water Monitoring News.

Teams from both organizations started gathering data in 2013. They are monitoring conditions and sampling in public lands in every state west of Texas.

Biological indicators like invasive invertebrate populations will be surveyed in each stream. Crews will also measure and compare nutrient content and salinity.

BLM researchers are sampling 300 sites for the study with the help of the EPA and other groups.

The collaboration will build a new baseline of data on western streams. They will also compare new data to historical data.