Purpose, Tasks, Agenda and Background

Purpose of the CHNEP Climate Change Indicators Working Group:  CHNEP and EPA are working together to identify 3-5 climate change indicators and corresponding monitoring plan alternatives for the CHNEP.  The purpose of the Climate Change Indicators Working Group is to review the results of the previous CHNEP Climate Change Indicators Survey, agree on the short list of indicators and develop monitoring plan alternatives for each indicator.   

Agenda (1:30 pm – 3:00 pm):

• Introductions  - Climate Change Indicators Working Group Participants

• Review Purpose of EPA/CHNEP Climate Change Indicators Study and CHNEP Climate Change Indicators Working Group - Joe Herr/ICF International and Lisa Beever/CHNEP

• Review and Discuss Results of CHNEP Climate Change Indicators Survey -  Participants

• Discuss Data Sources, Quality, Analysis Mechanisms, Gaps and Targets - Participants

• Summarize Consensus of Climate Change Indicators and Next Steps - Lisa Beever/CHNEP and Joe Herr/ICF International

• Adjourn

 Tasks for Climate Change Indicators Working Group Tele-Conference:

• Narrow list of potential Climate Change Indicators from survey results and group consensus

• Discuss alternative Climate Change Indicators not included in survey results.

• Identify consistency of each potential Climate Change Indicator with CHNEP CCMP.

• Outline relationships between potential Climate Change Indicators and existing CHNEP Environmental Indicators.

• Identify usefulness of each potential Climate Change Indicator for resource management and public outreach.

• Outline pros and cons of each Climate Change Indicator.

• Identify data sources and quality for each potential Climate Change Indicator.

• Identify existing analysis mechanisms for each potential Climate Change Indicator (e.g. CHNEP Triennial Water Quality Status and Trends Report).

• Identify data gaps for each potential Climate Change Indicator.

• Identify potential targets and/or thresholds for each potential Climate Change Indicator.

Background:  The top results of the CHNEP Climate Change Indicators Survey are summarized on the tables provided below.

 CHNEP Climate Change Indicators Survey Results that Received Median Values of 3.5:

Climate Change Indicator	Priority Action
Loss of wetlands attributed to retreating shorelines.	FW
Changes to precipitation trend/patterns	HA
Loss of Conservation Acreage due to sea level rise	FW
Water temperature	WQ
Habitat loss/degradation - salt marshes	FW
Migration/depletion of seagrass beds.	FW
Habitat loss/degradation - seagrasses	FW
Saltwater Marsh Acreage and Location.	FW
Mangrove Acreage and Location.	FW
Conversion of wetlands to open water.	FW
Drought caused by increased atmospheric temperatures.	HA
Habitat loss/degradation - coastal strand	FW
Habitat loss/degradation - mud flats and sandbars	FW
Coastal erosion rates.	HA
Relative sea-level rise	SG
Drought intensity	HA
Timing of seasonal activities (migration, hatching, production)	FW
Extreme precipitation	HA
Ecologic changes at the coastline.	FW
Flooding at coastlines.	HA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional General Considerations Identified in CHNEP Climate Change Indicator Survey:

• Timing of seasonal activities (migration, hatching, production)

• Loss of Conservation Acreage due to sea level rise

• Ecologic changes at the coastline.

• Habitat loss/degradation/migration (changes) of coastal strand.

• Habitat loss/degradation/migration (changes) of mangroves.

• Habitat loss/degradation/migration (changes) of mud flats/sand bars.

• Habitat loss/degradation/migration (changes) of salt marshes.

• Habitat loss/degradation/migration (changes) of seagrass.

• Habitat loss/degradation/migration (changes) of wetlands from retreating shorelines/conversion to open water.

• Coastal erosion rates.

• Drought intensity.

• Flooding at coastlines.

• Changes to precipitation trend/patterns, including extreme precipitation

• Relative sea-level rise.

• Water temperature.