| Background |
| LTRMP Funding |
| Areas of Concentration |
| Science Review |
| Management Review |
| Administrative Considerations |
BackgroundThe Environmental Management Technical Center (EMTC) recognizes the need to continually review Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) activities and products to ensure support of State and Federal partners' identified needs within the context of LTRMP legislative mandates. During Fiscal Year (FY) 1994, the identification of high-priority partner needs and expectations (Appendix A) from the LTRMP was completed. These were incorporated, where appropriate, into the subsequent LTRMP Annual Work Plans (AWPs).
In FY 1996, emphasis was concentrated in the following areas: Initiate a strategic planning effort to anticipate Program emphases over the next 3-5 years; continue evaluations of Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Projects (HREPs) and initiate a HREP needs analysis; increase linkages of navigation studies with LTRMP efforts; continue emphasis on sedimentation and sediment transport processes; initiate the fine-tuning and review of resource monitoring strategies; increase integrative studies and analysis (Goals 1 and 3 activities); increase coordination of field office research activities with LTRMP priority needs; continue to increase LTRMP report production; continue to expand electronic access to LTRMP data, reports, and related publications; through partnership development, increase emphasis on wildlife component data collection and analysis; and increase emphasis on sharing Program results and achievements with partners and grassroots organizations.
Several of the above items were not completed to the extent originally planned. As a result of budget information provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) in late spring 1996, staff time was redirected to address potential FY 1997 budget shortfalls. Numerous projects needed to be rescheduled because of the budget shortfall exercise. In addition, review of the resource monitoring strategies was set back because of delays in completing the multiyear component reports.
LTRMP
FundingThe LTRMP and Computerized Inventory Analysis (CIA) have received full funding ($5.080 and $0.875 million, respectively) since FY 1993. Because the LTRMP is not a construction project, the COE has not applied a "savings and slippage" assessment to LTRMP and CIA funding during this period.
Funding for FY 1997 was established at $5.955 million (full funding). Because the LTRMP and CIA are level-funded activities, "full funding" actually results in about a 3% reduction in capabilities because of inflational increases in Program elements. In fact, since the LTRMP and CIA first received full funding in FY 1993, inflation has eroded Program capabilities by almost $1 million.
Areas
of ConcentrationThe FY 1997 AWP efforts will be concentrated in the following areas:
Complete a science review of the program by the LTRMP International Science Review Committee and develop a strategy for incorporating their recommendations.
Complete a management review of the LTRMP initiated during FY 1996 and incorporate appropriate recommendations.
Continue providing support to the Report to Congress.
Complete the LTRMP sponsored Upper Mississippi River Public Expectations Survey and report results.
Finalize and publish the systemic status and trends report.
Complete the analysis of LTRMP resource data to increase efficiencies in sampling design.
Complete the LTRMP strategic planning process initiated in FY 1996.
Update the LTRMP conceptual model based on Science Review Committee recommendations.
Increase emphasis on acquiring and incorporating historical data in analysis and reporting.
Support Big River Partnership work team data needs.
Continue technical assistance to water level management alternative development.
Increase EMTC staff modeling and reporting capabilities.
Increase coordination of LTRMP floodplain activities with basin scale initiatives.
Facilitate more effective communications with natural resource managers at technical section meetings of the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee.
Develop a strategy for linking LTRMP with appropriate social and economic forces affecting the River.
Continue to emphasize the production of LTRMP reports and related publications.
Continue to emphasize the sharing of Program results and achievements with partners and grassroots organizations.
Continue to expand electronic access to LTRMP data, reports, and related publications.
Complete the analysis of historical changes in landscape structure for six Upper Mississippi River (UMR) river reaches and the analysis of spatial differences in landscape structure along the entire length of the UMR.
Science
ReviewPeer review is an integral part of the scientific method. In theory and in practice, peer review contributes to the relevance of research, design of experiments, robustness of analyses, validity of results, credibility of products, stature of scientists, and the reputations of institutions. At the EMTC, peer review is used routinely at several levels to ensure credible research, sound science, and useful products.
The LTRMP's International Science Review Committee provided a formal review of the Program in 1990 resulting in modifications to the scientific structure of the Program. The need for another review has been identified because of recent accomplishments and related activities as follows:
Completion of multiyear resource monitoring trend reports for key resource components.
Reduced fiscal options due to level funding of the Program over 15 years.
Efforts to expand management applications and integration (Goal 3) activities.
Increasing efforts to more closely link LTRMP activities with larger scale (ecosystem) efforts.
Increased integration of geospatial applications with monitoring and research efforts.
The required Report to Congress planned in FY 1997 may benefit from the results of an unbiased review.
The International Science Review Committee will meet early in FY 1997. Results of their report recommendations may result in modifications to identified FY 1997 Annual Work Plan activities.
Management
ReviewThe EMTC and cooperative State-operated Field Stations associated with the LTRMP could also benefit from a formal management review, with the Science Review report (above) as an information source.
A comprehensive management review seems timely for the following reasons:
The Program scope and infrastructure was planned for a 10-year period but the Program subsequently was extended to 15 years.
Funding for the Program is not cost-indexed and some restructuring will be necessary to remain within budget.
The EMTC and Field Stations are assuming an increasing role in facilitating and conducting additional (non-LTRMP) work efforts.
Altered emphases in the Program may require infrastructure-management modifications.
A multiagency Management Review Committee was established in FY 1996 and their activities will continue into FY 1997. Incorporation of their recommendations may also result in modifications to identified FY 1997 Annual Work Plan activities.
Administrative
ConsiderationsDirect and indirect costs for EMTC and State Field Station operations, including overhead expenses for each Strategy or Task, are displayed in Table 1. Field Station operating expenses are itemized by expenditure category (salaries, operations, utilities, communications, rentals or leases, equipment purchases, indirect costs) in Table 2 (a-f). Table 3 (a-d) summarizes EMTC and Field Station costs by expense category. Table 4 contains a detailed listing of products. Appendix A summarizes Program Partner needs and expectations. Appendix B summarizes collaborative work efforts in FY 1996. Appendix C includes additional Program overtarget capabilities that will require extramural support for initiation in FY 1997. This plan follows the format of the Operating Plan. Tasks that had no funding in FY 1997 and no work scheduled in FY 1997 are not contained in this document.
To ensure ongoing coordination with COE divisions and districts within the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS), a portion of LTRMP funding is directed to support the following COE offices:
Attend Analysis Team and additional coordination meetings necessary to provide coordination of the LTRMP with HREPs. Provide administrative support to the LTRMP Management Review Committee. $12.0K
Attend Analysis Team and additional coordination meetings necessary to provide coordination of the LTRMP with HREPs. $4.0K
Attend Analysis Team and additional coordination meetings necessary to provide coordination of the LTRMP with HREPs. $4.0K
Provide scientific support, review, and comment on technical documents, and attend coordination meetings. (D. Wilcox) $30.0K
Provide support to the LTRMP-sponsored Upper Mississippi River Public Survey. (D. Wilcox) $15.0K
Provide technical support and development to complete FastTABS two-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling for the entire portion of Pool 8. (D. Wilcox) $20.0K
Provide scientific support and review and comment on technical documents. $15.0K
Provide scientific support, coordinate LTRMP activities and products with the HREP and navigation studies, and develop a Scope of Work to address ecosystem response in relation to sediment dynamics in the UMRS. (J. Barko) $30.0K