“Expectations for the contribution of ‘science’ to water-quality management need to be tempered by an understanding that uncertainty cannot be eliminated” (NRC, 2001)
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| Cache Creek watershed study area, north-central California. |
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The Mercury and Decision Support in California (MADSIC) Web site provides general information and links to total-maximum-daily-load (TMDL) programs, market-based environmental programs, and the mercury scientific-research field in California. In addition, MADSIC will provide background on a research project directed by the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Western Geographic Science Center (WGSC). The goal of this project is to develop a decision-analytical approach using alternative statistical methods by making uncertainty explicit in the decisionmaking process in order to assess the feasibility of market-based programs (for example, offsets) for meeting water-quality standards. The project will provide decision support for the choice of an offset pilot project in the Cache Creek watershed of the Sacramento River watershed for mining-impacted watersheds. (Note: Most mercury TMDLs are for atmospheric-deposition problems.)
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| Cache Creek watershed contains a number of mercury sources including mining sites and geothermal springs (Domagalski, 2004). Click image to enlarge |
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Potential benefits from MADSIC include the following:
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Providing information and links to mercury research in California
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Illustrating the process of mercury TMDL development and management in California
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Providing information on water-quality market-based programs, such as trading and offsets
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Describing an alternative decision-analytical approach to help TMDL management decisions
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Providing information and analysis for evaluating policy issues, strategies, institutional infrastructures, and designs for water-quality offset/trading programs.
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Market-based programs have the potential to facilitate implementation of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA), improve or maintain water quality while accommodating growth, and be used for regulating development and land use planning. The regional impacts will be strengthened by networking with environmental groups, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other mercury-impacted States.
