Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is seeking a contractor to compile and analyze reference data data from approximately 185 streams and rivers across Montana over the last 20 years. Reference sites are stream or river reaches with minimal human disturbance that provide the department with the best estimate of physical, chemical, and biological stream conditions in the absence of anthropogenic influence. The primary objectives of the project are to (1) to compute and describe chemical, biological, and physical-habitat patterns manifested by the reference sites on an ecoregional scale and (2) where feasible, perform trend analysis on the chemical, biological, and physical data to ascertain if any temporal trends are being manifested by the reference sites. Task 1. Perform and provide data compilation and QC of all physical-habitat, chemical and biological data for the reference sites. January 27, 2023. Task 2. Compute and describe the chemical, biological, and physical-habitat patterns manifested by the reference sites on an ecoregional scale. March 31, 2023. Task 3. Perform trend analysis on the chemical, biological, and physical-habitat data to ascertain if any temporal trends are being manifested by the reference sites. June 16, 2023. Task 4 Provide a draft technical report documenting the findings (may also include the contractor’s best professional judgment regarding environmental drivers affecting any trends detected) August 4, 2023. Task 5. Provide the analytical dataset in an Excel or Access format. August 25, 2023. Task 6. Provide a final technical report documenting the findings. August 25, 2023
