EPA-R&IE’s routine surveillance of ground and surface waters under the LTHMP was expanded for 1997 to include selected sampling of aquatic biota and sediments based on decisions of the Amchitka Technical Advisory Group (ATAG). The additional samples were collected from streams, lakes, seeps, and marine tidal areas within the surface drainage basins surrounding surface ground zero (SGZ) at each of the three test sites. Aquatic plants and sediments from a geographically similar reference area in the central part of the island were also collected. Lichens were sampled at one location on Amchitka Island and on Adak Island (about 300 km [188 miles (mi)] ESE of Amchitka) to provide data on worldwide fallout deposition on surface environments.