StatewideStatewide

Monitoring CouncilMonitoring Council

Utah Division of Water QualityUtah Division of Water Quality

OverviewOverview BackgroundBackground Other State ExamplesOther State Examples Current ProjectsCurrent Projects Future Direction?Future Direction?

BackgroundBackground

National Monitoring CouncilNational Monitoring Council Build on Cooperative MonitoringBuild on Cooperative Monitoring American Recovery and Reinvestment ActAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act Start-up grant to fund staffStart-up grant to fund staff Data sharing Data sharing Capacity buildingCapacity building Training and Funding OpportunitiesTraining and Funding Opportunities

ARRA Work PlanARRA Work Plan

1.1. Review and survey other statewide monitoring councilsReview and survey other statewide monitoring councils2.2. Conduct outreach to all agencies and entities Conduct outreach to all agencies and entities 3.3. Coordinated Monitoring Council meetings Coordinated Monitoring Council meetings 4.4. Coordinate citizen monitoring efforts Coordinate citizen monitoring efforts 5.5. Provide support and training for citizen monitors Provide support and training for citizen monitors 6.6. Assess comparability of DWQ SOPs with other SOPsAssess comparability of DWQ SOPs with other SOPs7.7. Identify future funding sources for the maintenance of Identify future funding sources for the maintenance of

the Monitoring Council and financial assistance to the Monitoring Council and financial assistance to citizen monitoring groupscitizen monitoring groups

Limited Monitoring Resources With Limited Monitoring Resources With Many Waterbodies to Sample !Many Waterbodies to Sample !

OverviewOverview BackgroundBackground Other State ExamplesOther State Examples Current ProjectsCurrent Projects Future Direction?Future Direction?

Other Volunteer CouncilsOther Volunteer Councils

National Water Quality Monitoring CouncilNational Water Quality Monitoring Council Michigan Clean Water CorpsMichigan Clean Water Corps Tri State Water Quality CouncilTri State Water Quality Council Montana Watershed Coordination CouncilMontana Watershed Coordination Council California Water Monitoring Council/California California Water Monitoring Council/California

Environmental Data Exchange NetworkEnvironmental Data Exchange Network Many states use volunteer monitoring programs Many states use volunteer monitoring programs

and all have somewhat different approaches to and all have somewhat different approaches to achieve their goals.achieve their goals.

Case StudiesCase StudiesNational Water Quality Monitoring CouncilNational Water Quality Monitoring Council

Purpose: Provide a national forum for coordination of Purpose: Provide a national forum for coordination of consistent and scientifically defensible methods and consistent and scientifically defensible methods and strategies to improve water quality monitoring, strategies to improve water quality monitoring, assessment and reporting. Promote partnerships to assessment and reporting. Promote partnerships to foster collaboration, advance the science, and improve foster collaboration, advance the science, and improve management within all elements of the water quality management within all elements of the water quality monitoring community. monitoring community.

Workgroups: Methods and Data Comparability Board, Workgroups: Methods and Data Comparability Board, Watershed Information Strategies, Collaboration and Watershed Information Strategies, Collaboration and Outreach, National Monitoring Network.Outreach, National Monitoring Network.

Bi-Yearly National Monitoring ConferencesBi-Yearly National Monitoring Conferences http://acwi.gov/monitoring/http://acwi.gov/monitoring/

What Other States Have DoneWhat Other States Have DoneMichigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) – LakesMichigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) – Lakes

MiCorps has a easy to navigate website with all the resources MiCorps has a easy to navigate website with all the resources needed to get started with monitoring. needed to get started with monitoring.

The Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP) has been an The Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP) has been an important component of Michigan's inland lakes monitoring program important component of Michigan's inland lakes monitoring program for over 30 years, which makes it the second oldest volunteer for over 30 years, which makes it the second oldest volunteer monitoring program for lakes in the country. monitoring program for lakes in the country.

First year lake communities and volunteer monitors sample for First year lake communities and volunteer monitors sample for Secchi Disk Transparency, Spring Total Phosphorus and Summer Secchi Disk Transparency, Spring Total Phosphorus and Summer Total Phosphorus and Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch monitoring Total Phosphorus and Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch monitoring programs.programs.

After they have demonstrated a proficiency in these programs in After they have demonstrated a proficiency in these programs in following years they may register for chlorophyll, dissolved following years they may register for chlorophyll, dissolved oxygen/temperature, aquatic plant mapping and any possible pilot oxygen/temperature, aquatic plant mapping and any possible pilot program.program.

Volunteer monitoring groups are randomly selected throughout the Volunteer monitoring groups are randomly selected throughout the year to work side by side with organizers for QA/QC purposes.year to work side by side with organizers for QA/QC purposes.

What Other States Have DoneWhat Other States Have Done

MiCorps – StreamsMiCorps – Streams

Volunteer groups must have a monitoring plan and a QAPP before Volunteer groups must have a monitoring plan and a QAPP before sampling starts.sampling starts.

Volunteer monitoring data has been used to aid biologists in Volunteer monitoring data has been used to aid biologists in determining if a stream meets it’s attainment requirements or if determining if a stream meets it’s attainment requirements or if further assessments need to be done by Michigan DEQ.further assessments need to be done by Michigan DEQ.

Report “The use of Michigan Volunteer Monitoring Data – Benefits Report “The use of Michigan Volunteer Monitoring Data – Benefits and Constraints” details past experiences with the quality of data and Constraints” details past experiences with the quality of data received from volunteers.received from volunteers.

http://www.micorps.net/http://www.micorps.net/

What Other States Have DoneWhat Other States Have DoneWisconsin Citizen Based Water Monitoring NetworkWisconsin Citizen Based Water Monitoring Network

Citizen-based Water Monitoring Network includes three levels to Citizen-based Water Monitoring Network includes three levels to accommodate the varied interests and time availability of citizens. accommodate the varied interests and time availability of citizens. Everyone initiates participation in Level 1 (except under special Everyone initiates participation in Level 1 (except under special circumstances).  circumstances). 

After that, citizens can choose to participate in Level 2 or Level 3 After that, citizens can choose to participate in Level 2 or Level 3 projects. Level 2 offers citizens a more intensive monitoring projects. Level 2 offers citizens a more intensive monitoring experience while level 3 offer projects that are defined annually and experience while level 3 offer projects that are defined annually and will have a variety of focuses.will have a variety of focuses.

http://watermonitoring.uwex.edu/index.htmlhttp://watermonitoring.uwex.edu/index.html

What Other States Have DoneWhat Other States Have Done

ConclusionsConclusions Successful programs have up to date web sites that Successful programs have up to date web sites that

invite citizens and groups to become actively involved.invite citizens and groups to become actively involved. Volunteer groups are provided resources to help them Volunteer groups are provided resources to help them

understand the monitoring program and give them understand the monitoring program and give them materials to do so.materials to do so.

These programs realize that there may be limitations to These programs realize that there may be limitations to the usability of data provided by volunteer monitors and the usability of data provided by volunteer monitors and strive to help them make their data usable.strive to help them make their data usable.

There are many volunteer monitoring programs out there There are many volunteer monitoring programs out there and they all have different approach's involved in helping and they all have different approach's involved in helping fill the gaps in their monitoring needs.fill the gaps in their monitoring needs.

OverviewOverview BackgroundBackground Other State ExamplesOther State Examples Current ProjectsCurrent Projects Future Direction?Future Direction?

Cooperative MonitoringCooperative Monitoring

Ongoing work with Federal PartnersOngoing work with Federal Partners Expand Volunteer and Citizen programsExpand Volunteer and Citizen programs Offer some lab capacityOffer some lab capacity E. coliE. coli

E. Coli MonitoringE. Coli Monitoring

We are currently analyzing E. coli in-house.We are currently analyzing E. coli in-house. Idexx Colilert process used.Idexx Colilert process used. Funds are available to help with purchasing Funds are available to help with purchasing

equipment and supplies.equipment and supplies. Demonstration of Capability or lab Demonstration of Capability or lab

accreditation needed.accreditation needed. Follow DWQ SOP for field analysis of E.coli.Follow DWQ SOP for field analysis of E.coli.

Westminster CollegeWestminster College

Second semester of monitoringSecond semester of monitoring

Follows SOP written by DWQFollows SOP written by DWQ

E. coli, Flow, pH, D.O.E. coli, Flow, pH, D.O.

Supplies provided by DWQSupplies provided by DWQ

E Coli WorkgroupE Coli Workgroup

Coordinating with LHD, State Parks, NPSCoordinating with LHD, State Parks, NPS Identify Roles and ResponsibilitiesIdentify Roles and Responsibilities Closures, public noticesClosures, public notices Safety of Recreational WatersSafety of Recreational Waters

Web Page and ListServWeb Page and ListServ

OverviewOverview BackgroundBackground Other State ExamplesOther State Examples Current ProjectsCurrent Projects Future Direction?Future Direction?

Direction of Monitoring CouncilDirection of Monitoring Council What do participants want to derive from their What do participants want to derive from their

coordination?coordination? Function based on data needs.Function based on data needs. What technical assistance is required?What technical assistance is required? Data Quality Measures will need to be defined.Data Quality Measures will need to be defined. Future QA/QC Workgroup?Future QA/QC Workgroup? E. coli Workgroup: Look at this issue in your area.E. coli Workgroup: Look at this issue in your area. Funding sources?Funding sources? Future meetings?Future meetings? Presentations and agendas?Presentations and agendas? Parking lot – discuss needs.Parking lot – discuss needs. Just Remember:Just Remember:

When There’s A Will, There’s A Way

and