Water Monitoring Strategy

The DNR’s Water Resources Monitoring Strategy, version 2 (PDF, 1.2 MB, opens in new window) (Strategy) directs our monitoring efforts in a manner that efficiently addresses the wide variety of management information needs, while providing adequate depth of knowledge to support management decisions.

In July 2006, the Strategy was updated and Version 2 was released. This version reflects changes in monitoring designs or protocols that were identified after the first year of sampling under Version 1 of the Strategy. It also includes a more detailed description of the citizen-based monitoring pilot project and proposed statewide Citizen-Based Water Monitoring Network, and includes a new chapter on the work being done in DNR's aquatic invasive species program.

This Strategy employs a staged approach to information gathering, outlined below. This careful investment in monitoring effort insures that the status of our aquatic resources can be determined, without depleting the capacity to conduct in-depth analysis and problem solving where needed.

Tier 1 – Statewide Baseline Monitoring

Tier 1 employs an initial economical set of standardized sampling protocols used to collect statewide data. This ensures broad spatial coverage of all our aquatic resources, and is designed to identify broad trends and waters with environmental problems.

Tier 2 – Targeted Evaluation Monitoring

Where environmental problems are found, more intensive sampling then occurs under Tier 2 to determine the cause and extent of the problem. This site-specific monitoring of targeted areas can be used to develop management plans for corrective action.

Tier 3 – Management Effectiveness and Compliance Monitoring

Tier 3 employs follow-up studies on targeted waters to determine the success of management actions. Tier 3 monitoring is also used to evaluate levels of compliance of facilities regulated for effluent discharges to waterways, and determine effectiveness of permit conditions in protecting water quality.

It is important to DNR that our monitoring reflects the Water Division’s overall objectives based on the Clean Water Act, Fisheries Acts, and the Public Trust Doctrine. One purpose of this Strategy is to create a more efficient match between our current monitoring programs and these overarching objectives.

In addition, the Department is committed to engaging citizens in helping meet water monitoring needs (see Citizen Involvement for more information). All people doing sampling under this Strategy must follow standardized protocols and receive appropriate training. This ensures that DNR and other agency staff, citizen monitors, consultants, and others contribute consistent, quality-assured data.

The Strategy is meant to be dynamic, with continuing investment in research to better understand our aquatic resources. Improvements are incorporated into our sampling design on an as-needed or annual basis. The Strategy also requires regular review of all monitoring efforts, evaluating success of the design in satisfying management information needs, and seeking efficiencies where possible to integrate sampling effort for multiple purposes.

Complete Water Monitoring Strategy v2 (PDF, 1.2 MB, opens in new window)

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