Long Term Resource Monitoring Program Water Quality Component Review

A review of the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) water quality component was conducted in May-June 2002 and considered seven aspects of the program: (1) objectives of water quality monitoring relative to LTRMP objectives, (2) potential of the current sampling design to meet those objectives, (3) adequacy and suitability of the water quality procedures manual, (4) adequacy and efficiency of procedures for quality assurance and quality control in data collection and laboratory analyses, (5) operations of the analytical laboratory, (6) recent implementation of electronic data acquisition, and (7) communications and data access. The review was conducted by a panel of five external experts who reviewed program documents and then met at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center from 3-7 June 2002. The panel found that the objectives of water quality monitoring program are tightly interconnected and one element cannot be neglected without negatively affecting the others. The panel emphasized the need for increased analysis of existing data. It is only by analyzing the data and submitting the findings to external peer review that the final step in quality assurance is achieved, the adequacy of the design is fully tested, redundancies are revealed, and the actual value of the collected data is clearly shown and documented. The panel also emphasized that distribution of data and communication of findings are critical functions of the LTRMP. The panel found that the documentation of LTRMP water quality monitoring procedures (Soballe and Fischer 2004) is excellent, describing scientifically sound methods in appropriate detail to interpret the data collected under the program, to ensure standardization among sampling teams, and to duplicate the sampling program in other locations with other personnel.