Freshwater and Biological Monitoring
DIVISION: Water Monitoring and Standards
GENERAL PHONE NUMBER: (609) 292-0427
FAX NUMBER: (609) 633-1095
WEB SITE
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The overall goal of the Bureau of Freshwater and Biological Monitoring is to continue the development and implementation of surface and groundwater monitoring programs, using innovative approaches. These innovations focus on the design, collection, measurement, storage, retrieval, assessment and data presentation. This is necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of the Clean Water Act (CWA), the department's Action Plan, the NJDEP/USEPA Performance Partnership Agreement, and other pertinent environmental initiatives.
BFBM’s monitoring strategy includes monitoring for the purposes of evaluating status and trends, identifying pollution sources and relative impacts, assessment and ranking of surface water biological impairments. The strategy is used in the determination of pollution control program effectiveness, determining NJPDES compliance, and responding to environmental emergencies. Furthermore, the monitoring strategy implements multiple water quality assessment techniques including, fish tissue and population surveys, habitat assessments, and in-stream biological monitoring. In addition the strategy includes the collection of chemical/physical data on a variety of matrices (surface water, groundwater, sediment), identifying pollution sources discharges, stormwater monitoring, and sediment toxicity testing.
The Bureau of Freshwater & Biological Monitoring is responsible for several multi-year monitoring programs, many of which have served as prototypes for the nation. For example, ambient monitoring for chemical and biological parameters, in both surface water and ground water. These programs have historically been conducted as multi-agency cooperative activities. Special Water Quality Monitoring projects with emphasis on watershed monitoring. These special monitoring initiatives are efficiently combining biological and chemical/physical monitoring as part of emerging state and federal strategies to more realistically assess the success of state and federal Clean Water Act programs. Other projects include the operation of the department's biological bio-monitoring laboratory for the analysis of bio-monitoring and bio-assay parameters, and coordination of department’s volunteer monitoring program and the NJ Watershed Watch Network
MONETARY ASSISTANCE PROVIDED:
None
PERMITTING RESPONSIBILITIES:
None
PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE:
Publications available on web site.
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