VEMN: Publications

Volunteer Environmental
Monitoring Network

Publications

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Stony Brook Assessment: Final Report

This final report presents the results of the Stony Brook Watershed Assessment, conducted by the Merrimack River Watershed Council. The goal of the watershed assessment was to draw on existing data sources to develop a “state of the watershed” report that evaluates the key factors influencing the health of the watershed and makes recommendations for improving protection and restoration of the watershed.

Characteristics of a successful Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program

This report outlines a successful volunteer monitoring program broken down by organizational and technical topics. Sub-topics include the program mission, community support, funding, leadership, data use, community outreach, and public education. 4pp

1995 Report: Status of Existing Volunteer Monitoring Programs in the Merrimack River Watershed and Recommendations for Changes

This report provides an overview of the current status of monitoring program in the Merrimack River basin and a guide for identifying areas in which VEMN can develop an enhanced array of services for new and existing volunteer monitoring groups. The report also informs volunteer groups of the activities of their counterparts throughout the basin. A list of volunteer groups participating in the survey as well as a copy of the survey used to collect the information for this report is include in Appendix. 33pp

Volunteer Environmental Monitoring Network Integrated Support System

This 27 page document is organized into seven support system categories: training, consultation, work, funds, in-kind, information available, and expertise. The document can be used to locate possible sources of support for your monitoring program based on interviews with numerous agencies and organizations associated with water quality monitoring or watershed management. 27pp

VEMN Merrimack River Watershed Study Design Workbook

The guidelines laid our in this handbook are designed to help citizen groups build effective local programs that also contribute to enhancing the watershed-wide health of the Merrimack basin. This product will guide any monitoring group through the basics of designing a scientific monitoring program and study design. It includes issues and questions that are commonly addressed through volunteer monitoring, a guide with worksheets on how to do a scientific study design, a system for matching data users and uses with a potential user group's own data quality goals guide also cross references to sections of a QAPP - Quality Assurance Project Plan.

VEMN Training Manual of Core Monitoring Parameters and Methods

This manual describes the three basic types of monitoring studies recommended by the VEMN for all volunteer monitoring groups in the Merrimack River Watershed. The three studies are:

Watershed assessment,
Water quality standards assessment,
and Health risk assessment.

The manual includes all aspects of how to accomplish all three of these assessments including how to take water samples and complete lab analysis as well as where to go for help. Parameters include E. coli / fecal coliform, dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and water clarity. It also explains where data may be used if following all guidelines described in the manual.

1996 Citizens view of the Merrimack River Watershed

This report compiles the monitoring results and narratives from citizen volunteer groups throughout the Merrimack River Watershed in 1996. it will provide an inventory of active citizen groups in each subwatershed and the water bodies that they monitor, the issues that the groups are working on, what they found, the actions they have taken as a result of their findings and their recommendations for further research.

VEMN Guide to Volunteer Watershed Monitoring Options in the Merrimack River Watershed

This document supplies monitoring groups with some off-the-shelf monitoring study design in order to help them start programs which collect data of a quality that it could be used by state and local government of for educational purposes. it is intended to be an expandable library to which new study designs may be added as they are used in the watershed by volunteer groups. The menu includes study designs for doing a watershed assessment, a water quality standards assessment, a health risk assessment, a habitat assessment, a non-point source pollution site evaluation, a non-point source pollution impact assessment for agriculture, a waste water treatment plant impact assessment and a simple baseline assessment for rivers and lakes. The study design does the following: explain the questions and issues that each addresses, explains who can use the information collected and for what purpose, describes indicators that should be used and reference the collection and analysis methods, explains the types of water bodies for which each study may be used, describes the necessary quality control, explains site selection considerations, frequency and timing of sampling and outline training requirement for each study.

How to Interpret Monitoring Data

This is a quick outline of steps to take once monitoring data has been collected. It takes the reader step by step through the interpretation process so that monitoring results in their numeric form turn into meaningful statements that call forth action, assist in planning and make the results palatable for general consumption. 8pp

VEMN Standard Format For Reporting Monitoring Data

Basic Outline of a standardized report format. 4pp

The VEMN Long Term Strategic Plan

The strategic plan, developed by the VEMN steering Committee, describes the VEMN mission, the five main foals of the VEMN and an action plan for achieving those foals. The plan also describes how the VEMN will measure its success in reaching its chosen goals.