Comprehensive Plan of Action Item #7
Adopt More Rigorous Water Quality Standards
After adopting narrative nutrient criteria for coastal waters on December 21, 2010, the DEP and its partners launched a new comprehensive ambient water quality monitoring network in the Barnegat Bay watershed on June 6, 2011. This network will provide water quality data that will establish the baseline conditions of the bay and assess these conditions against water quality standards. This information will then direct actions, including the possible establishment of a TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load), needed to restore the bay.
The network is lead by DEP, with 9 partners. Within the network, water quality monitoring is currently taking place at 12 locations on tributaries to the bay and 14 locations within the bay itself. In addition, stream flow is being monitored at the 12 tributary locations. The map above displays each of these 26 active monitoring locations, as well as several stations which are currently either suspended or have been discontinued/ relocated. By clicking on each monitoring location, users can see the name and location of the monitoring site, which partner is doing the water quality and/or stream flow monitoring, link to partner websites, view photos of the site as well as access the monitoring data that has been collected at each station.
To see the approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the network, please click here (pdf).
For a list of frequently asked questions related to this ambient water monitoring project, click here (pdf).
There are 2,157 stream miles within the Barnegat Bay watershed. 75% of the stream miles are protected as Outstanding National Resource Waters (ONRW) which includes streams classified as Freshwater 1 (FW1) and Pinelands Waters (PL) or Category One waters (C1). These waters are protected from water quality degradation because of their unique ecological significance, exceptional recreational significance, exceptional water supply significance or exceptional fisheries resource. For more information, go to: www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bwqsa/c1waters.htm. To view a map of the protected waters of the Barnegat Bay watershed, click here.
For more information, contact: Jill Lipoti, Director, Water Monitoring and Standards, 609-292-1254
Click on any of the logos below to learn more about the Monitoring Network Partners
Related Links
Barnegat Bay Water Quality Data -
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