1. NJ Watershed Watch Network Department of Environmental Protection Danielle Donkersloot Volunteer Monitoring Program Coordinator EPA Quality Conference May 2009

2. Presentation Overview Introductions Volunteer Monitoring Community –NJ Watershed Watch Network –NJ Tiered Approach Key Ingredients to a Successful Program Data Uses Data Management May 2009, EPA Quality Conference

3. What Exit are You From?

4. Great Bay, Tuckerton, NJ

5. Oswego River, Pine Barrens, N J

6. The Great Falls are the second-highest on the east coast (second only to Niagara). Great Falls, Paterson, NJ

7. Scott’s Landing Creek, Leeds Point, NJ

8. Introductions Who are you? Where are you from? Are you currently involved with volunteer monitoring?

9. Population NJ 8.7 million people 7,505 square miles 1,134.4 persons per square mile 18,126 miles of rivers & streams NJ DEP’s latest evaluation 19% of the State’s Waters are fully assessed Nationally, 19% of the nations waters are assessed

10. NJ Watershed Watch Network 2003 survey results 29 River/Stream Monitoring Organizations –800 active river monitors –Over $460,000 annually 58 Lake Monitoring Organizations

11. NJ Watershed Watch Network Internal Advisory Council –Water Monitoring & Standards –Compliance and Enforcement –Division of Watershed Management –Office of Quality Assurance External Advisory Council –Riverkeepers –Watershed Associations –Volunteer Coordinators –Volunteers

12. Myths of Using Volunteer Collected Data Quality Assurance & Quality Control Volunteers have “hidden agendas” Volunteers are not scientists

13. Reality of Using Volunteer Collected Data We need more data at a higher frequency of collection EPA has been encouraging the use of volunteer collected data since 1988 Volunteers want to do it right

14. Potential Data Uses Education Identifying potential sources of pollution Local decision making Research NPS assessment TMDL Watershed planning/open space acquisition Monitoring the success/failure of restoration projects 303d & 305b Integrated Report

15. NJ’s 4 Tiered Approach Allows for volunteers to choose level of monitoring involvement based on: –Intended purpose for monitoring –Intended data use –Intended data users

16. Tier A-Environmental Education Data Users Participants Students Watershed residents Promote stewardship Raise their level of understanding of watershed ecology Low level of rigor, but use sound science Wide variety of study designs are acceptable Quality assurance (QA) optional Data UseQuality Needed

17. Tier B-Stewardship Participants Watershed residents Landowners Local decision makers (optional) Understanding of existing conditions and how any changes over time Screen for and identify problems and positive attributes Low to medium rigor Variety of study designs is acceptable Training QAPP recommended Data UserData UseQuality Needed

18. Tier C-Community &/or Watershed Assessment Local decision- makers Watershed association Environmental organizations Possibly DEP Assess current conditions Track trends Source track down of Nonpoint source pollution Medium/high level of rigor Data needs to reliably detect changes over time & space QAPP approved & on file w/ intended data user. Training required Data Users Data UseQuality Needed

19. Tier D-Indicators & Regulatory Response NJDEP Local decision- makers Watershed associations  Environmental organizations Assess current conditions Supplement agency data collection Research Evaluate best management practices (BMP) measures Regulatory Response High level of rigor Study design & methods need to be equivalent & recognized by agencies using data Training required QAPP approved by Office of Quality Assurance & data user, annual recertification Audits Data Users Data UseQuality Needed

20. Increasing Time - Rigor - QA - Expense $$ Increasing Time - Rigor - QA - Expense $$ Problem ID, Assess Impairment, Local Decisions Legal & Regulatory Education / Awareness Tier A Tier B Tier C Tier D Credit to: Geoff Dates

21. NJDEP Data Users Watershed Area Managers (TIERS B,C,D) Water Assessment Team/Standards (TIER D) NPS Program (TIER C, D) TMDL Program (TIER B, C, D) Other Programs or Divisions

22. Quality Checks & Balances Quality Assurance Criteria QAPP or Study Design Program Specific Training & Support Individual Evaluation of Monitoring Programs There needs to be “translator” between volunteer community & regulatory agency Communication

23. Data Use Organizations need to Take Ownership of their Information Organizations need Guidance on Different Types of Data Use Sometimes it may take another person to find your story…. share success and failures stories get the word out-articles, press releases find examples of data uses at all levels, local, state, & national

24. NJ Water Monitoring & Assessment Strategy 2005-2014 THE STATE’S MONITORING MATRIX

25. Sources of Data Used for the 2008 Draft Integrated Report 85 volunteer monitored sites were added to the Report this year Pequannock River Coalition Pompeston Creek Watershed Association South Branch Watershed Association Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association

26. Sources of Data Used for the 2008 Draft Integrated Report *Does not include 3700 shellfish stations used for Shellfish Classification Total of ~1 million water quality data points assessed * (e.g., DRBC, USGS, EPA, IEC)

28. AmeriCorps Data

29. Linda Green & Elizabeth Herron University of RI Cooperative Extension CSREES Volunteer Water Quality National Facilitation Project Danielle Donkersloot New Jersey Watershed Watch New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Start with the End in Mind: Key Ingredients for Effectively Putting Your Data to Use

30. Successful Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Programs are... Well-organized Sound scientific basis Strong support network Report results Communication plan Make a difference

31. Well Organized Defined purpose Develop strong partnerships – NJ Watershed Watch Network –Good relations w/ decision-makers Strong leadership & coordination –Clear staff, board, & volunteer roles Proper scientific documentation –Calibration logs, clean functioning equipment, audit records Frequent & Easy to Access Training

32. A Sound Scientific Basis Clear monitoring goals and questions Written study design Clear documentation of instructions Scale of Monitoring Project QA appropriate to data use

33. Program Support-State & Local Cooperative Extension University & High School Departments State Natural Resources Departments Tribal, State, County or Municipal Agencies Soil and Water Conservation Districts Non-profit Organizations Interest Groups Other volunteer monitoring programs

34. Program Support-Nationwide EPA ( http://www.epa.gov/owow/) Volunteer Monitoring Methods manuals Volunteer Monitor Newsletter List serve 1997 Nat ’ l Directory of Volunteer Monitoring Programs EPA regions Volunteer monitoring coordinators Equipment loan programs QAPP guidance

35. Volunteer Monitoring List Serves volmonlists@epa.gov csreesvolmon@lists.uwex.edu exchanges archived at www.usawaterquality.org/volunteer

36. Successful Programs Report and Use Their Results Data are turned into a story Results are reported in various ways tailored to the audience Information is turned into action Monitoring is used to assess progress and reevaluate goals

39. How do we get from this?????? ALLARM

40. Assess What is Possible Not just during the project planning phase, but throughout the project… Skills and knowledge Potential data uses & users Level of commitment Financial resources Partners

41. Getting Started Compile Information About the resource About the goals of the organization/community About current & past monitoring or research efforts About volunteer monitoring

42. Goals and Objectives Goal – where do you want to go? We want to remove the old mill dam We want to know if our kids can swim in Lake Shawnee We want to know why we are have fish kills Objectives – Specific and measurable –After you find out if State WQ Standards are met –OR you may find the State does not have the data Benthic community, habitat assessment, sediment tests Nutrients, DO, temp, visual survey, e. coli Temperature, DO, benthic community, land use, flow

43. Assess the need Develop objectives Design your program Collect the data Compile and manage data Assess and interpret data Convey results and findings Evaluate your program National Water Quality Monitoring Council “A Framework for Monitoring”- Program Planning: The Framework for Monitoring

44. Program Monitoring/Study Design It is the What, When, Who & How for your monitoring program. Should flow out of the vision, goals & objectives –Should objectively reflect resources –Should include data consumers & producers Work with your partners

45. EPA Guidance Manuals The Volunteer Monitor newsletter LaMotte/Hach kits and catalog Secchi Dip-In website (http://dipin.kent.edu/) CSREES Volunteer Monitoring website www.usawterquality.org/volunteer Conferences Listservs Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater NEMI (http://www.nemi.gov/) Sources for Methods

46. Increasing Time - Rigor - QA - Expense $$ Problem ID, Assess Impairment, Local Decisions Legal & Regulatory Education/ Awareness Match the Method to the Goals

47. Program Management Design Home organization –Tribe –Agency (state, county, local) –Non Governmental Organization – University –County Extension All volunteer, paid staff or combo - Dedicated staff is critical to success

48. Communication Plan Assess your audience –Different types of information appeal to different audiences –Think about starting w/ a Focus Group Compile examples of reports, flyers, media campaigns that have been effective Work with your team of partners

49. Resources Available for Monitoring Programs: You aren’t alone

50.  Involve People in Real Science  Create Strong Partnerships  Promote Stewardship  Provide Information on Places People Enjoy that may not be Assessed by any Other Group  Identify & Solve Problems Successful Programs Make A Difference

51. Volunteer Monitoring: Cost Effective – Not Cost Free Staff (incredibly hard-working, usually underpaid) Field and lab equipment and supplies Laboratory space or analytical services Office supplies Communication Planning Publications Conferences / workshops Transportation (personnel or samples) Insurance Special events / volunteer recognition

52. Volunteer Effort As Match Volunteer time can often be used as match Document effort –Start/end time on data sheets –Survey average time per sampling event Identify acceptable ‘hourly rate’ equivalent –Independent Sector (www.IndependentSector.org) Currently $19.21 (2008) –Don’t use minimum wage

53. Keys to Success Whoever is using the monitoring data – whether it’s a government agency, university or community – should provide resource assistance In-kind support, such as donations of technical expertise, equipment or laboratory analysis can really help keep a program going!

54. ALLARM

56. Data Exchange Problem Macs DEP Paper QAPP electronic Excel Tiers? Projects PCs

57. Online Data Management System? Standardize, not change VM business processes Collect all data types based on Tier Make data publicly available through queries Provide reports including photos, geo-spatial tools Exchange data (of a know quality) w/ agencies, associations NJDEP Water Monitoring and Standards

58. We needed expertise Professionals –Consultant 1-xyz –Consultant 2-abc –Consultant 3-NJDEP VM Program Coordinators –NJ Watershed Watch Network –NJDEP Data Collectors & Data Users –Watershed Associations

59. Design Solution Input –On-line submission- Forms or Batch files –Cut & paste from Excel –Site Selection using GIS tool –Upload attachments –System security appropriate for VM use Data storage at NJDEP Output –Raw data –Scores & Assessments –Graph Trends –GIS map Design user friendly NJDEP Water Monitoring and Standards

60. Business Process of Project Design –Build TEST –Revise –Modify Database TEST –Put in Data TEST –Revise –Write Reports TEST –Revise Train Data Reporters

61. Unforeseen Issues Design phase too long, so… –Consultant 1 built on-line submission –Consultant 2 modified existing database –Consultant 3 writing initial reports –GIS tool upgrade during project Changes after design phase not addressed –New metrics emerged, protocols, etc. –Lack of funding

62. Project Management Difficulties –“I am not a chemist” –“This is not the way it was supposed to work!” –“Server is down…again” –“This is not my data” –“Who’s data is this?” –“Can you say that again…Macro-what?” –“My wife is having twins…today” –“We have to test the system” –“Hmm what an I reviewing again” –“Define a bug verses an enhancement again please?”

63. Language Barriers Programmers vs. Biologists Learning curve for us –XML? Schema? OWWQX? NAD83? Learning curve for them –Data with different levels of rigor –What’s a family tolerance value –Volunteers are not a regulated community Words you think you understand –Net, Table, Mapping, Raw Data, Testing, Reports NJDEP Water Monitoring and Standards

64. E2 Volunteer & AmeriCorps collected data is currently going into E2 for public use –DataMiner –Geo-web Finally up and running….5 years beyond original deadline…. –1000’s of data points entered to date…even on streams we did not know existed

65. Data Mgt/Exchange Conclusion Building a data management & exchange system for VM data requires –Flexible System –Clear Project Design –Partners –Initial Budget + Annual Maintenance Budget (40% + more than what we thought was needed) –Clear Goals –Training data producers & consumers –Translator –Full Time Support Help –Sense of Humor and Optimism

66. Is it worth it? Using Independent Sector’s estimate $18.04 an hour, a standard measurement for the value of a volunteer’s time, the value of the 8.2 billion hours annually donated by Americans equates to $147.6 billion, a powerful economic impact of volunteering to the entire nation. Youth Adult Konnections, August 30, 2006

67. Is it worth it? The NJ volunteer monitoring community provides the Department with: $780,000 annual in services by collecting water monitoring information $1.15 million including watershed and water monitoring education

68. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” --Margaret Mead

69. NJ Watershed Watch Network Danielle Donkersloot, Program Manager 609-633-9241 Danielle.donkersloot@dep.state.nj.us