How do you want DEQ to use your water quality data?

 We want to take this opportunity to clarify the ways in which DEQ would like to make use of citizen collected monitoring information.  Both citizen and other non-DEQ water monitoring data may be used by DEQ in these five principal ways:

1. List and delist impaired waters on the 303(d) List – Level III data
2. Source identification for TMDL development for waters already listed as impaired – Level III
3. Track progress towards the restoration of waters which have an approved TMDL and may also have a TMDL Implementation Plan – Level II or III
4. Target waters for future DEQ monitoring – Level II or III
5. Educate land owners on the water quality impacts of land use activities – Level I, II, or III

Please fill out and return the attached form (one per group please) at your earliest convenience and let us know how you would like DEQ to use data which you are generating.  If there are any questions, please see Contacts.

• Memorandum: Use of Your Data by DEQ
• Data Use Form - Use Authorization Form for Citizen Volunteer/Non-agency Water Quality Data 

Virginia Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Program
October 2007 Methods Manual

Volunteer monitors are faced with a wide range of options. If you join an established program in your area, many decisions have already been made for you. If you are starting your own program, you will have many decisions to make. Since no program can measure everything all the time, you must make choices based upon what you are trying to learn about your watershed and your resources. This manual will help you make those choices when designing your program.

• Introduction
• Section 1 - Planning Before You Begin
• Section 2 - Chemical Monitoring
• Section 3 - Biological Monitoring
• Section 4 - Physical Measures
• Appendices

Or, you may download the entire manual, Virginia Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Program Methods Manual (about a 2MB file).