Existing Monitoring Programs
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Program |
Program Description/ Purpose |
Link |
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Cal/EPA: State Water Resources Control Board/ Regional Water Quality Control Board |
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California Water Quality Monitoring Council (CWQMC)
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Mandated by SB 1070 to develop specific recommendations to improve coordination and cost-effectiveness of water quality and ecosystem monitoring and assessment; enhance the integration of monitoring data across departments and agencies; and increase public accessibility to information (web portals). Includes beach water quality, CA wetlands, bioaccumulation workgroups. |
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Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) |
Monitors and assesses condition of all surface waters. Current focus on bioaccumulation in fish; characterizing “stream health” throughout the state by use of benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI)community composition and physical habitat assessments in high-gradient streams; misc. special studies. SWAMP is “umbrella” and provides ambient context for additional monitoring efforts. |
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Statewide Water Analysis Network (SWAN) |
Network being developed to collaborate with interested stakeholders to improve analytical tools and share data. Currently three pilot programs: forecasting water demand; integrating state UWMP data; and describing physical features/ connections in the state water management system. |
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California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM) |
Methodology and software designed for assessing ambient conditions within watersheds, regions, and throughout the State. It can also be used to assess the performance of compensatory mitigation projects and restoration projects. |
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California Wetland Tracker |
Web portal that provides information about the wetlands of selected regions of California (including North Coast). Wetland information currently available for the North Coast region includes: Habitat (modern habitat map); North Coast Projects (exist but information has not yet been compiled) |
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California Integrated Water Quality System Project (CIWQSP) |
Computer system the state uses to track water quality regulatory data. CIWQS makes data available to the public through reports that display the regulatory data that CIWQS contains. |
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TMDL implementation monitoring |
Monitors water quality conditions in some individual streams/ rivers of the North Coast. May include numeric targets for water quality indicators. |
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Nonpoint Source Program (NPS) ambient monitoring |
Ambient water quality monitoring under the NPS |
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National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit ambient monitoring |
Ambient water quality monitoring required under NPDES permits the permit program controls water pollution by regulating and monitoring point sources (e.g. stormwater, animal feeding facilities, sewer overflow) that discharge pollutants into waters. |
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Cal/EPA: Department of Pesticide Regulation |
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Pesticide Use Inventory |
Tracks pesticide/ hazardous waste use |
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Surface Water Protection Program |
Characterize pesticide residues, identify sources of contamination, determine mechanisms of off-site to surface water, and develop site-specific mitigation strategies. |
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Cal/EPA: Department of Toxic Substances Control |
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Cal/EPA: Department of Toxic Substances Control |
DTSC regulates and provides information about hazardous waste control and clean up. Collects and analyzes data on water, soil, sediment concentrations. |
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Resources Agency: California Department of Fish and Game |
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Marine Protection Areas impact monitoring |
Monitors a network of protected ocean regions (MPAs) to preserve biological diversity, promote recovery of wildlife populations and improve ecosystem health. |
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California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) |
Inventories the status and locations of rare plants and animals in California. Maintains current lists of rare species a database of GIS-mapped locations for these species. |
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Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Marine Region |
One of seven geographic CDFG regions. Specific statewide projects deal with fisheries and habitat management, environmental review, and water quality monitoring. The Project Review/ Water Quality Unit staff reviews activities that impact marine habitat and resources, such as dredging, new construction, and wave energy. Includes monitoring of marine invasive species. |
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Biogeographic Information and Observation System (BIOS) |
A system designed to enable the management, visualization, analysis and sharing of biogeographic data collected by the Department of Fish and Game and its Partner Organizations. |
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Aquatic Bioassessment Laboratory |
Performs assessments of water quality based on organisms in the water. Field sampling protocols include targeted riffle and multiple habitat sampling of benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs), fish and algae as well as associated physical habitat and chemical monitoring. Current research efforts focus on developing IBIs for different regions, developing objective reference condition selection methods and establishing quantitative tolerance values. |
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Resources Assessment Program |
Address resource assessment priorities and existing efforts in the collection, analysis, and use of data on native fish, wildlife, plants, and communities. |
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Invasive Species Program |
Involved in efforts to prevent the introduction of invasive species (plant, animal, microbe, terrestrial, aquatic) into the state; detect and respond to introductions when they occur; and prevent the spread of non-native invasive species that have become established. |
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Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Recovery |
Administers the Scientific Study and Evaluation Program that investigates and evaluates new oil spill response and cleanup methods, potential adverse effects of oil spills, and development of natural resource damage assessment tools. |
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Resources Agency: California Coastal Commission |
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Critical Coastal Areas Program |
Guides and coordinates state agencies on oceans and
coastal resources protection. Recommends legislative policy for protecting
these resources. |
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Coastal Cleanup Day debris tracking |
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Resources Agency: Coastal Conservancy |
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Coastal Oceans Currents Monitoring Program |
Emphasizes technology to measure and map surface currents. |
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Resources Agency: State Lands Commission |
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Ballast Water Monitoring Program |
Evaluate effectiveness of ballast water discharge regulations. |
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Resources Agency: Department of Parks and Recreation |
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The Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Program (IMAP) |
Evaluates the natural resources of the State Park System. Data are generally quantitative. Examples include measuring stream water quality; the distribution of various species of plants in an area; and counting the number of offspring of endangered animals. The data can be used to make status assessments of a unit's natural resources, such as what resources are present, where the resources are distributed, and how much of a resource is present. |
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Resources Agency: Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) |
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The Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) |
Provides a variety of products including the Forest and Range Assessment, a detailed report on California’s forests and rangelands. FRAP provides extensive technical and public information for statewide fire threat, fire hazard, watersheds, socio-economic conditions, environmental indicators, and forest-related climate change. |
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Hillslope Monitoring Program |
1996-2002 |
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Modified Completion Report monitoring |
2001 to 2004 |
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Forest Practice Rule implementation monitoring |
This monitoring program (anticipated for 2007-2011) uses a random sample of completed Timber Harvest Plans to test the implementation and effectiveness of Forest Practice Rules related to water quality. |
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Resources Agency: Department of Water Resources |
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Integrated Water Resources Information System (IWRIS) |
Data management tool for water resources data. Web based GIS application allows one to access, integrate, query, and visualize multiple sets of data. Some of the databases include DWR Water Data Library, California Data Exchange Center (CDEC), USGS streamflow, Local Groundwater Assistance Grants (AB303), and data from local agencies. |
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Division of Environmental Services |
Provides data related to drinking water quality and provides a central focal point for the collection and dissemination of water quality information. |
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Division of Operations and Maintenance: California Aqueduct water quality program |
Routinely monitors chemical, physical and biological parameters including more than 40 sites and over 200 individual chemicals. Both discrete grab samples and continuous automated station data comprise a comprehensive water quality monitoring program. |
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Fish Passage Improvement Program (FPIP) |
Interdisciplinary team of biologists and engineers identifies and evaluates the potential to modify or remove structures that impede the migration of anadromous fish within the Central Valley. |
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Division of Flood Management: real-time decision support system |
Maintains a real-time decision support system to DWR Flood Management and other flood emergency response organizations, providing operational and historical hydrologic and meteorological data, forecasts, and reports. |
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Resources Agency: Department of Conservation |
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Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program |
The Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP) produces maps and statistical data used for analyzing impacts on California’s agricultural resources. Agricultural land is rated according to soil quality and irrigation status. The maps are updated every two years with the use of aerial photographs, a computer mapping system, public review, and field reconnaissance. |
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California Geological Services |
Provides data on seismic, as well as landslide and erosion hazards. It develops and maintains watershed maps of geologic and geomorphic features. |
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Resources Agency: California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES) |
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California Environmental Information Clearinghouse/ Catalog |
Provides information about geographic information resources in an effort to improve their efficient use through information sharing. |
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California Spatial Information Library (CASIL) |
Online repository geospatial data. |
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Land Use Planning Information Network (LUPIN) |
Spatial and planning data by bioregion, county, and watershed. |
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Wetlands Information System |
Compilation of public and private sector information, including maps, environmental documents, agency roles in wetlands management, restoration and mitigation activities, regulatory permitting, and wetland policies. |
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California Watershed Portal |
Forthcoming. Website and other online tools will identify ongoing watershed activities; provide access to important data and information; and links to the larger California Watershed community. |
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California Ocean and Coastal Environmental Access Network (CalOcean) |
Web-based virtual library for access to ocean and coastal data (water quality) and information from a wide variety of sources and in a range of types and formats (maps, spatial data). |
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Resources Agency: California Department of Public Health |
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Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Program |
Surveys, classifies & monitors commercial shellfish growing areas |
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Drinking Water Source Assessment and Protection Program |
Assess risks to public drinking water sources. Provides guidance and information to local communities to delineate the area around a drinking water source through which contaminants might move and reach that drinking water supply; to inventory possible contaminating activities that might lead to the release of microbiological or chemical contaminants within the delineated area; and to determine the possible contaminating activities to which the drinking water source is most vulnerable. |
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California Beaches and Recreational Waters Program |
The California Beaches Program provides guidance and methods for monitoring recreational beaches (ocean, and fresh water). |
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Interagency Programs: Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) |
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Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) |
Collects data by testing the untreated, raw water in different types of wells for naturally-occurring and man-made chemicals. GAMA compiles these test results with existing groundwater quality data from several agencies into a publicly-accessible internet database, GeoTracker GAMA. |
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Interagency Programs: Interagency Ecological Program |
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Environmental Monitoring Program |
Provides necessary information for compliance with flow-related water quality standards specified in the water right permits |
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Interagency Programs: North Coast Watershed Assessment Program (NCWAP) |
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North Coast Watershed Assessment Program (NCWAP) |
Provides a consistent scientific foundation for collaborative watershed restoration efforts and to better meet the State needs for protecting and restoring salmon species and their habitats. NCWAP is one of the sources of data used in regional TMDL development to understand existing conditions within a watershed |
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Interagency Programs: CalFish |
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Anadromous Abundance |
Data collected by a variety of agencies and organizations and reflect current and historic abundance of anadromous fish in a selected stream or river. |
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Anadromous Distribution |
Recently developed a method for deriving salmonid distribution from existing observation data. Distribution and Range datasets are now available for winter and summer steelhead and coho salmon. |
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Passage Assessment Database (PAD) |
Contains information on actual, potential and remediated barriers to anadromous fish distribution. |
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California Habitat Restoration Project Database |
Contains data and information about stream restoration projects funded by a variety of agencies and organizations in California; the most complete source of California stream restoration projects' data. |
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Routed 100-k Hydrography |
Most current and complete 1:100,000 scale routed hydrography for California. |
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In-stream Habitat Database |
Historic and current reach summaries of in-stream habitat data. |
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Interagency Programs: Natural Resources Project Inventory |
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California Ecological Restoration Projects Inventory; Watershed Projects Inventory; and Noxious Weed Control Inventory |
Online information resource for maps, models, reports, and other related information regarding environmental protection in California. |
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Interagency Programs: Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership |
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Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership |
Forum for coordinating state, federal, and tribal aquatic habitat and salmonid monitoring programs. Includes watershed and project effectiveness monitoring. |
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Interagency Programs: Northwest Forest Plan Interagency Regional Monitoring Program |
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Northwest Forest Plan Interagency Regional Monitoring Program |
Annual reports website has the latest Watershed condition evaluations, field protocols, watershed boundary maps, and data summaries. |
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