Abstract
Guidelines for the early stages of developing a monitoring program are presented. Jumping right into a monitoring program based on standard protocols and a number of commonly monitored parameters is an attractive idea, but it is unlikely to lead to an intelligent allocation of time and money. Rather, a number of well-defined planning steps must be followed before monitoring is begun:
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1.
Objectives for the program should be well defined.
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2.
The attributes to be monitored in order to meet objectives should be listed.
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3.
Methods of monitoring these attributes should be developed.
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4.
A pilot study should be conducted to determine spatial and temporal variability of the attributes being monitored and the cost of sampling.
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5.
The results of the pilot study should be carefully evaluated to determine whether program objectives can be met for an acceptable cost.
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6.
Objectives, attributes to be monitored, and methods should be revised in accordance with the results of the pilot study.
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Silsbee, D.G., Peterson, D.L. Planning for implementation of long-term resource monitoring programs. Environ Monit Assess 26, 177–185 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00547496
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00547496