Volunteer monitoring data for listing

Many states use citizen monitoring data to identify problems for further attention. Federal regulations require state agencies to “actively solicit” citizen data in their 303(d) listing process.

“[E]xisting and readily available water quality data” includes “waters for which water quality problems have been reported by local, state, or federal agencies; members of the public; or academic institutions”
(40CFR130.7(b)5(iii).

Some states, such as Maine and Massachusetts, rely on volunteers to help collect water quality data by funding training programs and/or central management of the data collected. Most states have a quality assurance protocol that defines how samples must be taken, tested and documented. If you follow a state monitoring protocol, the state agency should accept your data.

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