Evaluation and Design of Monitoring Programs for the Baltimore Reservoirs and Contributing Watersheds

Objectives

This project will provide a compilation of monitoring objectives that will serve as a guide for the design and implementation of monitoring programs that address specific questions as well as broad objectives for Baltimore City Reservoirs and contributing watersheds. An analysis of currently available information will provide the technical basis that can be used to design monitoring networks with a pre-determined level of confidence. The types of monitoring networks designed may include both comprehensive and strategic approaches; whereas, comprehensive programs will address multiple objectives and include monitoring across important media and at a range of spatial and temporal scales, while strategic monitoring approaches tend to focus on individual objectives or questions. This proposal outlines steps to evaluate monitoring data from the historical programs in the region in order to present recommendations for a comprehensive program that addresses the most important objectives of the partner agencies.

Statement of Problem

Baltimore City operates three water-supply reservoirs located in surrounding counties and responsibility for monitoring and assessing the condition of these reservoirs and their contributing streams is shared by the City, County, and State governments under the Reservoir Partnership Agreement. Several monitoring programs are currently active within the reservoir, its watershed, and the surrounding region. Other monitoring programs have been conducted previously and these programs have changed in design and scope over a period of years. Changes to monitoring programs are quite understandable as new objectives come to the forefront. Over a period of time, however, these changes can limit one's ability to address key questions such as trends or limit the ability to integrate data across programs for region-wide assessments.

Strategy and Approach

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