The Tidal Monitoring and Analysis Workgroup (TMAW) is responsible for the Chesapeake Bay Program's (CBP) tidal water quality and biomonitoring programs in Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. The Workgroup coordinates and integrates the State- and Federally-funded monitoring programs within the tidal monitoring network, promoting consistency in sample collection and analysis, data management and reporting.
The data collection programs provide quantitative information on a suite of physical and chemical water quality parameters, as well as certain biological parameters. Among the monitored water quality parameters are: temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, water clarity, nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient species, carbon, silicon and suspended solids. The biological parameters--phytoplankton (including chlorophyll as a measure of phytoplankton biomass), zooplankton and benthos--are first-line response indicators of water quality and important players in the Bay's trophic scheme. The CBP Water Quality and Biomonitoring Programs were begun in mid 1984 and are currently ongoing. The data are available to everyone through the web.
TMAW provides products for audiences of various levels of interest and technical need, including raw data, data summaries, interpretive reports, analytical and diagnostic tools. Under TMAW auspices, the data are analyzed and interpreted with several objectives:
- to determine if management actions to restore and enhance the bay are having effect;
- to aid in formulating management recommendations for the future;
- to characterize the present state of water quality and plankton and benthic communities;
- to determine if water quality criteria and standards that protect living resources are being attained;
- to determining long term trends or changes in key water quality indicators and to relate these to specific management actions;
- to better understand linkages and processes in the Bay ecosystem
- to identify early warning signs of new threats to ecosystem health.
In addition, TMAW funds a limited number of targeted research projects relating to these objectives. The workgroup is also responsible for seeing that tidal monitoring programs address new management questions and new Bay Program commitments regarding water quality as they come along.