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What is a Monitoring Set?

A monitoring set is a set of fixed locations along a stream or points in a lake. Sites are chosen by the volunteer group that samples them based on land uses that affect water quality. The number of locations depends on the number of potential land use impacts, the size of the watershed, the size of the volunteer group, and funding.

What is a Monitoring Location?

A location in a monitoring set may be "synoptic," "red flag," "biological" or "investigative." Locations are sampled by volunteers working in groups and teams. Samples from synoptic monitoring locations are analyzed in CSI's certified lab for such indicators as nutrients, sediment, bacteria, chloride (salt) and minerals." Samples from "red flag" locations are analyzed by volunteers in the field for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and total hardness." Insects collected from "biological" monitoring locations are analyzed in the CSI lab by volunteers, with technical support from CSI staff as needed. "Investigative" locations are sampled only when seeking to identify the sources of pollutants.

What is a Monitoring Event?

A monitoring event is a date on which a volunteer group collects samples from one type of locations in their monitoring set. A monitoring event is "synoptic" if synoptic locations are sampled, "red flag" if red flag locations are sampled and "biological" if biological locations are sampled. A monitoring event can also include "investigative" locations. A "synoptic" or "red flag" monitoring event is considered "partial" if less than 90% of either location type is sampled.

Oswego River Watershed

Oswego River Watershed Monitoring Region - Volunteer Monitoring Locations

Synoptic-markerSynoptic Investigative-markerInvestigative Redflag-markerRed Flag Biological-markerBiological