Volunteer River Monitoring

Program (VRMP)

Introduction
Contacts
History
Publications
Data
Links

Introduction

In 2009, the DEP launched a statewide volunteer river monitoring program (VRMP). The VRMP is a network of volunteer groups participating in quality-assured river and stream sampling. The program operates under a program-level Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP). Individual volunteer groups develop Sampling and Analysis plans to tailor the program-level QAPP to their specific project goals. As part of the program, VRMP staff provide annual trainings and certification, guidance about data quality objectives, technical support and assistance, data storage in DEP's Environmental and Geographic Analysis Database (EGAD), and annual reports.

History

DEP began work to establish a statewide volunteer monitoring program in 2004 because of the lack of standardization among volunteer monitoring groups and centralized access to data. In addition, a 2007 report assessed the need for a statewide citizen-based monitoring program and demonstrated the benefits of such an initiative. If you would like a copy of this report, "Citizen Stewardship and Monitoring for Clean Water in Maine", please contact program staff.

Contacts

Mary-Ellen Dennis (Program Coordinator) - (207) 215-7946
Volunteer River Monitoring Program
Maine DEP
17 State House Station
Augusta ME 04333-0017

VRMP Publications

• Field Datasheets and Data Submission Templates
• QAPP-Quality Assurance Project Plan and SOPs-Standard Operating Procedures
• Stream Survey Manual
• VRMP Data Reports

Data

• Bowdoin College
  Maine Watershed Web - Environmental database managed by Bowdoin College.
  
  
• Maine Department of Environmental Protection
  Science and Data Page - A wide array of data types available from MDEP.
  Rivers & Streams - Biomonitoring Maps and Data
  
  
• Gulf of Maine and its watershed
  Knowledge Base. (off-site) Catalog of datasets and documents for the Gulf of Maine.
  
  
• U. S. Geological Survey (Maine region)
  U.S. Geological Survey (Maine region) - The Maine water science center.
  
  
• Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
  Seacoast Watershed Information Manager - Provides tools and information to guide sustainable management of your community's water resources.

Links