Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Environmental Quality
Board
Department of Environmental Quality

General Notice
Announcing the Availability of the 2016 Water Quality Monitoring Plan
Date Posted: 2/1/2016
Expiration Date: 3/2/2016
Submitted to Registrar for publication: NO
No comment forum defined for this notice.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) is announcing the availability of the 2016 Water Quality Monitoring Plan (MonPlan).  The MonPlan is now available on the agency’s website at the following link: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityMonitoring/AnnualWaterQualityMonitoringPlan.aspx.

A map view of the 2016 MonPlan is available through VADEQ’s VEGIS viewer at the following link:  http://www.deq.virginia.gov/mapper_ext/default.aspx?service=public/wimby&bg=National%20Geographic%20World%20Map&lon=-77.49351120109026&lat=37.53364831964305&scale=288895&vis=[{"name":"public/wimby","vis":[9]}]

BACKGROUND:  Every year, VADEQ staff from the agency’s six regional offices collects water samples on a routine schedule at more than 1,000 locations across the Commonwealth. These water samples are shipped to a state laboratory for chemical and bacterial tests.  VADEQ's scientists also perform on-the-spot field measurements (for dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and salinity), conduct assessments of benthic macroinvertebrate communities to assess the ecological health of freshwater streams, rivers, and estuaries, and collect samples from the mud at the bottom of lakes and estuaries to test for the presence of toxics, pesticides and other harmful compounds.  The agency’s various monitoring activities for each calendar year are outlined in the annual statewide water quality monitoring plan (MonPlan).  The 2016 MonPlan summarizes VADEQ’s water quality monitoring activities to be conducted from January 1 through December 31, and is developed for the purpose of implementing the goals and objectives of VADEQ’s 2013 Water Quality Monitoring Strategy (Note1).  This water quality information is presented in compliance with the Virginia Water Quality Monitoring, Information, and Restoration Act (§ 62.1-44.19:5) to help ensure public awareness of water quality issues and conditions.  The MonPlan contains detailed information on VADEQ’s monitoring activities including the station locations, specific conditions, frequency of monitoring and costs.  A station list by county identifies the specific sample site of each station including important data helpful when using U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps or state watershed boundary maps.

CONTACTS FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Requests for more information on the 2016 MonPlan on VADEQ’s 2013 Water Monitoring Strategy can be directed to Roger E. Stewart at 804-698-4449 or Roger.Stewart@deq.virginia.gov.  Additional information is also available on the VADEQ Water Quality Monitoring website at the following location http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityMonitoring.aspx

CITIZEN NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2017 MONPLAN:  Citizens can nominate portions of lakes, streams, and rivers of Virginia for water quality monitoring by VADEQ.  Nominations received between January 1 and April 29, 2016 will be considered for inclusion in VADEQ’s 2017 MonPlan.  More information on the Citizen Nomination Process is available on VADEQ’s Citizen Monitoring website at the following location http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityMonitoring/CitizenMonitoring/FollowupMonitoring.aspx, or by contacting Mr. Stuart Torbeck at (804) 698-4461 or Charles.Torbeck@deq.virginia.gov.

(Note 1): The 2013 Water Quality Monitoring Strategy is available on VADEQ’s website at the following link:  http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityMonitoring/DEQsWaterQualityMonitoringStrategy.aspx


Contact Information
Name / Title: Roger E. Stewart   / Monitoring Specialist
Address: Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 1105
Richmond, 23218
Email Address: Roger.Stewart@deq.virginia.gov
Telephone: (804)698-4449    FAX: ()-    TDD: ()-