Develop a cooperative monitoring program. 



The goals of the monitoring cooperative or committee 

 will be to: 



at Design a comprehensive ambient water quality and 

 biological monitoring program that provides the 

 sampling procedures, analytical methods, and 

 quality control needed to satisfy all partici- 

 pants' requirements. 



b. Reduce overall monitoring costs. 



c. Provide baseline data that can be supplemented with 

 project-specific investigations. 



The monitoring program should: 



• define goals and objectives 



• define how the data will be stored and used by 

 the participants 



• identify the specific monitoring needs of the 

 Clark Fork and eliminate duplicative or 

 nonessential monitoring 



• identify data needed to meet monitoring 

 objectives 



• describe the following program components: 



-sampling station 

 -sampling frequency 

 -sampling techniques 

 -analytical techniques 

 -quality assurance program 

 -data analysis and storage 



• estimate annual costs associated with the 

 monitoring needs 



• define appropriate mechanisms for funding 



• define the appropriate role for each 

 participant in implementing the program 



• recommend a structure and cooperative 

 agreement to manage the monitoring program, 

 including a schedule of periodic meetings to 

 review and interpret data and to make 

 necessary adjustments in the program 



5-20 



