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Probabilistic Monitoring

• What is Probabilistic Monitoring?
  

• ProbMon Handouts
  
• ProbMon Reports
  
• ProbMon Presentations
  
• ProbMon Posters
  
• ProbMon Datasheets
  

What is Probabilistic Monitoring?

Probabilistic monitoring (ProbMon) is the sampling of randomly selected stations. These monitoring stations are generated by a computer program that randomly chooses monitoring sites on rivers and streams throughout Virginia. Water quality monitoring stations in Virginia are typically located at bridges. These monitoring stations are known as targeted monitoring sites.

Targeted monitoring has utility for monitoring regulatory compliance of pollution sources, identifying impaired waters, and for tracking local pollution events. However, it is not appropriate to extrapolate results from targeted stations to unsampled watersheds over large geographic areas. Data to answer such questions are best obtained from sample locations chosen so that all streams have an equal chance of being sampled. Consequently, to answer the question "How good is the water quality in Virginia?", a new more comprehensive data set was needed.

In order to address statewide and regional questions about water quality, the Virginia Department of Environmental of Quality (VDEQ) added probabilistic monitoring networks to its estuarine monitoring program in 2000 and its freshwater monitoring program in 2001. This website focuses on the freshwater program. The aim of ProbMon is to provide accurate statewide and regional assessments of the chemical, physical, and biological conditions of Virginia's freshwater resources.

ProbMon Handouts

Virginia's Freshwater Probabilistic Monitoring Program

ProbMon Reports

Using Probabilistic Monitoring Data to Validate the Non-Coastal Virginia Stream Condition Index

2004 Virginia Water Research Symposium - Probabilistic Monitoring Report

Probabilistic Monitoring Section in the 2002 305(b) Report

2001 Probabilistic Monitoring Report

ProbMon Presentations

Using Probabilistic Data to Validate the Non-Coastal Virginia Stream Condition Index (2006)

Probabilistic Monitoring in Virginia: Experiences from the First Five Years (2006)

Probabilistic Monitoring Presentation at the 2004 EPA EMAP Conference

Probabilistic Monitoring Presentation at the 2002 EPA Cacapon Workshop

ProbMon Posters

Assessing the Relationship between Habitat and Biological Communities Using Relative Bed Stability (2007)

The Occurrence and Geospatial Distribution of Toxic Organic Contaminants in a Statewide Stratum (2005)

Fundamentals of the Use of Performance Reference Compounds (PRCs) in Passive Samplers (2005)

Use of Semipermeable Membrane Devices (SPMDs) in a Probabilistic Assessment of Virginia Rivers (2005)

Associations between Biological Metrics, Physical Habitat and Water Chemistry in Virginia's Mountain Ecoregions (2005)

Ecoregional Assessment of Water Quality in Virginia's Non-Tidal Streams (2003)

Probabilistic Monitoring Poster for 2001