This February Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Coastal Water Monitoring Program received approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (Maine DEP) for its Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). This approval is the culmination of over three years of concerted effort and coordination to develop specific standards, processes and procedures that ensure high quality data output from the citizen-science led program.

Program coordinators Edwin Green and Robert Jordan spearheaded the effort, which included the development of a 38-page QAPP along with a 14 page associated volunteer manual. The QAPP went through several revisions to achieve the level of detail and oversight required for Maine DEP approval.

The resulting plan defines BRLT’s training program and standard procedures for instrument calibration, environmental observation, and water sample collection. The data collected includes temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity and turbidity. The data collection techniques conform to those used by allied organizations monitoring water quality in estuarial waters along the coast. The uniform methodology makes the data more accessible to scientists and researchers who are working to understand changes in coastal water conditions across Maine.

“Thanks to the hard work and expertise of our water sampling volunteers, we have built a strong and vibrant program over the last five years” says Tracey Hall, BRLT Environmental Educator who oversees the Coastal Water Monitoring Program. “I am so thankful to Edwin Green and Robert Jordan for their painstaking work creating the Quality Assurance Project Plan, and for all of our volunteers who are in the field sampling our region's waters. This work would not be possible without these citizen scientists.”

BRLT is sad to note the recent passing of Edwin Green. In recognition of his crucial role as a founding coordinator of the Coastal Water Monitoring program, BRLT board and staff are pleased to announce that the program will now officially be known as the Edwin J. Green Coastal Water Monitoring program. Ed’s tireless efforts have created an enduring legacy that will benefit the coastal waters of our region, and those who enjoy them, well into the future.

BRLT is currently seeking additional volunteers to assist with the Coastal Water Monitoring program this year. Volunteers generally must be available on a bi-weekly basis from May-October. Those interested in learning more about this program and how to get involved and encouraged to contact Tracey Hall at thall@bbrlt.org