DE Inland Bays Citizen Monitoring

In April 1991, the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program established the Inland Bays Citizen Monitoring Program. The idea was to enlist area volunteers in collecting badly needed water quality data on Rehoboth, Indian River, and Little Assawoman Bays. Delaware's Inland Bays designated a "National Estuary" by the United States Congress in recognition of their environmental and economic significance are suffering from a variety of pollution problems.

    The goals of the Inland Bays Citizen Monitoring Program are twofold. First, we strive to collect verifiable water quality data to be used to support public policy decisions with regard to the management of the Inland Bays. Second, we attempt to increase public participation and support for the protection and management of these resources. The data collected by the Inland Bays Citizen Monitoring Program is used to determine and evaluate seasonal and other temporal trends in the water quality of the Inland Bays.

  Coastal tide zones, reefs, saltwater marshes, and wetlands, bays, and estuaries are all under great pressure from increasing pollution. Diverse use and increased demand for water has put enormous stress on our water supply, its quality and the aquatic life and habitat it sustains. Every day, more of us become aware of how pollution (both point and nonpoint source) effects aquatic life and water quality. The ever-increasing impacts of human activities upon our aquatic resources have spurred a sense of stewardship as never before.

    In a development stimulated by the public's increased ecological consciousness, many lay people are volunteering to aid scientists looking for ways to save polluted ecosystems and disappearing species. This is a trend made all the more urgent because of federal and state cutbacks to environmental agencies. Individuals, community groups and government agencies are now working together to restore and protect our fragile environment.

    Across the country, private citizens are learning about water quality issues and helping protect our Nation's water resources by becoming volunteer water quality monitors. This stewardship ethic has brought people together as a group making a positive impact on the quality of our water and environment.




In April 1991, the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program established the Inland Bays Citizen Monitoring Program. The idea was to enlist area volunteers in collecting badly needed water quality data on Rehoboth, Indian River, and Little Assawoman Bays. Delaware's Inland Bays designated a "National Estuary" by the United States Congress in recognition of their environmental and economic significance are suffering from a variety of pollution problems. The goals of the Inland Bays Citizen Monitoring Program are twofold. First, we strive to collect verifiable water quality data to be used to support public policy decisions with regard to the management of the Inland Bays. Second, we attempt to increase public participation and support for the protection and management of these resources. The data collected by the Inland Bays Citizen Monitoring Program is used to determine and evaluate seasonal and other temporal trends in the water quality of the Inland Bays. Coastal tide zones, reefs, saltwater marshes, and wetlands, bays, and estuaries are all under great pressure from increasing pollution. Diverse use and increased demand for water has put enormous stress on our water supply, its quality and the aquatic life and habitat it sustains. Every day, more of us become aware of how pollution (both point and nonpoint source) effects aquatic life and water quality. The ever-increasing impacts of human activities upon our aquatic resources have spurred a sense of stewardship as never before. In a development stimulated by the public's increased ecological consciousness, many lay people are volunteering to aid scientists looking for ways to save polluted ecosystems and disappearing species. This is a trend made all the more urgent because of federal and state cutbacks to environmental agencies. Individuals, community groups and government agencies are now working together to restore and protect our fragile environment. Across the country, private citizens are learning about water quality issues and helping protect our Nation's water resources by becoming volunteer water quality monitors. This stewardship ethic has brought people together as a group making a positive impact on the quality of our water and environment.
Please submit comments or questions to: Joseph Farrell, Program Manager, jfarrell@udel.edu, or Edward Whereat, Volunteer Coordinator, whereat@udel.edu
	Inland Bays Citizen Monitoring Program c/o University of Delaware, SGMAS 700 Pilttown Road, Lewes, DE 19958 (302) 645-4250