Monitoring Guidance for Determining the Effectiveness of Nonpoint Source Controls

This nonpoint source monitoring and evaluation guide is written for use by both those who monitor and those who evaluate and fund monitoring proposals. 

The 1997 guidance focuses on monitoring to determine the effectiveness of nonpoint source controls at the watershed and practice levels. A short overview of monitoring design options is followed by detailed sections on biological monitoring, statistical data analysis methods, and quality assurance and control. 

The updated guide: Monitoring and Evaluating Nonpoint Watershed Projects was published May 2016. 

• Cover and Table of Contents (pdf) (330.3 KB)
• Chapter 1. Overview of the Nonpoint Source Problem (pdf) (3.92 MB)
• Chapter 2. Developing a Monitoring Plan (pdf) (2.24 MB)
• Chapter 3. Biological Monitoring of Aquatic Communitites (pdf) (1.17 MB)
• Chapter 4. Data Analysis (pdf) (8.17 MB)
• Chapter 5. Quality Assurance and Quality Control (pdf) (528.76 KB)
• References (pdf) (172.83 KB)
• Appendix A. Review of Available Monitoring Guidances (pdf) (993.17 KB)
• Appendix B. Data Sources (pdf) (210.86 KB)
• Appendix C. Example Monitoring Programs (pdf) (3.11 MB)
• Appendix D. Statistical Tables (pdf) (12.64 MB)