Incorporating Exposure Risk into Monitoring Approaches

This panel style session at the National Monitoring Conference will focus on incorporating exposure risk into water quality monitoring approaches. Water quality monitoring provides a foundation for restoring and protecting water resources. Robust data and information help states, territories, Tribes and the greater public to understand water quality condition to prioritize activities that mitigate the impacts of pollutants, flow alteration and habitat modification on watershed and public health. This session aims to expand the ways in which we consider exposure risk in water quality monitoring. Speakers will showcase examples of how these efforts contribute to broader watershed management plans and strategies that prioritize exposure risk; how volunteer data are collected and used to inform water quality assessment processes; and how increased outreach and engagement practices are contributing to water quality successes.

Impact/Purpose

The environmental problem addressed by the panel discussion is incorporating exposure risk into water quality monitoring. Panelists will speak about their organization's efforts to consider exposure risk when prioritizing monitoring activities and ways to improve watershed and public health. The long term importance of the panel discussion is about speakers sharing lessons learned and ways that the conference participants can apply similar considerations of exposure risk into their own water programs. The panel discussion will be of interest to many attendees of the National Monitoring Conference, which is a national forum for federal, state, Tribal and local water professionals, nonprofits, academia, water consultants and industry, and volunteer scientists.

Citation

Lee, S. Incorporating Exposure Risk into Monitoring Approaches. National Monitoring Conference, Green Bay, WI, March 10 - 14, 2025.