System Wide Monitoring Program
Water Quality Monitoring Water Quality Monitoring

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) is part of a national network of 28 reserves that are representative of a variety of biogeographically important estuarine ecosystems throughout the coastal U.S. Collectively, these NERR sites provide unique opportunities to address research questions and coastal issues on a national scale. The reserves are united in their research efforts through the System Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP).

SWMP was developed to nationally standardize long-term monitoring programs across all reserves. Currently the standardized long-term environmental monitoring efforts include water quality, water nutrients, and meteorology. Data collection, data quality assurance and control, and data archival are all standardized methods. Data are available at - http://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu
 
Research
Specialized Data Loggers Long-Term Environmental Monitoring

Rookery Bay is continuously conducting long-term environmental monitoring to better understand natural processes and human impacts within estuaries. By monitoring water quality and nutrients and weather, researchers can track short-term variability and long-term changes in environmental conditions. Water quality (at 4 sites) and weather (at 1 site) data are recorded every 15 minutes using specialized equipment for extended deployment. Water nutrients are sampled on a monthly basis using a “grab” method at the 4 water quality sites and a dielmethod at 1 of the water quality sites.

Regional Application:

Results from long-term environmental data collection provide essential information to improve water management policies and to guide restoration plans. Additionally data can be linked with other long-term biological monitoring projects or short-term research projects within the reserve.

National Application:

Collectively, the NERR SWMP data can be used to investigate the effects of global warming and sea level rise on coastal systems across the U.S.
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3 Year Water Study

Rookery Bay Reserve Awarded $815,000 Grant For 3-Year Water Study
New Grant Awarded
Rookery Bay was selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to receive $815,000 for a water use and allocation study in collaboration with engineers and other scientists. Twenty-eight Research Reserves around the nation were invited to apply for this grant. Of 19 proposals submitted, seven were funded including RBNERR’s proposal.
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Real-Time Data

CDMO

Real Time Water Quality and Weather Data
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Sample Field Activities

Tortoise

Water Quality
· Nutrient Sampling
· Data Logger Switch

Fisheries
· Juvenile Fish Survey
· Shark Survey

Birds
· Cape Romano Count
· ABC Islands Count

Turtle Monitoring
· Sea Oat Island
· Cape Romano