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This data layer contains information regarding how and where surface water quality in Manatee County is monitored. Ambient surface water quality monitoring in Manatee County waters is accomplished through two Manatee County water quality monitoring programs; the Regional Ambient Monitoring Program (RAMP) for Manatee County's estuarine waters, and the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) for its inland freshwaters. The RAMP sample collection locations were chosen based on a stratified random sampling design developed by the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). The sample design protocol was modified to subdivide the estuarine segments of Manatee County into equal-sized hexagonal polygons. A random number generator was utilized to choose RAMP sampling locations within forty-eight (48) of the hexagonal polygons generated by the EMAP protocol. The forty-eight (48) RAMP sample collection locations were further subdivided into three tiers (aka cycles), with each tier (16 samples) collected on a quarterly (i.e., every 3 month) basis. For additional geographic reference purposes, the RAMP sampling locations have been subdivided into North and South estuarine regions, with the mouth of the Manatee River being the approximate dividing line. The SWAMP sample collection locations were selected to monitor water quality in major freshwater rivers, streams and tributaries draining Manatee County. The SWAMP locations are sampled monthly and are located (typically) near the mouth of the monitored stream/tributary. The SWAMP also contains a subset of sampling locations located within the Braden River watershed, upstream of (and including) the Evers Reservoir. Water quality data collected from the sampling station locations included in this data layer are uploaded to the State of Florida's STORET (data storage and retrieval) system on a regular basis and can be downloaded from the Manatee County Water Atlas (http://www.manatee.wateratlas.usf.edu/). |