In 1999, the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) was proposed in California Assembly Bill (AB) 982 to integrate existing water quality monitoring activities of the State Water Resources Control Board and its nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards. SWAMP is a statewide monitoring effort designed to assess the conditions of surface waters throughout California. Ambient monitoring is a technique used to examine the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the environment. Data are collected to answer specific questions about the status and trends of those characteristics as they relate to water quality.
The OSPR Laboratory Program (OLP) staff receive, prepare, and complete requested chemical analyses of water, sediment, and tissue samples. The staff follow Standard Operating Procedures and Quality Assurance guidelines to provide a consistent science-based framework for the evaluation of monitoring data relative to state and regional standards
OLP staff report data to the SWAMP database. After final review of data entered into the SWAMP database, results are reported into the California Environmental Data Exchange Network (CEDEN). The CEDEN database allows for results to be publicly shared so findings can be used for other water quality projects.