Water Monitoring Strategy
 The Illinois EPA receives federal funds through the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to conduct various surface and
groundwater monitoring programs. These funds are authorized through
the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA). One of the CWA's goals is to have
all of the nation's waters "fishable and swimmable." To determine
whether that goal is being attained, funds are provided to states to
monitor and assess the quality of their waters.
These "Water Monitoring Strategy" documents identify
the data collection programs, and their associated goals and objectives,
that will be carried out by Illinois EPA. These programs will be conducted
over the next five years in order to answer the question, "What
is the quality of Illinois' waters?"
This strategy addresses Illinois EPA water monitoring programs conducted
within the framework of USEPA guidance developed for state monitoring
and assessment programs. Specifically, this report incorporates USEPA's
recently released guidance entitled, "Elements of a State Water
Monitoring and Assessment Program" (October 2002).
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