NERRS' System-Wide Monitoring Program

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) collects a wealth of data from estuaries across the county through the System-wide Monitoring Program (SWMP). As part of SWMP, the 27 Reserves collect physical, chemical water quality, nutrient, and weather data every 30 minutes at more than 100 locations. Data are available beginning in 1995, allowing for long-term comparisons. Recent advances in technology allow NERRS to present water quality and weather data from throughout NERRS on the web almost instantly, in "real-time". NERRS is currently expanding SWMP to include monitoring of biological parameters (like invertebrate and plant populations) and tracking changes in land use through remote sensing.

SWMP can be used to identify patterns and trends in parameters over time. Additionally, SWMP data sets complement, and can be used with, many other data sets, including the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS). SWMP data is recognized as an important component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System and can be accessed and manipulated at the Centralized Data Management Office website.

Using SWMP data, teachers can deliver important lessons about valuable estuarine, coastal, and ocean systems, thereby improving ocean literacy. Teachers can bring subjects to life for students by using archived and real-time estuarine data to teach basic subjects such as math, science, and technology. In addition, by working with data sets, students can gain experience in using the scientific method to investigate questions. For example, using estuarine data, students can explain differences in dissolved oxygen concentrations in the Chesapeake Bay (on the Atlantic coast) and the San Francisco Bay (on the Pacific coast) at various times of the year. In another example, students might use data to graph the change in water level and habitat type in a Mississippi estuary before, during, and after a hurricane and discover the effects storms have on coastal ecosystems. The Estuaries 101 curriculum currently being developed will incorporate both SWMP and CBIBS data into lessons and activities, providing robust and meaningful lessons that allow students to develop a deep understanding of complex concepts.