The Ambient Groundwater Monitoring Network was established in
1983. It is a cooperative program under the direction of NJDEP
and USGS. The original objective of the program was to determine
the spatial variation of water quality as a function of rock type.
More recently, the objective has been modified to characterize
groundwater quality as a function of upgradient land use and to
determine groundwater impacts on surface water quality.
Twenty-two stations are sampled annually for dissolved elements (including
metals), dissolved nutrients and volatile organic carbon (VOC's).
Because groundwater quality tends to be much more stable than
surface water quality, new sites continue to be monitored instead
of re-sampling existing sites. Network data is available from
the following sources: the USGS computerized data system,
NWISWeb (National Water Information System), and USGS's annual reports Water Resources Data- New Jersey.
Since NJDEP initiated its watershed approach to water resources
management, this monitoring network has focused its activities
in watershed management areas under intensive review by the DEP.
Meeting the groundwater subgoals /objectives of the National Environmental Performance Partnership System (NEPPS) agreement
requires data on groundwater concentrations of nitrates, metals
and VOC's which is available from this program's database
