Importance of Quality Assurance

Volunteer Monitoring SummitOctober 1, 2004

Todd W. Kratzer, P.E. NJ Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Watershed Management

Quality Assurance

What is Quality Assurance?

Why do we need a QA Plan?

Who should develop a QA Plan?

Other Applications of QA Plans

Estimating Program Costs Revealing Safety Concerns Assisting Future or Concurrent Programs

Programs Without a QA Plan:Problems, what problems?

• Is this the right sampling location?

• What do we monitor for at this site?

• I thought YOU brought the sampling equipment...

• It’s raining!

• That’s called a what? How do you use it?

• Were’s the clipboard? What goes on the data sheet? Where is everyone today?

• We got half of the sites sampled today and I’m on vacation for the next month…

• It’s still raining!