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!