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System-wide Monitoring Program

Synthesis of the Water Quality Data
Acknowledgements

Assembling this synthesis of NERR SWMP water quality data was challenging and, in many respects, a testimonial to the benefits of the NERR System as a whole. First and foremost, putting together the synthesis was a team effort and depended upon the contributions of many. Second, in spite of a huge amount of data, the synthesis was completed nearly on schedule. Lastly, the synthesis team was comprised of a number of bright, energetic and dedicated people, without whom this project would never have been completed. It is these people that we wish to thank at this time.

George Riekerk, Denise Sanger, Tim Snoots (SCDNR) and Tammy Smalls and Dwayne Porter (CDMO) made numerous contributions during the start-up phase of this project, most notably the development of the MS Access database used to verify, store and query data for subsequent analyses. Between fall 1999 and spring 2000, approximately 90% of the data evaluated in this synthesis were imported into the Access database. Complications with the remaining 10% of data were addressed and ultimately resolved, thanks to the efforts of Mark Thompson and David Gillett (both SCDNR). Because of the efforts of all these individuals, this project remained on schedule.

We would like to thank the members of an expert panel who met in Charleston, SC, in November 1999 to provide guidance in fine-tuning the direction of this synthesis project. Members of the Expert Panel included Dennis Allen (University of South Carolina/ North Inlet-Winyah Bay NERR), Walter Boynton (University of Maryland Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Chesapeake Bay Laboratory), Loren Coen (South Carolina Marine Resources Research Institute), John Grego (University of South Carolina), Todd Hopkins (Florida Department of Environmental Protection/ Rookery Bay NERR), Richard Langan (University of New Hampshire/ Great Bay NERR), Chris Nietch (University of South Carolina), George Riekerk (South Carolina Marine Resources Research Institute), Steve Ross (North Carolina NERR), Denise Sanger (South Carolina Marine Resources Research Institute), Tammy Smalls (Centralized Data Management Office) and Kevin Summers (United States Environmental Protection Agency).

Similarly, we would also like to thank Dwight Trueblood (CICEET) and Laurie McGilvray (NOAA ERD) for their insights and assistance. Lastly, we wish to thank all of the NERR Research staff for their support of this project, particularly with respect to contributing to and reviewing site characterization summaries and completing and returning the site attribute surveys.