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Principles of Environmental Monitoring

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Principles of Environmental Monitoring Principles of Environmental Monitoring GEMS Environmental Compliance-ESDM Training Series Senegal, February, 2014 Definition of monitoring Environmental monitoring is BOTH. Purpose: 1. Systematic observation of ! to tell you key environmental clearly and cost- conditions effectively if mitigation is sufficient and effective 2. Systematic verification of mitigation measure Env. Monitoring should be a implementation normal part of project M&E. 2 Monitoring environmental conditions 1. Systematic observation of key environmental conditions = Environmental conditions that: Example: an irrigation correspond to impacts & project may contaminate mitigation measures groundwater. Ground- water quality is monitored. Upon which the project depends for its success Example: A water supply project depends on clean source water. Source water quality is monitored. 3 Monitoring environmental conditions 1. Systematic observation of key environmental conditions Means that environmental indicators are chosen and assessed systematically. indicators Signals of are or proxies for • Environmental health • Ecosystem function For example. 4 Example Indicator: coliform contamination Water quality tests with simple, inexpensive test kit . Human-Use Only Hotel Tap Water ! Well used by humans & animals ! Purple Color = Fecal Coliforms Pink Color = Non-Fecal Coliforms 5 Examples of indicators Environmental components that may be adversely affected by small-scale activities Water Quantity, quality, reliability, Env Health Disease vectors, pathogens accessibility Soils Erosion, crop productivity, Flora Composition and density of fallow periods, salinity, natural vegetation, nutrient concentrations productivity, key species Fauna Populations, habitat Special Key species ecosystems indicators 6 Environmental Indicators: sometimes complicated, often simple Environmental Indicators may require laboratory analysis or specialized equipment & techniques . Testing water for pesticide residues . Automatic cameras on game paths for wildlife census . Etc. But indicators are often VERY SIMPLE. . especially for small-scale activities !. Simple indicators can be more useful and appropriate For example. than more complicated ones! 7 Examples of simple environmental indicators Erosion measurement. Surface sewage contamination Visual inspection behind the latrine Topsoil loss (top) from slopes reveals a upstream in leaking the septic tank watershed (bottom). (top) is assessed What are with a the visual limitations turbidity of this monitor indicator? (bottom). 8 Examples of simple environmental indicators Soil depletion. Visual inspections show fertility gradients within terraces. (Dark green cover indicates healthy soil; yellow cover indicates depletion) Groundwater levels Are measured ! Choose the simplest at shallow indicator that meets your wells with a rope and needs! bucket. 9 Assessing environmental indicators systematically Monitoring often requires SYSTEMATIC measurement of indicators to distinguish the impacts of the activity from other factors Location of 1 measurement 2 Timing & frequency of measurement and often. This requires decisions about: 3 Other factors For example 10 Assessing environmental indicators systematically Example: Water Water quality impacts of agric. processing intake Location 1 Water samples should be taken at the intake, and downstream of seepage pits. Timing & frequency 2 Samples at different locations should be taken Processing facility at the same time. Samples should be taken at high & low flow during Seepage pit the processing season 3 What else? Downstream 11 Assessing environmental indicators systematically Measuring water quality impacts from a point source of pollution (the previous example) is fairly straightforward Often monitoring can be more complicated. Some common monitoring strategies: Monitor the Monitor at actual project, multiple stations/ plus a similar sampling All are intended to non-project area locations help distinguish (a “control”) impacts from NORMAL Do research to VARIABILITY and obtain good other factors baseline data 12 Monitoring: Part 2 Verifying whether or not the 2. Systematic verification of mitigation measures specified by the EMMP have been mitigation measure implemented. This includes implementation = quantifying mitigation: how may staff trained? How many trees planted? This will often not show whether the measures are effective. This is the role of environmental indicators. There are two basic ways to get the information required: For example paper reports & field inspection 13 Ways to quantify implementation of mitigation Field Mitigation measure is: A “Clinic staff shall be trained to inspection. and shall at all times segregate and properly incinerate shows waste is infectious waste.” segregated at point A, but not incinerated at Desk assessment: Clinics are asked to report: point B. B Percentage of staff trained? Spot inspections of waste disposal Mitigation locations carried out? implementation indicators The result of these inspections? 14 Good environmental monitoring. .tell you clearly and cost- effectively if mitigation is sufficient and effective Do no more than needed. Prioritize the most serious impacts & issues Usually requires a combination of: . Environmental conditions indicators . Mitigation implementation indicators Example: ENCAP visual field guides 15 Making Mitigation & Monitoring effective For mitigation and monitoring to be effective, it must be: Targeted. Realistic. Funded. Mitigation M&M must be Funding for M&M measures & achievable within must be adequate indicators must time, resources & over the life of the correspond to capabilities. activity impacts. Considered early. Considered early. Preventive mitigation is If M&M budgets are not usually cheapest and most programmed at the design effective. Prevention must be stage, they are almost always built in at the design stage. inadequate! 16 Mitigation & monitoring in the project lifecycle Mitigation and 1.Implementation of design decisions. monitoring is a Monitoring of construction part of each stage 2. Where required, of any activity. capacity-building for proper operation Construct/ Operate Design Decommission implement (may include handover) (in some cases) 1.Decisions made regarding site and 1. Operating practices implemented technique to 2. Monitoring of: minimize impacts . Operating practices 2.Operating practices . Environmental conditions designed 17 .
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