NJDEP Beach Monitoring System

1
NJDEP Beach Monitoring System

• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

2
NJ Beach Monitoring System

• System allows local coordinators to upload
  sampling results into system via the Internet
  data entry screens or through PDA sync.
• Laboratories add sample results to data records
  via website.
• System recommends action for agency officials
  (e.g. closures) from results
• Posting determinations are immediately available
  on NJDEP and Earth 911 websites.
• Citizens, lifeguards, other stakeholders receive
  immediate email alerts of closures/advisories via
  opt-in.
• Results are immediately available for BEACH Data
  Flow.

3
Typical Beach monitoring Process

• Trained staff members collect water samples in
  sterile bottles according to specific guidelines.
  
• Sampling staff members wade into the surf zone
  and collect water using a long pole with a sample
  bottle attached to the end.
• The time, date, weather conditions, and location
  of collection are recorded on a log sheet and
  data entered later. Now they will enter this
  information directly into a handheld.
• The sample bottles are immediately capped and
  placed into an ice chest for preservation. They
  are taken to a lab for analysis within 6 hours.
• The Lab performs the analysis and enters results
  directly into website.
• State health care agencies review the results of
  these tests, and if the data indicates a problem,
  posts an advisory or closes the beach depending
  on the extent of the problem. Signs are posted
  near the location where the contamination was
  detected so that you will know that it is not
  safe to swim. When the results of testing
  indicate a contamination problem, the responsible
  agency may increase the sampling frequency until
  the contamination dissipates or the source point
  is determined.

4
Login Screen

• The Login Form is the initial form of the
  application. Each application user is issued a
  username and password (this is the same username
  and password and the online version of the data
  entry forms). The user enters this information
  on this screen, which will allow them to enter
  the application and begin entering data. To
  reduce the amount of keystrokes a user needs, a
  dropdown list of usernames is provided.

5
Sample Option Form

• The Sampling Option Form is the second form of
  the application and appears directly after a
  successful login. This form allows the user to
  select whether the sample being taken is the
  initial Field Data entry, the Resample Field
  Data, or the Repeated Resample Field Data. This
  option determines which elements data is
  collected for.

6
Municipality Form

• The Municipality Form follows the Sampling Option
  Form. Once a sampling option has been selected,
  it is time for the user to indicate which
  Municipality they wish to test in. The form
  contains a drop down list of municipalities, each
  municipality containing a separate list of
  monitoring point locations.

7
Street/Location Form

• The Street / Location Form brings up monitoring
  points for data to be entered based on the
  municipality selected on the previous form. Each
  municipality has different monitoring point
  locations or streets associated with it. The
  drop down allows the user to select which station
  to enter the data for.

8
Field Data Form

• Different monitoring stations have different data
  elements associated with them, which means that
  some stations collect different information.
  This is also contingent upon the sampling option,
  as the second and third sampling options often
  carry more data elements. Data elements are
  things like wind direction, wind speed, air
  temperature, etc.
• The only data elements that are required are Date
  and Time Sampled.
• For convenience, you can click the label under
  date or time to insert the date or time into the
  input box.
• Depending upon which station data is being
  entered for similar forms may follow the initial
  Field Data Form. If you forget to include Date
  or Time Sampled, a reminder will appear on the
  screen when the Continue button is clicked.

9
Wind Speed/Beaufort Scale Form

• The Wind Speed Form is another data element form,
  although it is slightly different from the other
  data element forms. It provides a drop down list
  of possible wind speeds for the user to input.
  If those arent helpful, wind speed can also be
  determined by use of the Beaufort Scale Forms.
  By selecting either the Land or Sea option, a
  form will display which lists various wind
  speeds, their force classification, and simple
  descriptions on how to determine the correct wind
  speed.

10
Completing the Field Entry

• Once the user reaches a form that contains a
  button reading Save, all of the data input by the
  user will be stored into an XML file. The Data
  Saved Form then appears on the screen. This
  screen tells the user that the data has been
  successfully saved to the file. It also allows
  the user to either continue entering data, or to
  exit the program.

11
Beach Monitoring System Architecture
12
Citrix Program Neighborhood
13
County Website Menu
14
Laboratory Entry via Website
15
Health Risk Determination
16
(No Transcript)
17
Earth 911 Web Site Location View
18
Earth 911 Web Site Monitored Station View
19
Earth 911 Web Site Station/Access View
20
NJ BMS Implementation

• System is currently being tested.
• We will distribute and train county officials
  April 13th.
• Data collectors will use PDAs for input at point
  of data collection this coming season. (Mid-May
  to Mid-September).
• NJDEP will flow data to EPA
• NJBMS is being offered to any state at no cost.