SWAMP Banner

SWAMP - Mission

The SWAMP mission is to provide resource managers, decision makers, and the public with timely, high-quality information to evaluate the condition of all waters throughout California. SWAMP accomplishes this through carefully designed, externally reviewed monitoring programs, and by assisting other entities state-wide in the generation of comparable data that can be brought together in integrated assessments that provide answers to current management questions.

SWAMP prioritizes its activities based on the following assumptions:
  • Monitoring at both statewide and regional levels is necessary to protect water quality in California.
  • Monitoring is designed to support a network of information users that include state and local agencies, the regulated community, the interested public, and their elected representatives.
  • Monitoring efforts are prioritized.
  • SWAMP seeks to make the most efficient use of data collected by all Water Board programs, as well as the large amount of data collected by local agencies and the regulated community.
  • SWAMP monitoring evaluates the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the State’s waters.
Assessment Questions

Regardless of scope, all effective monitoring programs are designed to answer specific assessment questions asked by resource managers. SWAMP statewide and Regional monitoring programs are each designed to address one or more of the following assessment questions for defined water body types and beneficial uses:

  • Status: What is the overall quality of California’s surface waters?
  • Trends: What is the pace and direction of change in surface water quality over time?
  • Problem Identification: Which water bodies have water quality problems and which areas are at risk?
  • Diagnostic: What are the causes of water quality problems and where are the sources of those stressors?
  • Evaluation: How effective are clean water projects and programs?

SWAMP - Statewide Planning Documents


2014 SWAMP Review