Environmental monitoring describes the processes and activities used to monitor the quality of the environment in a variety of industries. Environmental monitoring is used in the preparation of environmental impact assessments. All monitoring strategies and programs have reasons and justifications which are often designed to establish the current status of an environment or to establish trends in environmental parameters. In all cases, the results of monitoring will be reviewed, analyzed statistically, and published. The design of a monitoring program must, therefore, have regard to the final use of the data before monitoring starts.
