Bureau of Freshwater & Biological Monitoring

• Macroinvertebrates: Ambient Macroinvertebrate Network (AMNET) for macroinvertebrate sampling, identification and analysis for stream quality assessment.
• Fish: Fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI): fish sampling, identification and analysis for river and stream quality.
• Fish: Headwaters Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI): fish sampling, identification and analysis for headwater stream quality.
• Fish Tissue Monitoring in lakes and rivers in cooperation with DEP’s Division of Science and Research.
• Didymo occurrence and prevention in NJ streams. (Webinar)

• Rivers and Streams: Operation of the Rivers and Streams Chemical/Physical Monitoring Program which is responsible for statewide chemical/physical monitoring and discharge measurement projects in freshwater rivers and streams.
• Lakes: Administration of the NJDEP Lake Monitoring Network (includes biological component – chlorophyll a, and monitoring of Harmful Algae Blooms and cyantoxins).
• Groundwater Quality Monitoring: Statewide chemical/physical monitoring of 150 shallow groundwater wells.

Summer Bacteriological Program: The Summer Ambient Surface Water Bacteriological Monitoring Program samples between the months of May and September, (5 times within 30 days) with sampling support from county health departments and through DEP’s County Environmental Health Act (CEHA) Program to assess primary contact recreation criteria using E. Coli.

BFBM has onsite lab facilities which perform macroinvertebrate, fish and salamander identification, and chlorophyll a. Additionally, laboratory analyses are performed for Harmful Algal Bloom cyanobacteria identification, cell counts and cyanotoxins.

Sampling and laboratory analysis for cyanobacterial HABs in lakes, rivers and streams.

Try out the latest version of BFBM’s Data Inventory! If you have any feedback on this interactive mapping application, please email leigh.lager@dep.nj.gov