System-Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program (SWAMP)

The System Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program (SWAMP) was incorporated by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) as a means of long-term monitoring to meet the needs of the state’s coastal protection and restoration plans. Alongside the Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) Program and the Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS), SWAMP was implemented as the water quality monitoring variable to enhance ecosystem modelers perspective on the health and ecosystem dynamics of coastal Louisiana. The data collection from these long-term monitoring programs has supported the design, implementation, and adaptive management of existing restoration projects and future projects designed through Louisiana’s Comprehensive Master Plan for a sustainable coast. 
Since the inception of SWAMP in October 2015, ENCOS has been an integral component to the current success of the program. Initially contracted under Moffatt & Nichol through their Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Environmental Consulting Services IDIQ contract to collect monthly water samples and discrete water quality data, ENCOS, in partnership with CPRA, developed a Quality Assurance Plan, field sample collection procedures, and selected a Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) approved laboratory for analyte analysis allowing the SWAMP to grow coastwide across Louisiana. Since the inception of the SWAMP monthly water quality sampling in the fall of 2015 through the 2020-year ENCOS has ensured a 100% success rate from now over 120 monthly water quality stations. 
ENCOS has held a close partnership with the Coastal Estuary Services, LLC (CES) team in tackling the data collection efforts for SWAMP since the fall of 2015. The SWAMP originated as the Barataria Basin pilot program, where in conjunction with CPRA, ENCOS, and CES implemented the sampling protocols and laboratory analysis to ensure accurate water quality data across the Barataria Basin. In the fall of 2016 SWAMP expanded its water quality monitoring into the Breton Sound and Pontchartrain Basins. In the fall of 2020 ENCOS and CES expanded SWAMP westward to the Texas border, now including all coastal Louisiana hydrologic basins except for the Mississippi River Delta Basin. 
ach month, water quality parameters are measured across a depth profile at 1- or 2-foot intervals and include temperature °C, specific conductivity (us/cm), salinity (ppt), dissolved oxygen (DO), and turbidity (NTU). Discrete water samples are collected at mid depth with a Van Dorn type sampler and are processed for laboratory analysis at the Louisiana State University Wetland Biogeochemistry Analytical Services Laboratory located in Baton Rouge, LA. Grab water samples are analyzed for total suspended solids (TSS), total volatile solids (TVS), chlorophyll a, and nutrient analysis including total nitrogen (TN), nitrate + nitrite (N+N), ammonium (NH4), total phosphorus (TP), orthophosphate (PO4), and silica (SiO2). After receiving the QA’d lab analyses, the results are populated into Excel spreadsheets. The data goes through Quality Assistance/Quality Control (QA/QC) protocols developed for the CIMS database. Once approved by the QA/QC officer the data is then uploaded to CPRA’s ftp site. CPRA then reviews the data and will publish the data for public use. 
ENCOS and CES work diligently to ensure that all data were collected and has supported multiple prime contractor teams maintain the integrity of this program. ENCOS has a successful long working history with CPRA collecting data dating back to 2002. In the last quarter of 2020 ENCOS submitted a proposal as a prime contractor for SWAMP. In June 2021 ENCOS, a Hudson Company, was notified by CPRA that ENCOS was selected as the prime contractor for the SWAMP project. ENCOS continues to support and consult with CPRA to maintain the integrity and continuity of the data collected. ENCOS’ team has worked together for the last two years and remains committed to providing high quality data to CPRA.