567—61.11 (455B) Monitoring plan required. Volunteer water quality monitoring data submitted to the department must have been produced in accordance with a department-approved volunteer water quality monitoring plan before the data may be used for any of the purposes listed in Iowa Code section 455B.194. Approval of a plan will establish qualified volunteer status for the personnel identified in the plan for those monitoring activities covered under the plan.
	 61.11(1) Submittal of the plan. Prior to initiation of volunteer water quality monitoring activities intended to produce credible data, a water quality monitoring plan must be submitted to the department for review and approval. The plan must be submitted to the Volunteer Monitoring Coordinator, Department of Natural Resources, Wallace State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319, a minimum of 90 days before planned initiation of volunteer monitoring activities. A letter transmitting the plan must specifically request formal review and approval of the plan and identify a contact person. Volunteer monitors are encouraged to communicate with the department and to attend volunteer monitoring training sessions prior to formal submittal of a plan.
	 61.11(2) Content of the plan. A volunteer monitoring plan must contain, at a minimum, the following to be considered an acceptable volunteer monitoring plan:
	  a.   	 A statement of the intent of the monitoring effort.
	  b.   	 The name(s) of the person or persons that will be involved in data collection or analysis, the specific responsibilities of each person or group of people, and the general qualifications of the volunteers to carry out those responsibilities. For groups, such as educational institutions, it will be acceptable to identify the persons involved by general description (e.g., tenth grade biology class) with the exception of persons in responsible charge.
	  c.   	 The name(s) of the person or persons that will oversee the monitoring plan, ensure that quality assurance and control objectives are being met, and certify the data. The person or persons in responsible charge must have training commensurate with the level of expertise to ensure that credible data is being generated.
	  d.   	 The duration of the volunteer monitoring effort. In general, the department will not approve plans of greater than three years’ duration unless a longer duration is justified.
	  e.   	 Location and frequency of sample collection.
	  f.   	 Methods of data collection and analysis.
	  g.   	 Record keeping and data reporting procedures.
	 61.11(3) Department review of the plan. The department will review monitoring plans and normally approve or disapprove the plan within 90 days of receipt. The department will work with the contact person identified in the plan to make any necessary changes prior to taking formal action. The department will use guidelines contained in the publications EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA QA/R-5, 2001) and Volunteer Monitor’s Guide to Quality Assurance Project Plans (1966, EPA 841-B-96-003) or equivalent updates to determine if the plans provide adequate quality assurance and quality control measures. Approval or disapproval of the plan will be in the form of a letter and approval may include conditions or limitations.
	 61.11(4) Changes in monitoring plans. The department must approve any changes to an approved monitoring plan. Data collected under a modified plan will not be considered credible data until such time as the department has approved the modifications. Modifications to an approved plan should be submitted at the earliest possible time to avoid interruptions in data collection and to ensure continuity of data.
	 61.11(5) Appeal of disapproval. If a monitoring plan submitted for approval is disapproved, the decision may be appealed by filing an appeal with the director within 30 days of disapproval. The form of the notice of appeal and appeal procedures are governed by 567—Chapter 7.