Developing a web-based benthic macroinvertebrate data management system for the Puget Sound Region

Aquatic macroinvertebrates are good indicators of stream quality and watershed health and many jurisdictions and organizations in the Puget Sound Region conduct annual stream biomonitoring programs centered on macroinvertebrates.  Beginning in 2007 five jurisdictions came together to address shortcomings in data management, data sharing, and data analysis tools to create a web-based system for managing and analyzing stream benthos data (http://www.pugetsoundstreambenthos.org/).  Released in August 2008, this system has enhanced data sharing, access, and comparability across the region, improved data documentation, consistency and repeatability, enabled direct loading of taxonomic information, and expedited and broadened data analysis capabilities while maintaining data ownership with the collection entity.  Ongoing work includes loading historical data, increasing analysis options and reporting outputs, and expanding the system to include data from additional agencies.