Anforderungen an die Gestaltung von chemisch-physikalischen Monitoringprogrammen am Rhein

This article is based on the author’s presentation at the colloquium for the 50th anniversary of the ?Arbeitsgemeinschaft Rhein-Wasserwerke (ARW)”, in Cologne, Germany, September 18th, 2007 (Diehl 2007). Five theses are presented to explain the basics of the chemical-physical monitoring programmes for the river Rhine. Thesis 1: Statutory provisions have to be fulfilled. Thesis 2: Planning has to be provided. Thesis 3: Review has to be provided. Thesis 4: Protection of water and population have to be ensured. Thesis 5: Upcoming questions have to be answered. Each thesis is illustrated by examples from the daily work. During the last years, the member states of the International Commission and the German Commission for the Protection of the Rhine made several decisions to make the monitoring programmes fit to these requirements. The International Rhine Monitoring Programme Chemistry guarantees a consistent overview of the water quality of the river, due to the list of parameters, the number of monitoring sites, the rhythms of examinations, and the validation of the raw data by experts. Several methods for an alarm monitoring complete the set of monitoring techniques in order to react in cases of emergency.