The Monitoring programme is an initiative of W&Z and initiated in 1995 to increase and update the knowledge of the ecosystem in the Zeeschelde. Since then, researchers on a monthly basis measure the quality of the Zeeschelde and side rivers. They sail the tide dependent part of the Zeeschelde, Rupel, Nete and Dijle and take (water)samples on about twenty locations. These samples are tested on 20 parameters, like oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and phosphor, but also photosynthesis and plankton. This results in valuable information about the evolution in ecological state of this tidal river.

The monitoring in the OMES campaigns consists of 2 different samplings: the OMES monitoring and the VMM monitoring. Within the framework of MONEOS, the OMES data collection was analysed. There appeared to be a large overlay between OMES and VMM parameters, but techniques were somewhat different. OMES was sampling tide independent, VMM sampled tide dependent. To create a more efficient, integrated monitoring, a collaboration between VMM and OMES was necessary. Since 2009, the overlap in measurements for water quality was cleared. Both institutes now work together for the monitoring and the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) connects the data of VMM to the OMES database, so that it can be used to analyze water quality in the Scheldt. In the first campaigns of the month the water quality of the boundaries is measured by VMM, OMES is responsible for the extra campaigns during summer.

Three days a year, on 3 locations in the Scheldt (Kruibeke, Terhagen (Rumst), Schoonaarde (Dendermonde)), 13-hour campaigns are organised. The purpose of these campaigns is to monitor waterquality-, sedimentation-, phytoplankton- and current cycles during a tide.
Annually, a 4 hour-campaign is also executed around the GGG at Lippenbroek.

OMES already largely followed the guidelines in MONEOS. Occasionally, the program had temporal and spatial problems, like when the Rupel was badly sampled and when the sampling frequency during summer was insufficient to monitor the algal blooms.

From January 2009 on, several adaptations were made.

1. Every monitoring campaign is divided into 3 sampling days: Monday (lower Zeescheldt), Tuesday (Rupel) and Wednesday (upper Zeescheldt). In the table, an overview of all stations is given.

    

1. Day 1: Lower Zeeschelde: departure in Antwerp, until station Grens, and back to Temse.
2. Day 2: Rupel: Departure in Boom, upstream to Dijle and Nete. Downstream until Rupelmonde and Baasrode
3. Day 3: Upper Zeeschelde: departure at Dendermonde, upstream until Melle.
4. In summer (from april/may to September): frequency of measurements are raised from once per month to twice a month, as to better map algae blooms and other biological phenomena.