Since 1993, MERI has been monitoring the water quality in the lower Meadowlands estuary. Water samples are collected seasonally at 14 predetermined locations in the estuary. MERI scientists are currently conducting the 2016 summer seasonal water quality sampling.  In the field, water samples are analyzed for temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, salinity, and pH. Samples are then brought back to the MERI laboratory for additional analysis.  The monitored parameters are: ammonia, 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, hardness, Total Dissolved Solids, Total Suspended Solids, turbidity, fecal coliforms, chloride, bromide, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, phosphate, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, zinc, manganese, nickel and mercury. The MERI lab is an NJDEP certified laboratory with state of the art instrumentation and past measurements are available to the public through the MERI web page under environmental monitoring.