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This project was developed as a monitoring program that would address both the deficiencies cited in the 1999 USEPA's Office of Inspector General's Audit Report and the needs of the watershed management and water quality assessment (305(b)/303(d)) programs. This approach comports with the guidance provided in USEPA's publication, "Elements of a State Water Monitoring and Assessment Program," March 2003, which requires that states develop and implement long-term strategies that include monitoring of all state water body types including lakes. Data is collected to evaluate trophic status of selected lakes and assess the ecological health of the State's lentic water resources. This data is not expected to be compared with any existing data and is not expected to be used for any permitting, enforcement or TMDL development activities. Target population for monitoring was all lakes, man-made or natural, excepting water supply reservoirs, wholly or partially within the State of NJ political boundaries. A lake is defined as a permanent body of water of at least two hectares in surface, and a minimum depth of one meter. Lakes were selected randomly, using the USEPA - Generalized Random Tessellation Stratified (GRTS) survey design, but in a manner that equalizes selections over all Omernik level III ecoregions (6 within state). The New Jersey GIS coverage containing approximately 870 named lakes, meeting the design criteria, was used for the selection process. A total of 200 lakes were sampled, each sampled once every five years, with 40 lakes sampled per year.