Environmental monitoring and assessment
The IOLR offers multidisciplinary environmental monitoring and assessment services based on its long record of experience and internationally recognized expertise in planning and execution of research and monitoring programs in marine and freshwater systems. A dedicated team of experts is formed for each project and when necessary, other local or foreign research institutions and specialized analytical laboratories are involved in the work.

• The IOLR has official approval of the Ministry of Environment for performing compliance marine monitoring programs.
• The Marine Chemistry Department of IOLR is accredited by the Israel Laboratory Accreditation Authority for analyses of water, seawater, sediments and organisms (Certificate No. 114-01).
• The Kinneret Limnological Laboratory is certified by the Ministry of Health for microbiological analyses of water.

The following is a selected list of environmental monitoring and assessment projects carried out by IOLR in recent years:

Monitoring the environmental quality of Israel's Mediterranean coastal waters, Israel's National Monitoring Program (since 1979). Monitoring the environmental impact of sewage sludge disposal at sea (since 1987). Monitoring pollution levels in ports and marinas along Israel's Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts (since 2000). Benchmark environmental survey of the seabed in the area of an offshore gas production site (2003). Surveys of seawater quality at sites designated for water intake for desalination plants (2004). Monitoring of the environmental impact of industrial effluent discharge into the sea (since 2004). Biological survey at offshore sites designated for construction of artificial islands (2003). Assessment of the suitability of dredged material for marine disposal (2003/4). Monitoring of a deep water site used for disposal of dredged material (2004). Monitoring of algal populations in the Qishon River (since 2002). Analysis of the algal populations in the Yarkon River (2003). Environmental Impact Statement for the Haifa Port expansion project (1998). Environmental assessment of a marine outfall for treated industrial wastewater using a coupled hydrodynamic-ecological model (2002). Assessment of the potential environmental impact of marine disposal of nitrate-enriched brines from groundwater purification (2004).