Sampling and analysis are a very important part of the reclamation process. Information gathered from the analyses of samples of waste material, soil, water, vegetation, and biota are used in virtually every step of the reclamation process. Often, before reclamation activities initiate, a sampling and analysis plan (SAP) is prepared. The plan brings organization to the sampling and analysis process to ensure that enough samples are taken to meet the goals of the project but ... to ensure that excess time and money are not spent on sampling and analysis not pertinent to the project goals. Each plan first describes the project, site background, and the goals and objectives. Each plan should map out a sampling design which describes where samples should be taken, how frequently sampling events should take place, how many samples should be taken during each sampling event, and what the samples should be analyzed for.