Grantee Research Project Results
Environmental Condition On-Line DFW Metroplex (ECOPLEX)
EPA Grant Number: R827065Title: Environmental Condition On-Line DFW Metroplex (ECOPLEX)
Investigators: Dickson, Kenneth L. , Martin, Howard , Atkinson, Samuel F. , Waller, William T. , Kennedy, James H. , Acevedo, Miguel F.
Current Investigators: Dickson, Kenneth L. , Acevedo, Miguel F. , Atkinson, Samuel F. , Kennedy, James H. , Waller, William T. , Martin, Howard
Institution: City of Denton , University of North Texas
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: November 1, 1998 through October 31, 2000 (Extended to December 31, 2001)
Project Amount: $484,868
RFA: Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , Environmental Statistics , Water , Air , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Description:
The objective of the ECOPLEX proposal is, through the use of both innovative and proven environmental monitoring technologies, to collect real time and time relevant environmental data which will be used to inform the citizens of the City of Denton, the Elm Fork watershed and the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area of current, historical and near-term forecasts of environmental conditions to which we are exposed. We propose a suite of parameters encompassing the most pressing environmental issues this region is faced with: water, land and air. These parameters include real time measures of clam gape, water quality (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity), predicted chlorophyl, wind speed, air temperature, and rainfall, which will be monitored at a site in Lake Lewisville and Pecan Creek - a tributary to Lake Lewisville. Ozone concentrations, ultraviolet light levels, and air clarity will be monitored at the Environmental Education and Science and Technology building on the campus of the University of North Texas. These parameters will clearly communicate time-relevant data for one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, assisting our citizens in making environmentally responsible decisions. Our objectives are to combine a suite of proven technologies for measuring certain environmental parameters with a suite of innovative technologies recently explored by university researchers to present our community with a comprehensive "systems" view of our environment.
Approach:
Our approach is two-fold: first, we intend to post on the world wide web a series of graphical indices of each parameter measured (as well as combined indices indicating overall system quality), with links to movies depicting the recent history of each parameter and predictions of near future conditions. As important as the technological first step is, providing the community with the knowledge of how to use the information is even more important. Therefore, our second approach is to develop curriculum which will be delivered to the community, especially school-aged children, via an intensive outreach program. We will hire teachers to develop curriculum and conduct monthly workshops for teachers to show how to utilize the information in classrooms, how people should view the information, and how to make environmentally responsible decisions based on that information.
Expected Results:
Our intent is to provide a finely woven tapestry of technology which measures the quality of the environment and tools which allow the community to understand how to interpret that information. This project will result in a community which understands the interrelated nature of our environment as well as past, present, and future conditions.
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 41 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
real-time monitoring, UVlight, water quality, air clarity, ozone, clam gape, chlorophyl, weather data, public information, environmental education, land use, AVHRR imagery., RFA, Health, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Scientific Discipline, Air, Geographic Area, Susceptibility/Sensitive Population/Genetic Susceptibility, Ecological Risk Assessment, State, Ecology, genetic susceptability, Environmental Chemistry, tropospheric ozone, Monitoring/Modeling, Hydrology, air toxics, air quality, human exposue, predictive model, environmental hazard exposures, health risks, sensitive populations, human health, monitoring stations, public health alerts, time-relevant monitoring, water quality, real time monitoring, stratospheric ozone, community-based approach, environmental monitoring, community-based, human exposure, public access, public outreach, real-time monitoring, atmospheric monitoring, monitoring, web site development, children, meteorology, ozone , ambient air, ozone, VOCs, toxics, air pollutants, air pollution, ecosystem restoration, public information, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), EMPACT, chlorophyl, Texas (TX)Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.