Grantee Research Project Results
2002 Progress Report: Springfield Surface Water Action Monitoring Partnership (Sswamp)
EPA Grant Number: R828580Title: Springfield Surface Water Action Monitoring Partnership (Sswamp)
Investigators: Galluzzo, Katie , Godfrey, Paul J
Institution: University of Massachusetts - Boston
Current Institution: City of Springfield, MA , University of Massachusetts - Boston
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: November 1, 2000 through October 1, 2002
Project Period Covered by this Report: November 1, 2001 through October 1, 2002
Project Amount: $356,262
RFA: Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) (2000) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Water , Air , Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration
Objective:
The City of Springfield Surface Water Action Monitoring Partnership (SSWAMP) project has four primary objectives, each of which meets our overarching goal of protecting human health and water quality through the collection and dissemination of environmental information. Our first objective is to determine the baseline chemical and biological characteristics of each of our 13 water bodies and to determine the baseline levels of nutrients, metals, and organic contaminants in the sediments. Given that much of the pollution in our lakes comes from storm water drainage, another objective is to determine the extent of nutrient, sediment, and toxic contaminants provided to the water bodies by storm drainage.
In addition to establishing a baseline characterization of water quality, another objective is to determine the current level of mercury, other heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and chlorinated pesticides in fish species that are frequently consumed in Springfield. The purpose of this objective is to inform recreational users and sustenance fishermen, especially those who are non-English speaking, which water bodies have fish populations that may present an elevated health hazard when consumed.
Our next objective is to disseminate the information to the public. The fish tissue information will be presented through information outlets most frequented by those affected (fishermen and their families). Water quality information that is collected also will be communicated to the public with educational messages on why the pollution levels are what they are and how the water quality can be improved or protected. Our final objective is to develop the participation of residents in surface water monitoring as partners to ensure the project's long-term sustainability.
Progress Summary:
The most significant accomplishment of our program to date is the training of 52 citizen volunteers for water quality monitoring. These volunteers were trained to collect in-lake samples, collect storm water samples, complete the analysis for dissolved oxygen, and conduct a chlorophyll prep for further chlorophyll analysis. In addition to learning the process, each volunteer has learned what the results of their tests mean in terms of "good" or "bad" water quality. Each monitoring group has taken this information and worked with a water quality scientist from the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) to determine the best course of action for water quality restoration and continued monitoring.
Although not scientific, there is a human interest side to this project that is generated by the volunteer monitors. For example, one citizen monitor with a metal plate on his head collects storm water samples during thunderstorms; a Boy Scout Troop has teamed up with a senior citizen resident of one of the lakes to complete their testing; a citizen monitor/poet writes new poems about his water quality observations each week, and the list goes on. We also have been pleased that this program has brought together the residents of these lakes and ponds, many of whom have never met.
We are making major strides in determining the best format for public presentation of the water quality information. The citizen monitors may get very excited about a total phosphorus result; however, this type of information is not as meaningful to non-monitoring citizens. They simply want to know: Can we drink it, swim in it, fish in it, boat in it, or just look at it? Regardless of the answer, we are careful to explain why. Public education is an ongoing effort for this program.
Other accomplishments include a draft of the Web site, which is 75 percent completed. We are working with the citizen monitors to tweak the framework of the pages so that the site is most useful to them for sharing and posting data. We also have begun to design the kiosks and expect that they will be completed in the early spring of 2003. We have published a "SSWAMP Things" newsletter that includes technical information, poetry, and a recipe for dealing with mosquitoes. We also have met a major milestone by updating the 1983 report on the "state of our lakes." What is different this time is that the updates are being completed with citizen input and with citizen understanding. The previous report compiled a large amount of data and modeling results that nobody could understand. We are confident now that when the updated report is completed, it will be an understandable public document.
Future Activities:
Our next steps are to complete the analysis of the 2-year sampling cycle and distribute those results to the citizen monitors, the media, and community groups. In addition, we will complete the Web site and post all of the collected data and its analysis. Related to the Web site, we will complete the design and begin the construction of the sign kiosks that will display collected data and best housekeeping practices at each water body. We also will continue our work with each of the13 citizen monitoring pond associations that have been established as a result of this program. Each pond will finalize their monitoring plan for the future and a plan for restoration work that can be monitored for its success or failure. The fish tissue sampling program will be completed before November of 2002 and the results will be compiled and published for distribution before the new spring fishing season. As was stated in the grant proposal, fish consumption warnings, if needed, will be generated in four different languages.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 7 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
water, watersheds, sediments, exposure, risk, health effects, ecological effects, human health, ethnic groups, polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs, metals, organics, aquatic, sustainable development, restoration, community based, environmental assets, limnology, monitoring, northeast, EPA Region 1., RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, Toxics, Water, Waste, Geographic Area, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Nutrients, Limnology, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Ecosystem Protection, Chemical Mixtures - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Contaminated Sediments, Environmental Chemistry, pesticides, State, Chemistry, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Susceptibility/Sensitive Population/Genetic Susceptibility, Monitoring/Modeling, Wet Weather Flows, Ecological Effects - Human Health, Mercury, EPA Region, aquatic ecosystem, ecological risk assessment, hydrologic dynamics, ecological exposure, EMPACT, sensitive populations, aquatic, fate and transport, environmental monitoring, adolescents, health risks, watersheds, chemical characteristics, downstream effects, runoff, exposure, contaminated sediment, chemical speciation, mercury loading, surface water, sediment contamination assessment, children, mercury cycling, Massachusetts (MA), alternative climate conditions, environmental data, sediment quality survey, watershed influences, water quality, elderly, human susceptibility, 1, 1, 1-Trichloroethane, nutrient cycling, public access, community outreach, storm drainage, outreach and education, environmental monitoring data, public outreach, Region 1, climate variability, storm water, acid rain, environmental hazard exposures, metals, heavy metals, multi-language outreach materials, organic contaminantsProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe 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.