Grantee Research Project Results

2001 Progress Report: The Tulsa Air and Water Quality Information System

EPA Grant Number: R827963
Title: The Tulsa Air and Water Quality Information System
Investigators: Kitz, Hilary , Purser, Jane , Kurlkin, Joanne , Pinc, Gaylon , Jeffries, Rhonda , Potter, William
Current Investigators: Hamilton, Monica , Purser, Jane , Kurlkin, Joanne , Pinc, Gaylon , Jeffries, Rhonda , Potter, William
Institution: University of Tulsa , Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality , United States Geological Survey , Indian Nations Council of Government
Current Institution: City of Tulsa , Indian Nations Council of Government , Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality , United States Geological Survey , University of Tulsa
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: February 1, 2000 through December 31, 2001
Project Period Covered by this Report: February 1, 2001 through December 31, 2002
Project Amount: $500,000
RFA: Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) (1999) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Aquatic Ecosystems , Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , Environmental Statistics , Water , Air

Objective:

The objectives of this research project are to help people connect environmental data to their day-to-day lives and to promote public involvement in environmental policy. These objectives will be realized by providing informational and educational programs to the public. Environmental data are organized through the Tulsa Air and Water Quality Information System (TAWQIS) and disseminated through the educational programs of the Tulsa Clean Air Program and the Tulsa Clean Water Program.

Progress Summary:

Water Quality Information

The USGS has completed the water quality data Web site (http://ok.water.usgs.gov/empact/ Exit ) for the Tulsa area. This currently is displayed at http://ok.water.usgs.gov/empact/ Exit . Water quality data can be found for Bird Creek near Sperry, Owasso, and at Highway 266 near Catoosa and the Arkansas River at Tulsa, OK. Each site includes all or some of the following parameters: gauge height, discharge, precipitation, water temperature, specific conductance, pH, and dissolved oxygen.

The Web site offers real-time data in an easy-to-read format. Users choose which parameters to display, how to display them (i.e., graph, table, fixed-width table, tab-separated data), and how many days back to show the measures.

USGS also has included real-time data on gauge height and discharge of seven Tulsa area streamflow-gauging stations. These stations are at Joe Creek, Little Haikey Creek, Haikey Creek, Coal Creek, and Flat Rock Creek; all in Tulsa, the Verdigris River near Claremore, and Dog Creek south of Claremore.

The USGS water quality data Web site has been integrated into the http://www.e-Tulsa.org Exit Web Site. We are continuing work on this site to make it more user friendly and understandable.

Tulsa Water Utility information is available at http://www.tulsawater.com Exit . This Web site contains extensive water quality data for the city water supply lakes. Water data are available for the following parameters: ammonia, nitrate and nitrite, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), dissolved ortho-phosphorous, total suspended solids, turbidity, settleable solids, nitrite, nitrate, total phosphorous, silica, total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, sulfate, and plankton data.

The Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority (TMUA) water supply data were integrated into the e-Tulsa.org Web Site in January 2001.

Air Quality Information

The initial programming development of the e-Tulsa.org Ozone Prediction Model was completed last year. Some developmental errors were discovered, and the program currently is being perfected. The model will be integrated into e-Tulsa.org Web Site, displaying the results in a fun, graphical, easy-to-read format. Currently, this portion of the Web site is linked to http://www.smogcity.com Exit .

The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) has received and installed two ozone monitors and all related equipment at sites in East Tulsa and west of Tulsa. Oklahoma Mesonet will be providing the mapping software for the maps.

The Allergy Clinic of Tulsa initiated the Airwatch Program, in which selected patients evaluate their reaction to bioaerosols and air pollutants twice daily using the Airwatch Peakflow System. Approximately 35 patients were selected to participate and submit monthly surveys reporting data on health function. Data from this program will be integrated into the e-Tulsa.org Web Site using graphical representation. The survey information also will be available on the e-Tulsa.org Web Site. Unfortunately, due to the bankruptcy of the company analyzing the data, the scope of plan for the Allergy Clinic has changed. The Clinic will analyze the data it has received thus far and post results to the Web site. This year, the Allergy Clinic also will begin analyzing data collected from patients to determine the household causes of allergies.

Outreach

A water quality education section has been designed to present Tulsa-specific hydrologic cycles in six sections: meteorology, watersheds, drinking water treatment, water users, wastewater treatment, and stormwater runoff. A prototype virtual tour for the initial graphic interface has been selected. Two of the six sections were completed and made available for review by EMPACT partners.

Future Activities:

In the spring and summer of 2002, marketing material will be distributed at local events promoting the Web Site. Beginning in the spring of 2002, Tulsa area transit bus benches will advertise the e-Tulsa.org Web Site. In the fall of 2002, additional marketing efforts will continue for the e-Tulsa.org Web Site, including local newsprint advertising, bus benches, radio ads, billboards and additional marketing material. In the fall of 2002, presentations will be made to local schools to promote the educational component of the Web site. A "fisherman's corner" will be added to the water portion of the Web site, which will provide information regarding the lakes in the area.

The Allergy Clinic will report the following data on the Web site:

· Indoor measurements of specific molds, their quantity, and their usual source;
· Indoor levels of particulates, specifically epithelium (skin scales), hair, and aerosols;
· Presence of pollen; and
· Dust as characterized by the presence on the wet slides.

The Allergy Clinic also will post on the Web site public information such as:

· Ways to decrease the amount of mold inside homes;
· Discussions regarding filters and vacuum cleaners;
· The importance of humidity, its absence or presence, in regards to a healthy respiratory tract; and
· Relative values of these found in the home as compared to other homes in Tulsa and as can be compared with what outdoor counts were on the same day.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 16 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

air, drinking water, recreational water, ozone, bioaerosol, lung function, asthma, NOx, ozone, decision making, informed public policy, treatment, resource management, community awareness, impact of waste, historical trend analysis, parameters, mitigation strategies, public policy, monitoring, data, forecasting, Northeast Oklahoma, OK, Oklahoma, poultry industry, EPA Region 6., Health, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Air, Geographic Area, Water, Economic, Social, & Behavioral Science Research Program, Economics & Decision Making, State, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Chemistry, decision-making, tropospheric ozone, Allergens/Asthma, indoor air, Social Science, Hydrology, Wet Weather Flows, air toxics, Drinking Water, lungs, sensitive populations, air quality, indoor air quality, Oklahoma (OK), asthma, forecasting, pesticides, water quality, treatment, air quality data, real time monitoring, stratospheric ozone, recreational area, environmental monitoring, Nitrogen Oxides, risk assessment, allergic airway, data management, real-time monitoring, monitoring, lung, community involvement, exposure, decision model, fate and transport, public policy, nitrogen oxides (Nox), risk, other - risk assessment, meteorological data, lake ecosystems, wastewater treatment, mitigation strategies, ozone, air pollutants, air pollution, bioaerosols, inhalation, EMPACT, outreach and education, runoff, exposure and effects, allergies, community based environmental planning

Relevant Websites:

http://www.e-Tulsa.org Exit
http://ok.water.usgs.gov/empact/ Exit
http://www.tulsawater.com Exit
http://www.smogcity.com Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2000 Progress Report

Final Report