Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Online Dynamic Watershed Atlas for Seminole County Florida
EPA Grant Number: R829320Title: Online Dynamic Watershed Atlas for Seminole County Florida
Investigators: Ornberg, Kim , Milch, Gabrielle , Campbell, Kyle , Burkett, Patricia
Institution: Seminole County Government, FL , University of South Florida , St. Johns River Water Management District
Current Institution: Seminole County Government, FL , St. Johns River Water Management District , University of South Florida
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2003
Project Amount: $769,000
RFA: Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) (2001) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Water , Aquatic Ecosystems , Air , Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration
Objective:
The objectives of this research project were to:
- Objective 1: Maintain and enhance state-of-the-art watershed atlas application
Seminole County and the University of South Florida have developed a highly innovative and useable geographic information system (GIS) enabled Web site that provides current and historical data as well as educational information on water quality, water levels, ecology, and management information. This objective focused on maintaining and enhancing this existing software by incorporating the expanded real-time data from Objective 2, with an innovative method for incorporating timely data from local municipalities and established volunteer monitoring programs described in Objective 3.
- Objective 2: Strategically expand real-time water resource monitoring in Seminole County
This objective involved expanding the network of real-time water quality, water level, and meteorological sampling locations using innovative and cost-effective technology in key areas of Seminole County including: areas undergoing restoration efforts, areas that have significant grassroots citizen organizations, and watersheds where significant data gaps exist. This objective also involved integrating the real-time sampling locations with the activities of local schools (described in Objective 4) and existing real-time stations where appropriate.
- Objective 3: Facilitate data sharing with STORET and local municipalities
Federal data sources such as EPA’s STORET database hold a large repository of historical and current water resources data. This objective involved publication of these data for citizen-friendly access for use by the stakeholders and citizens using the Atlas, as well as facilitating data transfer between the Atlas application and the new STORET system as a benefit to the local municipalities.
- Objective 4: Incorporate the Watershed Atlas into school curriculum to promote environmental literacy
A key component of the communication plan was to engage the program into the curriculum of local schools at the appropriate grade levels and subject areas to promote environmental literacy in the community’s youth. By incorporating the Atlas software into the classroom, students will have access to real-time, timely, and historic quality assured scientific data, some of which may be collected at their school site. The ability to work with real data about their community will help the students make connections with subjects they are taught and their local community. Standard curriculum materials and teacher workshops were organized so that they can be transferred to other counties in Florida using the Atlas software.
- Objective 5: Effectively market the Atlas Web Site throughout the metropolitan area
A second strategy in the communication plan was to market the Web site via traditional media such as television, print, and direct marketing through stakeholders. This was done to increase the likelihood the site will be used in daily decision-making by tourists and residents alike.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Over the course of the project, the Atlas was maintained as a state-of-the-art Web application that provides unprecedented access to water resource related information and data. The Seminole County Watershed Atlas is a comprehensive resource and, as of July 2004, contains data for 233 water resources, including 196 lakes and 37 rivers within Seminole County. Data recorded in the Atlas reaches back 83 years, with the first sample recorded on January 1, 1921, and currently is updated as often as every 15 minutes. As of July 2004, more than 167,728 data samples had been included in the Atlas. The samples originated from 42 unique data sources provided by 15 different data custodians.
The real-time data network of 6 water quality and 14 meteorological sensors was an extremely valuable tool during the summer of 2004 when Florida was hit by four different hurricanes, three of which directly impacted the study area. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Management, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration used data from the Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) funded real-time data network for analysis of hurricane impacts. The Atlas was continually on screens at the emergency management center, and data were used to predict flooding impacts from the storms. Some of the instruments, however, did fail during the storms.
A complete water quality data management system has been programmed on the back end of the Atlas, which allows improved integration between Seminole County’s water quality data and STORET. The system automates data transfer between Seminole County’s contract laboratory (Harbor Branch) and the Atlas. The system allows county staff to perform all quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) on the data and then select data to be published to the Atlas Web Site and uploaded to STORET. All of this is accomplished in an easy-to-use interface that simultaneously allows county staff to publish data to the public and serve the requirement to provide data to STORET. The STORET functionality works by allowing a SIM file to be generated on a regular basis. The process is semi-automated but can save a considerable amount of time because the data management system contains all of the required STORET fields. The system will be adapted for use by Orange County and Manatee County in Florida and could be easily adapted to other counties within and outside the State of Florida. The expected result is to enhance both data quality and frequency of STORET uploads from municipalities. Automated procedures have also been developed to retrieve data from STORET and load it into the Atlas.
The public school curriculum includes 30 separate lessons that span elementary, middle school, and high school level material (5th-12th grade), which meet the state’s Sunshine Standards. The activities are divided into math, science, social studies, and language arts. Each lesson plan includes a teacher’s guide and a handout for students. The material has been adopted by the Seminole County School District and the School District of Hillsborough County; adoption is planned in three additional counties currently using their own watershed atlas.
The Atlas has been successfully marketed to the citizens of the metropolitan area through presentations, brochures, pens, hats, T-shirts, and by printing the Web site address on storm drain markers, bumper stickers, and on Seminole County vehicles. From 2001 to June 2004, the Web site attracted more than 100,000 visitors with the number of visitors nearly doubling between 2002 and 2003.
In summary, the Seminole County Watershed Atlas was successful in achieving the original goals set forward in the grant proposal. The site was rated effective to extremely effective by 88 percent of users in an e-mail-based survey (n=56). The Web site also has provided the citizens with unprecedented access to scientific data that are continuously updated. When surveyed, the users specifically noted that the update frequency was an important aspect of the site. Furthermore, the Web statistics clearly show increases in the amount of information being used online. The users are acting upon information that is displayed on the Web site, and wanting to get involved in helping to manage the resource by requesting to volunteer. In fact, 58 percent of the users that used the online comment forms requested to become volunteers.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 11 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
water, watersheds, land, ecosystem, indicators, restoration, public policy, decision making, community-based, conservation, environmental assets, environmental chemistry, biology, ecology, hydrology, geology, limnology, zoology, social science, southeast, Atlantic coast, FL, Florida, EPA Region 4,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Water, ECOSYSTEMS, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, RESEARCH, Water & Watershed, Monitoring/Modeling, Monitoring, Environmental Monitoring, Terrestrial Ecosystems, Ecological Risk Assessment, Ecology and Ecosystems, Urban and Regional Planning, Watersheds, aquatic ecosystem, EMPACT, remote sensing, water resources, wetlands, community-based approach, sediment transport, stream ecosystems, community water quality information system, stormwater, community outreach, community tracking, water quality, aquatic ecosystems, community partnerships, ecological models, Florida, ecology assessment models, water management options, watershed assessment, land management, stream ecosystem, land useRelevant Websites:
http://www.seminole.wateratlas.org/ Exit
http://www.wateratlas.org/ Exit
http://www.fccdr.usf.edu/ Exit
Progress 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.