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2017 Spring | Education & Outreach, Natural Science & Restoration, Policy & Regulation

Using GIS to create an Aquatic Water Quality Standard

Student(s):

Susanne Gov

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Mark Jankowski

Partner(s):

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10

Faculty advisor(s):

Edward Kolodziej Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington

In freshwater environments, aluminum exposure negatively affects aquatic species under certain water parameter condi- tions. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) store, capture, manipulate, and analyze spatial data and has been used extensively for data analysis related to environmental water quality. By using the water parameter and critical habitat data, we can create a new water quality criterion. I created a meth- odology and workflow that is useful for determining whether watershed contain concentration to metals are hazardous to aquatic life. The methodology used in this project showcases how GIS plays a role in metal toxicity exposure assessments.