US EPA Region 3 GIS Team
Presented by:
Douglas Ross, GIS Analyst
&
Carmen Constantine, GIS Team Leader
of
General Dynamics Network Systems,
US EPA Contactor
US EPA Mission Statement
“The EPA Region 3 GIS Team provides high-quality
cartographic support along with spatial display and query
applications in support of the region’s environmental
scientists studying a wide range of problems and issues.
EPA Region 3 consists of the states of DE, MD, VA, WV, PA,
and the District of Columbia.”
In addition, the Wheeling Field Office supports EPA’s
geospatial efforts in Appalachia by providing GIS support to
the Freshwater Biology Team on issues including
Mountaintop Mining/Valley Fill Studies.
Major Area of Mountaintop Mining
Before
After
Freshwater Biology Team

Identifies watersheds and sites
for national stream assessment
methods development
Regional Methods Initiatives
(RMIs):



EMAP Quantitative Excess
Sediment Index
Headwater Intermittent Streams
Study
Quantified headwater stream
lengths to respond to proposed
rule changes of the Clean Water
Act definition of “waters of the
United States”
US EPA Geospatial Data Stewardship
EPA Region 3 serves as a supplementary data
steward for point locations of EPA Regulated
Facilities (e.g. CERCLA, RCRA, TRI, NPDES) and
the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD).
The Wheeling Field Office Freshwater Biology also
maintains macro-invertebrate and fisheries
databases that are shared among state agencies
within EPA Region 3.
Superfund Sites (CERCLIS) and RCRA
Superfund Sites:



Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability
Information System (CERCLIS)
Uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous
waste locations
NPL – National Priority List
RCRA Sites:


Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act
Inventory and management system of
hazardous waste handlers
TRI and NPDES Sites
TRI Sites:



TRI – Toxic Release Inventory
Information on toxic chemical releases and
other waste management activities
Publicly available database
NPDES Sites:



NPDES – National Pollution Discharge &
Elimination System
Permits are issues to discharge waste water
into water bodies
Regulated by the Clean Water Act
How can the statewide geospatial
community participate in or benefit
from our mapping efforts?
EPA Region 3 welcomes dialogs with
all West Virginia GIS programs to
foster efficient and timely data
exchange, interstate and
interregional cooperation, and to
better understand the
environmental problems and issues
that are unique to West Virginia.
Top 3 Geospatial Accomplishments of 2003



GIS and mapping support for the Monongahela River
Basin Mine Pool Project
Stony River Watershed Mapping for the Mount Storm
316(a) Project
Development and GIS/mapping support of geospatial
databases of fisheries, macro-invertebrate, and other
samples collected by the Wheeling Field Office
Freshwater Biology Team
Monongahela River Basin Mine Pool Project Mapping
Issue:
Water (Acid Mine Drainage)
from coal mines is projected
to discharge into the
Monongahela River Basin.
GIS Support:
Identify affected streams,
Locate surface features,
Create regional maps.
(A Multi-Agency Project)
Stony River Watershed Mapping
Mt Storm 316(a) Project
Issue:
Thermal discharges from the Mt. Storm
Power Station are being monitored by
Dominion Energy and EPA for effects to
the aquatic life.
GIS Support:




Created maps of monitoring stations for
the field team
Created stream network from DEM
Created and measured selected
watersheds
Collected GPS locations
Stony River Watershed Mapping
Mt Storm 316(a) Project
Stony River and
Mud Run Locations:



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Watersheds were created and
measured for each site location
GPS coordinates were recorded
Fish and Macro-invertebrate samples
were collected
Databases were created and queried
Geospatial Database Development
StreamName
StationID
Species
Common
Name
Total
Fish
Mud Run (93 Fish)
Mud Run
MUD RUN
Rhinichthys
atratulus
Blacknose
dace
30
11%
Mud Run
MUD RUN
Salvelinus
fontinalis
Brook trout
22
Mud Run
MUD RUN
Semotilus
atromaculatus
Creek chub
30
Blacknose dace
1%
32%
Brook trout
Creek chub
32%
Mud Run
MUD RUN
Etheostoma
flabellare
Fantail
darter
Mud Run
MUD RUN
Catostomus
commersoni
White sucker
Stony River
USR-MUD
Rhinichthys
atratulus
Blacknose
dace
35
Stony River
USR-MUD
Ictalurus
punctatus
Channel
catfish
11
Stony River
USR-MUD
Semotilus
atromaculatus
Creek chub
17
USR-MUD
Etheostoma
flabellare
Fantail
darter
USR-MUD
Lepomis
cyanellus
Green
sunfish
USR-MUD
Micropterus
salmoides
Largemouth
bass
Stony River
Stony River
Stony River
Fantail darter
10
White sucker
24%
1
Upper Stony @ Mud Run (161 Fish)
Blacknose dace
12%
22%
2%
Channel catfish
Creek chub
39
Fantail darter
1
7%
22%
Green sunfish
Largemouth bass
35
11%
1%
Stony River
USR-MUD
Micropterus
dolomieu
Smallmouth
bass
4
Stony River
USR-MUD
Catostomus
commersoni
White sucker
19
Smallmouth bass
White sucker
23%
Top 3 Geospatial Goals for 2004



GIS support of the Headwater Intermittent
Streams Study (HISS) at Cooper’s Rock State
Forest
Continued analysis and GIS support of fisheries
data in the Monongahela River Basin
Cooperation with EPA Region 5 (Chicago) in
support of environmental studies in the Ohio
River Basin
Headwater Intermittent Streams Study
GIS Support:

Selecting streams and measuring
the watershed area

Map Creation

GPS field work

Develop geospatial databases
from field samples
* Watersheds derived using ESRI’s
ArcGIS Hydro Model and Tools
GIS Support of Fisheries Data in the
Monongahela River Basin
USEPA, WVDEP, PADEP, and
others will continue the
assessment of fisheries and
aquatic resources in the
Monongahela River and
tributaries.
Continued GIS support of
the fisheries data, and
continued mapping support
of Monongahela River and
tributaries.
GIS Support of Ohio River Basin Studies


Locate the intakes,
discharges, and
tributaries along the
Ohio River
Develop a geospatial
database to identify the
source of spills or leaks
and address homeland
security issues
Further Resources:
EPA Home Page:
ESRI’s ArcGIS Hydro Model:
www.epa.gov
www.support.esri.com
Monongahela River Basin Mine Pool Project:
www.wvwri.nrcce.wvu.edu/programs/mbmpp/index.cfm