A water quality database for Georgia citizens
Author(s)
Harbert, Harold L.
Hitchcock, Rick
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Abstract
Five years ago the Environmental Protection
Division Outreach Unit initiated an online database
for Georgia’s volunteer water quality monitoring program.
Two years ago the Outreach Unit presented the new volunteer
water quality monitoring online database at the
Georgia Water Resources Conference. One of the key
messages at the time was the need for constant updates
and improvements to ensure a relevant and useful database.
This presentation will take a critical look at our progress
as we continue to build and expand upon our already
successful database.
Georgia’s volunteer water quality monitoring online
database provides support for volunteers and local volunteer
coordinators. This online database allows volunteers
to take ownership of their efforts by providing a format for
their water quality data to be posted and shared with a
variety of people, from citizens to local governments and
stakeholders. The online database also provides a format
for local coordinators to input local program information,
keeping track of volunteer level of participation.
Empowering citizens from the grassroots up, this project
is a prime example of how emerging technologies can
play an important role in data collection and dissemination.
Since launching the web-driven database, the Georgia
volunteer monitoring program has grown to be one of
the largest of its kind in the country, with 200 active monitoring
groups and over 400 active monitoring sites.
Specific items to be addressed in this presentation include:
database design priorities, data display and access,
quality control and program data, program results, and
future priorities and design considerations.
Can a statewide database lead in providing community-
based support for local watershed organizing, helping
to create a sense of community and organize local leaders?
Based on the growth of our volunteer monitoring programs
since launching the Georgia volunteer monitoring
website and online database, we believe the answer is, yes.
Can this same database help drive local, regional and
statewide activities for watershed protection? Based on
the types of organizations accessing our volunteer data,
again we believe the answer is, yes. Join us as we showcase
the latest capabilities of our online database and provide
an analysis of the capabilities of emerging technologies
in disseminating data and helping organize community
based water quality monitoring programs.
Sponsor
Sponsored by: Georgia Environmental Protection Division; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Water Resources Institute; The University of Georgia, Water Resources Faculty.
Date
2013-04
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Text
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Proceedings