NPS: Nature & Science » Networks: Northern Colorado Plateau Network

Air Quality Monitoring

Importance
Both the Clean Air Act and the National Park Service (NPS) Organic Act protect air resources in national parks. Understanding changes in air quality can aid in interpreting changes in other monitored vital signs. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN) has identified several components of air quality as high-priority vital signs for monitoring. Over the past three decades, the NPS has developed several internal and cooperative programs for monitoring various measures of air quality. These programs are currently monitoring air quality at five NCPN parks. The NCPN will acquire, archive, and analyze data from existing stations, and report on data specific to park units.

NADP Site
NADP air quality site at Repeater Hill, Bryce Canyon National Park.

Long-term Monitoring
Most field collection of air quality samples and data is automated. In addition to equipment maintenance activities, field operations consist of sample collection by park staff. In addition, data are acquired from the web-based program archives of four ongoing air quality monitoring programs: the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET), the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), the National Park Service–Air Resources Division continuous ozone monitoring program, and the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) Program.

For more detailed information, see the In-depth Information box below.

Network park units where air quality will be monitored
Arches NP	Colorado NM
Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP	Curecanti NRA
Bryce Canyon NP	Dinosaur NM
Canyonlands NP	Natural Bridges NM
Capitol Reef NP	Timpanogos Cave NM
Cedar Breaks NM	Zion NP
NP = National Park; NM = National Monument; NRA = National Recreation Area

In-depth Information:

Monitoring Briefs:
Annual Reports:
Monitoring Protocol:	In development
Contact:	Dustin Perkins, dustin_w_perkins@nps.gov

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