research project details
Project Title: Development of digital data submissions standards to support Groundwater 2000
Investigator(s): Todd Bacastow (Task Administrator for Wilkes University)
Sponsor: PA Department of Environmental Protection
Environmental Problem Addressed:
Digital data standards for submitting groundwater data.
Research Project Objectives:
This project will encompass the development of a report describing the development of draft standards and a list of digital data delivery standards for landfill operators relating to their permitted annual assessment requirements. The project will be completed in two phases. Phase I will provide draft data submission standards and Phase II will provide assistance with the development of final standards.
Summary:
A Master Planning Agreement enables PA DEP and other Commonwealth agencies to receive assistance in the application of GIS and allied technologies. The Agreement provides a means for state entities to access the capabilities of other qualified colleges or universities. When such arrangements are initiated by the state agency, Penn State functions in the limited role of a contract representative and exercises fiscal authority over the effort. This project will be completed by Wilkes University under the direction of the PA DEP; task administration will be the responsibility of Dr. Todd Bacastow of the Penn State Environmental Resource Research Institute.
Groundwater 2000 (GW2K) Background:
Groundwater 2000 (GW2K) is a PA DEP initiative to automate the process for submitting, storing, managing and retrieving groundwater data from Pennsylvania's municipal landfills. Our objectives are to give owners of landfills, their consultants and laboratories efficient methods to electronically submit their quarterly groundwater monitoring data, and to equip DEP regional staff with the software and tools to manage and analyze that data.
Purpose of GW2K:
- Make it easier for the landfills, labs and consultants to submit data.
- Drive the data to be more accurate before it is submitted.
- Make it faster and easier for DEP staff to receive and review the data.
- Provide built-in tools to alert staff of major data changes or potential problems.
- Integrate groundwater data with geo-spatial software to provide graphic views of groundwater conditions.
- Provide easier public access to appropriate records and information.