Development of a mapper-based Long Island Sound data and research portal (Clearinghouse)
In cooperation with the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is creating a mapper-based clearinghouse that will provide information on sources of data available throughout the Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed and allow for real-time metadata output and integration into visualization and modeling tools developed through a graphical interface. While this project will not create new databases, it will leverage existing databases, and promote data storage and public access of data collected by Federal, State, and local agencies and organizations. The clearinghouse will provide links to access the data, reports, and other products available for researchers, decision-makers, and the public.
Currently, there are many different monitoring programs, research projects, and modeling efforts being conducted in Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed for a variety of purposes and with varying degrees of quality assurance. Environmental monitoring, mapping, and modelling data are being generated by a variety by Federal, State, and local organizations; however, there is no centralized clearinghouse to access all the information on projects, such as where is the work being done, who is doing the work, and what types of research are being conducted in the LIS and its watershed. While data repositories, such as the Water Quality Portal (WQP), provide access to discrete water-quality data from organizations that upload results through the Water Quality Exchange (WQX), this is only a small percentage of the total monitoring and data collection being conducted in the LIS. As a result, disparate data sources with a wide range of methodologies, types, and formats makes data mining for the purposes of identifying areas of concern and data gaps a challenge.
Objectives
- Create a cloud-based mapper and data clearinghouse that serves as a source of information related to environmental data needed for making informed decisions about water and ecological resources of the LIS.
- Allow for metadata exploration and data retrieval via dynamic links to WQP and other services.
- Increase the number of organizations providing public access to their data by encouraging use of the WQP.
Methodology
Under the proposed project, a data portal will be developed by the USGS and will serve as the primary interface for the various databases related to water-quality, water-quantity, ecology/biology, and other environmental data being stored electronically by USGS and other organizations within the LIS watershed. The system would provide users with a one-stop portal for obtaining information on environmental monitoring data, research, and modelling throughout the LIS watershed. The USGS will work with members of the Long Island Sound Study (such as State and Federal agencies, academics, local organizations), meeting regularly to limit overlap in effort and identify all relevant sources of data and incorporate components necessary in the development of tools to address the desired management topics. To aid in the discussion and description of the project, a summary page will be created that will describe to objectives and show a mock-up of the mapper and underlying web-services structure. The USGS will also work with the EPA to determine if a Quality Assurance Project Plan will be required to document the secondary use of data.
Data in existing databases with web services (for example, WQP) will be dynamically linked; a new database will not be created for this project to avoid duplicating databases. Water-quality data will be compiled and accessed from WQP and other sources; for cases in which non-sensitive monitoring data are not available through a web-service link, the USGS will work with EPA to provide training and assistance to get an account established in order to upload these data to WQX. Other types of research (for example, ecological and wildlife assessments, sediment quality, or microbiological data) will be catalogued as well with links to the appropriate data storage sources and instruction on how to access the information. Information on modelling will be provided including the type of model, the extent and time-period of the model and the modelling code and domain. Links will be provided to access any publicly available model outputs as well. Technical information related to the perceived quality of data will be addressed in the splash pop-up and the “About”/”Help” section.
Once an initial set of databases to be accessed through the portal has been identified, and relevant data sources have been compiled and web services have been developed to filter and retrieve data, a public-facing website that integrates a GIS component to link data to a geographic location for display on a map will be developed (similar to the Science in the Great Lakes tool). Upon completion of the initial development period, the services and associated mapper will be publicly accessible through a user interface that allows for information query based on a set of selection options. The user interface will be a modern standards-compliant website for exploring LIS data and research from multiple sources, including features such as multiple base maps, thematic data layers, filters for selecting desired information and site types, and direct links to data sources. Base maps that might be provided on the interface include satellite images, the USGS National Map, shellfishing areas, ecological boundaries, and topographic and bathymetric datasets.
The mapper will rely on web services and allow simple visualization and analytics of database entries, as well as filtering and sorting capabilities. Interrogation of the data could be conducted through the following tools to better assist resource managers and the public to interpret sets of data from sites or locations: a trends viewer that would display near real-time data, and summary statistics and statistical reports with information about a site or group of sites and corresponding changes in constituent concentrations through time. Additional future modules could be built to help refine searches and extract data from the various linked data bases to aid in producing data visualization for educational and outreach purposes.
Relevance and Benefits
This mapper will meet several needs that have been identified by the LISS, including several implementation actions (IA) identified under the Sound Science and Inclusive Management theme (https://longislandsoundstudy.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LISSCCMP-Up…):
- SM-5 Develop an Integrated Data Management Plan considering local, regional, and national observing initiatives, addressing major strategies 4-1b3, 1-3b1, 1-3b3, 1-3c1,1-3c2.
- SM-4 Develop metadata for major monitoring programs relevant to LISS Ecosystem Targets for use in an Integrated Data Management Plan including community science, addressing major strategies 4-1b3, 1-3b1, 1-3b3, 1-3c1,1-3c2.
- SM-9 Assess options for establishing a secure, long-term Long Island Sound data portal, such as LIQWIDS, that can access other data systems, including WQX, addressing major strategy 4-1b5.
In cooperation with the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is creating a mapper-based clearinghouse that will provide information on sources of data available throughout the Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed and allow for real-time metadata output and integration into visualization and modeling tools developed through a graphical interface. While this project will not create new databases, it will leverage existing databases, and promote data storage and public access of data collected by Federal, State, and local agencies and organizations. The clearinghouse will provide links to access the data, reports, and other products available for researchers, decision-makers, and the public.
Currently, there are many different monitoring programs, research projects, and modeling efforts being conducted in Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed for a variety of purposes and with varying degrees of quality assurance. Environmental monitoring, mapping, and modelling data are being generated by a variety by Federal, State, and local organizations; however, there is no centralized clearinghouse to access all the information on projects, such as where is the work being done, who is doing the work, and what types of research are being conducted in the LIS and its watershed. While data repositories, such as the Water Quality Portal (WQP), provide access to discrete water-quality data from organizations that upload results through the Water Quality Exchange (WQX), this is only a small percentage of the total monitoring and data collection being conducted in the LIS. As a result, disparate data sources with a wide range of methodologies, types, and formats makes data mining for the purposes of identifying areas of concern and data gaps a challenge.
Objectives
- Create a cloud-based mapper and data clearinghouse that serves as a source of information related to environmental data needed for making informed decisions about water and ecological resources of the LIS.
- Allow for metadata exploration and data retrieval via dynamic links to WQP and other services.
- Increase the number of organizations providing public access to their data by encouraging use of the WQP.
Methodology
Under the proposed project, a data portal will be developed by the USGS and will serve as the primary interface for the various databases related to water-quality, water-quantity, ecology/biology, and other environmental data being stored electronically by USGS and other organizations within the LIS watershed. The system would provide users with a one-stop portal for obtaining information on environmental monitoring data, research, and modelling throughout the LIS watershed. The USGS will work with members of the Long Island Sound Study (such as State and Federal agencies, academics, local organizations), meeting regularly to limit overlap in effort and identify all relevant sources of data and incorporate components necessary in the development of tools to address the desired management topics. To aid in the discussion and description of the project, a summary page will be created that will describe to objectives and show a mock-up of the mapper and underlying web-services structure. The USGS will also work with the EPA to determine if a Quality Assurance Project Plan will be required to document the secondary use of data.
Data in existing databases with web services (for example, WQP) will be dynamically linked; a new database will not be created for this project to avoid duplicating databases. Water-quality data will be compiled and accessed from WQP and other sources; for cases in which non-sensitive monitoring data are not available through a web-service link, the USGS will work with EPA to provide training and assistance to get an account established in order to upload these data to WQX. Other types of research (for example, ecological and wildlife assessments, sediment quality, or microbiological data) will be catalogued as well with links to the appropriate data storage sources and instruction on how to access the information. Information on modelling will be provided including the type of model, the extent and time-period of the model and the modelling code and domain. Links will be provided to access any publicly available model outputs as well. Technical information related to the perceived quality of data will be addressed in the splash pop-up and the “About”/”Help” section.
Once an initial set of databases to be accessed through the portal has been identified, and relevant data sources have been compiled and web services have been developed to filter and retrieve data, a public-facing website that integrates a GIS component to link data to a geographic location for display on a map will be developed (similar to the Science in the Great Lakes tool). Upon completion of the initial development period, the services and associated mapper will be publicly accessible through a user interface that allows for information query based on a set of selection options. The user interface will be a modern standards-compliant website for exploring LIS data and research from multiple sources, including features such as multiple base maps, thematic data layers, filters for selecting desired information and site types, and direct links to data sources. Base maps that might be provided on the interface include satellite images, the USGS National Map, shellfishing areas, ecological boundaries, and topographic and bathymetric datasets.
The mapper will rely on web services and allow simple visualization and analytics of database entries, as well as filtering and sorting capabilities. Interrogation of the data could be conducted through the following tools to better assist resource managers and the public to interpret sets of data from sites or locations: a trends viewer that would display near real-time data, and summary statistics and statistical reports with information about a site or group of sites and corresponding changes in constituent concentrations through time. Additional future modules could be built to help refine searches and extract data from the various linked data bases to aid in producing data visualization for educational and outreach purposes.
Relevance and Benefits
This mapper will meet several needs that have been identified by the LISS, including several implementation actions (IA) identified under the Sound Science and Inclusive Management theme (https://longislandsoundstudy.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LISSCCMP-Up…):
- SM-5 Develop an Integrated Data Management Plan considering local, regional, and national observing initiatives, addressing major strategies 4-1b3, 1-3b1, 1-3b3, 1-3c1,1-3c2.
- SM-4 Develop metadata for major monitoring programs relevant to LISS Ecosystem Targets for use in an Integrated Data Management Plan including community science, addressing major strategies 4-1b3, 1-3b1, 1-3b3, 1-3c1,1-3c2.
- SM-9 Assess options for establishing a secure, long-term Long Island Sound data portal, such as LIQWIDS, that can access other data systems, including WQX, addressing major strategy 4-1b5.