Air quality monitoring in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: 2008 annual report

Perkins, Dustin; Houk, Richard

In 2009, the National Park Service’s Air Resources Division published a nationwide report on air quality in national park units. This report expands on that information to provide a more comprehensive look at air quality in Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN) parks. The National Park Service Organic Act and the Clean Air Act protect air resources in national parks, and in 2005, the National Park Service’s Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN) selected ozone, wet and dry deposition, and visibility as vital signs for long-term natural resources monitoring. Information relative to these three vital signs supports evaluation of compliance with legislative requirements of the Clean Air Act’s Regional Haze Guidelines and facilitates interpretation of plot-based vegetationand water-quality measurements. In 2009, the National Park Service’s Air Resources Division published a nationwide report on air quality in national park units. This report expands on that information to provide a more comprehensive look at air quality in NCPN parks. Some type of air quality monitoring occurs within the boundaries of six network park units: Bryce Canyon National Park (BRCA), Canyonlands National Park (CANY), Capitol Reef National Park (CARE), Colorado National Monument (COLM), Dinosaur National Monument (DINO), and Zion National Park (ZION). An additional sixpark units have air quality monitoring stations close enough to the park to be reasonably considered representative of the park’s air quality: Arches National Park (ARCH), Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (BLCA), Cedar Breaks National Monument (CEBR), Curecanti National Recreation Area (CURE), Natural Bridges National Monument (NABR), and Timpanogos Cave National Monument (TICA). Of these 12 parks, nine were determined to be meeting the 2008 Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals for air quality. One (CANY) was found not to be fully meeting 2008 GPRA goals, and two (COLM and DINO) had too little information to determine whether GPRA goals were being met. Canyonlands National Park failed to meet 2008 GPRA goals for air quality due to increasing trends in ammonium; however, CANY did meet GPRA goals for visibility, ozone, and sulfur. Visibility was estimated to be in moderate condition at ARCH, BLCA, BRCA, CANY, CARE, CEBR, CURE, and NABR, and of significant concern at ZION. Across the NCPN, visibility has generally improved on the clearest days over the past 10 years. Sulfur deposition was estimated to be in good condition at BRCA and CANY. Nitrogen deposition was estimated to be in good condition at CANY and moderate condition at BRCA. Ozone levels were estimated to be in moderate condition at CANY and DINO, of significant concern at TICA and ZION, and could not be determined at COLM.

Air quality monitoring in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: 2008 annual report

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