The Water Environment Federation and the International Water Association have launched a new data mapping feature for World Water Monitoring Day, Sept. 18. Housed on the program’s web site, the map will facilitate navigation of the data collected for WWMD and enable participants to connect with one another. The map, which runs off the Google Maps platform, was designed as a volunteer effort by the New Zealand-based firm Outpost Central.
“In late 2008, the program’s leadership was discussing the logistics involved in creating a web-based data map that could read from the WWMD database in real time, when we received an e-mail message from Outpost out of the blue," says Lorien Walsh, assistant director of communications for WEF. "They offered to work with us on the creation of just such an application. It truly was a welcome surprise.”
The new mapping feature makes its debut just in time for the official observance of World Water Monitoring Day. “While the program captures very basic data about a monitoring event, there is a lot that goes on at a test site that does not get recorded by our database," says Walsh. "The map will allow groups to record more qualitative information about their sites, such as greater detail about how the land around the site is used.”
The map will also increase collaboration opportunities among groups monitoring in the same area. A group can click on a site near one of its own sites and see the URL of the group who provided that data. In this way, the program encourages dialog about water quality.
World Water Monitoring Day engages citizens in basic monitoring of local water bodies. It is officially observed on Sept. 18, but participants can monitor and report to database anytime from March 22 (World Water Day) until Dec. 31.
WEF and IWA receive financial and in-kind support from the program’s primary sponsors, including the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. EPA, PerkinElmer, ITT Corporation, Sinclair Knight Merz, and Smithfield Foods. To view the new data map or to learn more about WWMD, visit www.WorldWaterMonitoringDay.org.
