1. Capstone Project Proposal
Communicating Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Issues Using 3D and Temporal GIS
John Wolf
Capstone Project Proposal
September 21, 2011

2. Presentation Overview
Background
Chesapeake Bay overview
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and the Bay restoration effort
Existing communication challenges -- visualizing Bay Health and Factors Affecting Bay Health
Goals and Objectives of Project
Proposed Approach and Methods
Existing data and models to be leveraged
Analysis/data manipulation
Project Timeline

3. What is an Estuary? Chesapeake Bay
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
What is an Estuary?
Partially enclosed body of water where fresh water from streams and rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean
Among the most productive environments on Earth
Variety of habitats that support diverse plant and animal communities
Chesapeake Bay
Largest of 130 estuaries in United States
Approximately 200 miles long
Average depth is 21 feet
Produces about 500 million lbs of seafood each year

4. Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Chesapeake Bay Watershed
64,000 square mile watershed – six states and D.C.
17+ Million people
150 major rivers and streams – Susquehanna contributes about 50% of all freshwater
Land-to-water ratio (14:1) makes the Bay particularly susceptible to what happens on the land

5. Largest and most complex TMDL in the U.S.
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
TMDL is a “pollution diet” for streams, creeks, and rivers
Required by the Clean Water Act and administered by the US Environmental protection Agency (EPA) for waters that don’t meet standards
Defines amount of pollution a water body can handle and still be healthy
Bay and tributaries are “overweight” with excess nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment, which …
Fuel algae blooms that impact water quality (low dissolved oxygen, water clarity) and aquatic life
Largest and most complex TMDL in the U.S.

6. Factors Affecting Bay Health
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Overview of Chesapeake Bay
Restoration Framework
Practice
Implementation
Goals
Watershed Implementation Plans and State 2-Year Milestones for practice implementation
Factors Affecting Bay Health
Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment (Clean Water Act)
Nutrient Load
Reduction
Goals
(Conditions in the Watershed)
Water
Quality
Goals
Meet Bay water quality criteria for dissolved oxygen, water clarity and chlorophyll-a concentrations
Bay
Health
(Conditions in the Estuary)
Ecological
Endpoints
Restoration of underwater grasses, fisheries, benthic communities, and faunal diversity
Adopted from National Research Council 2011

7. Water Quality in the Bay varies throughout space and time
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Geography and Communication Challenges
Practice
Implementation
Goals
Landscape stressors originate from multiple sectors, each with its own pathway to the Bay
Nutrient Load
Reduction
Goals
Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment (Clean Water Act)
Water
Quality
Goals
Meet Bay water quality criteria for dissolved oxygen, water clarity and chlorophyll-a concentrations
Water Quality in the Bay varies throughout space and time
Ecological
Endpoints

8. 3 Geographic Dimensions
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Bay Health: Water Quality Standards and the Chesapeake Bay TMDL
3 Geographic Dimensions
Temporal Dimension

9. Vertical Stratification and the Pycnocline
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Bay Health: Water Quality Standards and the Chesapeake Bay TMDL
Open
Water
Deep
Water
Deep
Channel
Vertical Stratification and the Pycnocline
Pycnocline - the region in a water column where water density changes rapidly, usually due to changes in salinity and temperature; in the Chesapeake Bay, the pycnocline region separates fresher, surface waters with a net flow down-Bay from saltier, bottom water with a net flow up-Bay.

10. Bay Health: Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Data Base
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Bay Health: Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Data Base
Since 1984, Maryland and Virginia routinely monitor 19 measured water quality parameters at 49 stations in the Bay’s main stem
At least monthly sampling, with bi-weekly samples during June, July and August
Hydrographic profile at 1-2 meter intervals at each station

11. Effective Science Communication
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Effective Science Communication
Guiding Principles (Thomas et al 2004)
Synthesis – combining different data approaches, which can lead the user to novel insights
Visualization – audience needs to see and interpret the data themselves
Context – including comparative data so that specific examples can be characterized as “high” or “low” relative to regional or global extremes
User-centric
Emphasis

12. Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Project Goal
Use commercial off-the-shelf GIS software to effectively communicate landscape and estuarine phenomena and to assist Chesapeake Bay Program scientists and managers to communicate (1) factors affecting Bay health and (2) measures of Bay health.
communication
public
private
visualization
presenting
knowns
revealing
unknowns
high
low
human-map interaction
MacEachren and Taylor, 1994

13. Factors Affecting Bay Health … using 3D and temporal GIS
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Objectives
Effectively communicate the …
Significance of point and non-point pollution (nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment) loads to the Bay,
Significance of human population growth throughout the Bay watershed,
Extent of water quality designated use zones in the Bay,
Seasonal extent of the dissolved oxygen “dead zone”.
Factors Affecting Bay Health
(Conditions in the Watershed)
Bay
Health
(Conditions in the Estuary)
… using 3D and temporal GIS 13

14. Audiences/Clients Venues for Products
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Audiences/Clients
Primary: Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) Scientists and Resource Managers
Water Quality Goal Implementation Team (Agriculture, Sediment, Urban Stormwater and Wastewater Workgroups)
Science, Technical Analysis and Reporting (STAR) Team (Monitoring and Modeling Teams)
Communication Team
Secondary: Interested Public
Venues for Products
Partners
ChesapeakeStat website: stat.chesapeakebay.net
Public
Chesapeake Bay Program website:

15. Data Manipulation - Conduct Analysis to Prepare Data for
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Proposed Approach
Gather Requirements –
define Communication
Stories
Work with CBP Monitoring Team, Modeling Team, and others to develop/affirm assessment questions and their context
Assemble Data
CBP Water Quality/Point Source Data Base
USGS SPARROW Model
US Census Data
Iterate as
necessary
Data Manipulation - Conduct
Analysis to Prepare Data for
Visualization
Grid development, surface generation (interpolation), conversion of interpolator output as necessary
Apply a Visual
Representation
Static and dynamic map and chart views, animations, etc.
From Shapiro, M

16. Watershed Pollution Loads
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Factors Affecting Bay Health
Watershed Pollution Loads
Objective 1: Effectively communicate the significance of point and non-point pollution (nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment) loads to the Bay
Data: USGS SPARROW Model and Chesapeake Bay Program Point Source Data Base
Approach/Methods: Generate watershed-wide perspective views of point and non-point pollution sources from points and interpolated surfaces
Anticipated Uses: Presentations and materials aimed at explaining where and from what source sectors pollution originates and their relative contributions

17. Watershed Pollution Loads
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Factors Affecting Bay Health
Watershed Pollution Loads
Point Sources
486 Significant Municipal and Industrial Point Sources in Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Typically presented in tabular view and 2D graduated color point symbols
N Loads
from Agriculture
Non-Point Sources
Spatially Referenced Regression (SPARROW) model for evaluation of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment loads (Preston and Brakebill 1999)
Typically represented via 2D choropleth maps

18. SPARROW – from 2D to Perspective Views
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Factors Affecting Bay Health
SPARROW – from 2D to Perspective Views VA MD WV NY PA DE DC
Example – Nitrogen Loads from Agricultural Sources
Modeled N Loads
from Agriculture
aggregated to
Watersheds
Assignment of N Load
Value to Watershed
Centroid
Surface Generation/
Interpolation
Hydrologic
Segmentation

19. Population Growth and Development
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Factors Affecting Bay Health
Population Growth and Development
Objective 2: Effectively communicate the significance of human population growth throughout the Bay watershed
Data: US Census County population ( )
Approach/Methods: Generate perspective views of extruded county polygons and animate the decadal change
Anticipated Uses: Presentations and materials describing the role of population growth as a landscape stressor and the need to incorporate growth into future decisions
1900
2000
1800

20. Water Quality Designated Use Zones
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Bay Health
Water Quality Designated Use Zones
Objective 3: Effectively communicate the extent of water quality designated use zones in the Bay
Data: Chesapeake Bay Program Water Quality Data Base, Chesapeake Bay segmentation Scheme, and bathymetry
Approach/Methods: Utilize historical Chesapeake Bay monitoring station data to generate pycnocline boundaries and generate cross-sections illustrating the variability in designated use zones throughout the Bay
Anticipated Uses: Presentations and materials describing the regulatory implications of water quality standards and how they vary with geography and water depth

21. Water Quality Designated Use Zones
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Bay Health
Water Quality Designated Use Zones
Conceptual Framework
Bay
Bathymetry
Monitoring
Station LE 2.2
Shallow
Water
Open
Deep Water
(pycnocline)
Deep
Channel
Depth (m)
Bathymetric Profile LE 2.2
Chesapeake Bay Designated Use Zones
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000 -2 -4 -6 -8
-10
-12
-14
Actual Delineation of the Pycnocline and associated Designated Use Zones at Station LE 2.2 based on Monitoring Station- Specific Water Density Gradients
(USEPA 2003)

22. Seasonal Variation in “Dead Zone”
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Bay Health
Seasonal Variation in “Dead Zone”
Objective 4: Effectively communicate the seasonal extent of the area of hypoxia (“dead zone”) in the Bay
Data: Chesapeake Bay Program Water Quality Data Base
Approach/Methods: Utilize Chesapeake Bay interpolator output to generate bi-weekly/weekly depictions of the dead zone at multiple depths
Anticipated Uses: Presentations and materials explaining the temporal nature of water quality conditions and the seasonality of problems associated with meeting standards
April
July
October
January

23. Chesapeake Bay Interpolator
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Bay Health
Chesapeake Bay Interpolator
Cell based interpolator (VOL3D) that computes water quality concentrations throughout the Bay and tidal tributaries from water quality measured at point locations (Bahner 2006)
Code is optimized to compute concentration values which closely reflect the physics of stratified water bodies
Bay is very shallow compared to its width or length, hence water quality varies much more vertically than horizontally

24. Project Timeline Week 1: Gather requirements/communication stories
Background
Goals and Objectives
Approach/Methods
Timeline
Project Timeline
Week 1: Gather requirements/communication stories
Week 2-3: Assemble and organize data
CBP Water Quality Database
Request/generate VOL 3D interpolator output for specific parameters and dates
Organize SPARROW model data
Week 4-5:
Develop draft visualizations – Bay Health and Factors Affecting Bay Health
Week 6:
Solicit feedback from Monitoring and Modeling Teams
Weeks 7-8:
Revisions to visualizations as necessary
Week 9
Develop sample animations
Week 10:
Develop final product documentation and presentation at AAG

25. References
Andrienko, N. and G. Andrienko Exploratory Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Data: A Systematic Approach. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
Bahner, L User Guide for the Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Tributary Volumetric Interpolator. NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, Annapolis, MD.
MacEachren A. and D. Taylor Visualization in Modern Cartography. New York: Elsevier Science Inc.
National Research Council Achieving Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Goals in the Chesapeake Bay: An Evaluation of Program Strategies and Implementation. Committee on the Evaluation of Chesapeake Bay Program Implementation for Nutrient Reduction to Improve Water Quality The National Academies Press. Washington, D.C.
Preston, S. and J. Brakebill Application of Spatially Referenced Regression Modeling for the Evaluation of Total Nitrogen Loading in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report
Shapiro, M Once Upon a Stacked Time Series. In Beautiful Visualization. J. Steele and N. Ilinsky, eds. O’Reilly. Sebastopol, CA.
Thomas, J., A. Jones, T. Saxby, T. Carruthers, E. Abal, and W. Dennison Communicating Science Effectively: A practical handbook for integrating visual elements. University of Maryland Center for Environm3ntal Science.
Tufte, E The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Graphics Press. Cheshire, CT. \
USEPA Technical Support Document for Identification of Chesapeake Bay Designated Uses and Attainability. United States Environmental Protection Agency Region III Chesapeake Bay Program Office. EPA 903-R Annapolis, MD

26. Acknowledgement
Dr. Patrick Kennelly
MGIS Faculty Advisor

27. Questions?