Monitoring Water Quality in Areas of Oil and Natural Gas Development: A Guide For Well Water Users AirWaterGas Sustainability Research Network Community Outreach and Education

What is AirWaterGas? The AirWaterGas Sustainability Research Network is a team of scientists, engineers, public health experts, economists, lawyers, policy experts, and educators working on the same problem: How do we maximize the benefits of natural gas and oil resources and minimize damages to water and air resources and risks to human health?

AirWaterGas is a Sustainability Research Network Funded by the National Science Foundation. The goal of the Sustainability Research Network program is to build networks of multidisciplinary teams to address fundamental challenges in sustainability. AirWaterGas research covers the Intermountain West.

AirWaterGas has 9 participating institutions.

The AirWaterGas Sustainability Research Network The AirWaterGas network is composed of several research teams: Oil & Gas Infrastructure Water Quantity Water Quality Water Quantity Water Quality Air Quality Water Treatment Health Effects Practices & Policies Social-Economic Systems Data Management New Technologies Education & Outreach

AirWaterGas Education & Outreach This task team seeks to partner with community groups and K12 teachers to disseminate information and research results to a variety of public constituents. Projects: AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program AQIQ : Air Quality Education in Rural Schools Community Small Grant Program

AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program Partnership between AirWaterGas and UCAR Center for Science Education Full program ran from Fall 2014 – Summer 2015 Improved teachers’ skill, interest, and STEM content knowledge in the context of AirWaterGas SRN research. Developed suite of learning activities for educators to scaffold understanding of climate, environmental, and societal impacts of oil and gas development and use.

AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program New Curriculum Oil and Gas Development Fracking Jello Activity Separation of Mixtures Unit Porosity Activity Boomtown Monopoly Game Water Usage in Hydraulic Fracturing Lesson Climate Change Activities Global Warming Potential Activities Energy City Game Activity Properties of Greenhouse Gases Activity Curriculum Posted on

AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program “My students want to have conversation about how fossil fuels are obtained and used, but there are clear misconceptions, one-sided ideals, and definite limitations to their discussion.” Spring 2016 Online Course April 8 – May Impacts of Oil and Natural Gas Development and Use on Earth For MS and HS Science Teachers. If you are interested, we could open it up to Community College faculty. Lisa Gardiner at

U-Pods : Next-Generation Low Cost Air Quality Monitoring Technology Versatile, continuous monitors Total cost < $1000 per device Open-source design Measures: Gas-phase species Temperature and humidity Wind speed and direction Soon to be available for checkout at the CU Museum of Natural History

Air Quality InQuiry (AQIQ) Project CU Engineering students are teaching a project based learning unit on air quality using U-POD air quality monitors developed at CU Boulder at 3 high schools in Delta County, CO and 2 high schools in Weld County, CO. High school students conduct independent research projects using U-PODs to measure CO 2, ozone, and volatile organic compounds.

Air Quality InQuiry (AQIQ) Curriculum Module 1 – Air Quality Research and Measurements Introduction Module 2 – Data Collection Module 3 – Data Analysis Module 4 – Study Design and Planning [Student Projects] Module 5 – Interpreting and Presenting your Results Varied activities ensure students have the skills necessary to conduct their own research To be available on TeachEngineering Digital Curriculum Library in Spring Curriculum drafts available now.

AirWaterGas Community Grant Program A total of $20k was awarded to six community groups in 2015 through a community small grant program The goal of the program is to solicit and support community based approaches to improving understanding of the risks and benefits of oil and gas development Applications are now being accepted! Please pick up an RFP today if you are interested in applying.

AirWaterGas Community Grant Awardees:  “High Altitude Air Quality Monitoring” Soaring Eagle Ecology Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO  “Baseline Air Quality Monitoring” Pagosa Springs High School, Pagosa Springs, CO  “ Utilizing U-Pod Technology to Emphasize STEM in Poudre School District” Fort Collins Utilities, Fort Collins, CO  “Air, Water, Energy, SW Colorado” Mountain Studies Institute, Durango, CO  “Well Watch Project ” Poudre Learning Center, Greeley, CO  “South Park Preliminary Baseline Air Quality Study” Coalition for the Upper South Platte, Lake George, CO

AirWaterGas Community Grant Program Grant Applications due Tuesday, December 1, at 5:00 PM MST. Late and incomplete applications will not be accepted. Please use me to bounce around ideas, connect with AirWaterGas researchers or community groups.

Thank You! Katya Hafich AirWaterGas Education & Outreach Coordinator (303)