A collaborative project titled “Improving geospatial environmental health research with Tribal communities in Montana and New Mexico” has made significant strides in environmental monitoring on the Crow Reservation. Led by Drs. Yan Lin and Joseph Hoover, along with community partners John Doyle and Mari Eggers, the project, supported by the Regional Alliance of INBRE Networks (RAIN), has installed crucial monitoring infrastructure.
Over the past year, the team has established a meteorological station and deployed five particulate matter monitors across the reservation. The meteorological station, installed in Wyola, MT in September 2023, was facilitated by the team’s partnership with Montana Mesonet, a subsidiary of the Montana State University Climate Office. Data generated by the station are publicly accessible through the Montana Mesonet Dashboard and will be utilized for modeling activities in the coming years.
Additionally, the team has installed PurpleAir particulate matter monitors at various locations around the Crow Nation. Plans are underway to upgrade the solar power units for these monitors in Spring 2024, enhancing their efficiency and reliability.
The data collected thus far has demonstrated the viability of meteorological stations for deployment in communities lacking access to quality meteorological data. Real-time data from the active meteorological station is publicly hosted by Montana Mesonet, providing valuable insights for various stakeholders, particularly ranchers and farmers in the area.
Recognizing the importance of community engagement, efforts are being made to increase public access to the collected data. A partnership between Little Big Horn College and Montana Mesonet aims to display real-time data from the stations on a sign at the college campus, with potential expansion to other community center locations.
These developments mark the early stages of utilizing collected data to inform and improve geospatial models, indicating promising prospects for enhanced environmental monitoring and community involvement on the Crow Reservation.