Environmental Tools to Support Sustainable Decision Making
| Methods | Purpose | Who Should Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Selected Analytical Methods for Environmental Remediation and Recovery (SAM) | Use this selection of methods when measuring for a particular contaminant after a contamination event. This tool allows communities to be prepared for chemical, biological, radiological and biotoxin contamination. | Department of Defense, Federal Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, U.S. Geological Survey, academia, and Environmental Response Laboratory Network members. |
| Models | Purpose | Who Should Use It |
|---|---|---|
| BASINS (Better Assessment Science Integrating Point & Non-point Sources) | Use this tool to create climate change scenarios for input into EPA watershed models. This facilitates the use of the BASINS models for assessing the effects of different climate change scenarios on streamflow and water quality in different watershed locations. | Watershed modelers, EPA Office of Research and Development, EPA's Regional and Program Offices, and others interested in using the BASINS modeling system for assessing the effects of climate change |
| Benchmark Dose Modeling Software (BMDS) | Risk assessors in EPA's programs can use this modeling software and guidance, in conjunction with dose-response data from toxicological studies, to derive hazardous pollutants benchmark doses that are associated with a defined response level (risk). | Risk assessors in EPA's Regional and Program and Offices, state and local governments, and the public |
| EPANET-MSX (multi species extension) Exit | Use this tool to model any system of multiple, interacting chemical species in a water distribution system. It allows users to track the fate and transportation of the chemicals through the system. This set of software tools is referred to as EPANET-MSX, where MSX stands for Multi-Species Extension. | Water utilities managers, researchers, and other officials concerned with homeland security |
| EPANET-RTX (real time extension) Exit | Use this tool to explore various "what-if" situations with a real time simulation of a water utility's hydraulic network (water system) under varying conditions. | Programmers and engineers building hydraulic models |
| Storm Water Management Model | Use this hydrology and hydraulics model to determine how stormwater runoff and sanitary sewer flows can be effectively managed within urban drainage systems. The tool offers suggestions structural controls, non-structural BMPs, and low-impact development practices to reduce runoff. | Researchers, consulting engineers, stormwater control and sewer authorities, and EPA's Regional and Program Offices |
| VELMA-ecohydrological model and decision support framework | Use this eco-hydrological model to identify best management practices for ecosystems. Visualization tools are provided to help users assess how alternative decisions impact the sustainability of vital ecosystem services. | Community planners and managers,watershed councils, state and federal land managers, and water quality regulators |
| Water Erosion Prediction Project Climate Assessment Tool (WEPPCAT) | Use this model for creating climate change scenarios specified by the user for input WEPP agricultural soil erosion model. Users input information about the field, soil, crop cover and management, climate, and climate change and get information on the effects of different climate change scenarios on agricultural soil erosion. | Watershed modelers, EPA's Office of Research and Development, and EPA's Regional and Program Offices |
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Gulf Ecology Model (GEM) and Gulf of Mexico Dissolved (GoMDOM) |
This model is in development. This tool will show the consequences of runoff management policies on hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. The project focuses on the magnitude and frequency of hypoxia in the area based on a number of factors, including the relationship between freshwater discharge and nutrient loads from the Mississippi River Basin. See also: |
EPA's Office of Water, EPA's Regional and Program Offices, and the modeling community |
| Tools | Purpose | Who Should Use It |
|---|---|---|
| CANARY Event Detection Software Exit | Use this tool in conjunction with water quality sensors to detect hazardous contaminants, or abnormal water quality conditions, in drinking water. | Water quality managers |
| CSS Dashboards (EDSP21, TSCA21, OW21) | Use this tool to prioritize chemicals for potential risk to human health and the environment. Dashboards integrate different sources of information about chemical toxicity and exposure. | EPA's Regional and Program Offices, states, and anyone making chemical safety decisions |
| National Stormwater Calculator | Use this tool to determine storm-water runoff based on soil conditions, land cover, historical rainfall records, and a variety of land uses. Users can try different types of models to see potential runoff changes based on land use. | City planners, developers, and property owners |
| Übertool | Use this method to inform decisions made about endangered species, including aquatic life, terrestrial plants, and wildlife. | Risk assessors and those interested in ecosystem-level pesticide risks |
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This tool is in development. |
EPA's Regional and Program Offices states, and anyone making chemical safety decisions | |
| Secondary NAAQS Deposition Tools | This tool is in development. This tool will be used to find credible atmospheric estimates for public welfare, as well as field data. Data measured can be submitted to CMAQ. See also: |
EPA's Office of Air, the U.S. National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service |
| Databases | Purpose | Who Should Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Aggregated Computational Toxicology Online Resource (ACTOR) | This massive online warehouse aggregates chemical toxicity data from over 1,000 public sources. Use this database to predict potential toxicity, and inform decisions based on results. | EPA's Regional and Program Offices, , states, and anyone making chemical safety decisions |
| Drinking Water Treatability Database | Use this database to find the right water treatment solution for your contaminant of concern. | Drinking water system operators, state and local managers and other decision-makers |
| Exposure Science in the 21st Century (ExpoCastDB) | Use this database with ToxRefDB, AcTOR, and ToxCastDB to understand exposure risk of chemicals based on observed human exposure data to make exposure predictions. | EPA's Regional and Program Offices, states, and anyone making chemical safety decisions |
| Freshwater Biological Traits Database | This is information on species traits associated with benthic macroinvertebrate species grouped by states. Use this database to create lists of species using any of these traits, from environmental preferences, to size, to region. You can create lists of species affected by small changes in the environment. | EPA, U.S. Geological Survey, states, and academia |
| Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO) Database | Use this database to find out what scientific literature is behind EPA's assessments. | ORD scientists, peer reviewers, EPA's programs and regional managers and the public |
| International Stormwater Best Management Practices Database Exit | Need to find storm water reduction ideas that are compatible with other values in your community? Use this database to find performance information on stormwater BMPs cross listed with other environmental, geographic, and demographic information. | Researchers, engineers, planners, landscape architects or anyone who wants to link performance data on stormwater BMPs |
| Integrated Risk Information (IRIS) Database | This database provides information on the human health effects of chemicals found in the environment. | EPA's Regional and Program and Offices, and the public |
| Provisional Peer Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTVs) | Use this database to find toxicity values of contaminants when such information is not available in, Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). | EPA's Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation, and Regional Offices |
| SPECIATE 4.4 Database | Use this database of volatile organic gas and particulate matter profiles to create emissions inventories and estimate hazardous air. | EPA's Regional and Program Offices and other program leaders |
| ToxCast | This database contains over 600 rapid, automated technologies to test for toxicity. Use this data to predict potential toxicity, and inform decisions based on results. | EPA Program Office, Regions, States, anyone making chemical safety decisions |
| Toxicity Reference Database (ToxRefDB) | Use this searchable database of 30 years of toxicity studies containing information on the animal toxicity of hundreds of chemicals to support chemical safety decisions. | EPA's Regional and Program Offices, states, and anyone making chemical safety decisions |
| Aquachrontox-chronic toxicity database for fish and invertebrates | This database is in development. This database will be used to review the chronic toxicity of chemicals exposed to aquatic organisms. It can be used to test hypotheses and create models for acute: chronic ratios. |
EPA's Office of Research and Development , and other environmental professionals inside and outside of EPA |
| Database of Sustainability Indicators and Indices (DOSII) | The database is an inventory of sustainability indicators classified into a single system. Its design assists researchers and stakeholders in identifying specific indicators relevant to parts of the ecosystem such as air, water, energy, human health risks, and communities in general. Under development is a web tool that includes DOSII, the Human Well-being Index, and the Environmental Quality Index. See also: A Framework for Sustainability Indicators at EPA |
EPA's Regional and Program Offices, and other sustainability organizations |
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This database is in development. This database will be used to create the best models or equations for addressing the following question: How do ecosystems in a given area provide goods and services that contribute to society's well-being? See also |
EPA's Office of Research and Development, and other environmental professionals inside and outside of EPA |
| National Ecosystem Services Classification System (NESCS) | This database is in development. This database will be used to select and measure different ecosystem elements through standardized definitions and classifications. Elements can be compared and linked across environmental boundaries and scale. See also |
EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Water, Regional Offices, and the ecosystem service community in general |