EPA Research in Wyoming
EPA researchers are working hard to protect communities across the nation. Learn about some of the work EPA researchers are doing in Wyoming.
- Satellite Derived Measures of Cyanobacteria
- Microbial Sampling at Yellowstone National Park
- Wildfire Impacts on Seasonal Water Temperatures
For more EPA work, see EPA in Wyoming.
Satellite Derived Measures of Cyanobacteria
Cyanobacteria blooms are an environmental and human health problem across the US. They are capable of producing toxins, odors, and surface scum that threaten the health of humans and animals, the quality of drinking water supplies, and the ecosystems in which they develop. EPA developed the CyAN app and CyANWeb, easy-to-use and customizable applications that provide access to algal bloom satellite data for over 2,000 of the largest lakes and reservoirs across the US. States with lakes, like Wyoming, can use CyAN to make faster and better-informed management decisions related to cyanobacterial blooms.
Microbial Sampling at Yellowstone National Park
EPA researchers and Yellowstone National Park collaborated on a 5-month sampling campaign during the 2021 park visitation season. The goal of the effort was to characterize the microbial quality in shallow well and spring collector systems used to supply water for the park's drinking water infrastructure. Read more at Microbial Pathogen and Surrogate Sampling in Yellowstone National Park Shallow Groundwater and Spring Collection Systems.
Wildfire Impacts on Seasonal Water Temperatures
Over the past thirty years, high-severity wildfires have become more pervasive across the western US. High-severity fires can burn down riparian vegetation that offers shade to streams, stabilize streambanks, and trap sediments and precipitation. Water resource managers in the region are concerned about wildfires’ effect on streams thermal regimes and their implications for salmonids. EPA researchers assessed wildfire effects on the winter and summer water temperature indices of stream stations at Boulder Creek (Oregon), Elk Creek (Oregon), and Gibbon River (Wyoming). Read the study at Variable wildfire impacts on the seasonal water temperatures of western US streams: An empirical study.
Storing and Sharing Biological Data for Water Quality
Diatoms are single-celled algae that serve as excellent biological indicators of water quality because they are found everywhere and respond to a variety of environmental stressors. State environmental programs have invested substantial resources to collect diatom samples from streams, rivers, and lakes. However, states have faced challenges with storing and sharing diatom data to EPA’s national database (the Water Quality Exchange, WQX). To address these challenges, EPA’s Office of Research and Development held a series of virtual workshops to work with partners, including Wyoming, to develop best practices for diatom data submission to WQX. Read Storing and Sharing Biological Data in EPA’s Water Quality Exchange.