Track: Environmental Management
An ArcView GIS Approach for Environmental Risk Assessment
Mehmet S. CuhadarogluVirginia Lau
A GIS-based statistical application called GIStats was developed within the ArcView GIS environment to perform risk-based comparisons of media concentrations to naturally occurring background levels. GIStats is part of an environmental risk assessment package that consists of an ArcView GIS and 3D Visualization/Volume model. GIStats uses the scripts and programs developed in Visual Basic and Avenue. The GIStats package was specifically designed to determine whether sites require remediation, the extent of remediation, and once remediation has been performed, confirm if cleanup levels have been meet. Once all the sampling locations and corresponding media concentrations have been input into the package, GIStats may be used to alternatively remove (remediate) specific samples to determine whether the site data are statistically similar to the background data set as determined based on underlying distribution of the data set and the population comparison tests performed (i.e., student T test and Wilcoxin Rank Sum test). The GIStats program supports a cost-effective and scientifically based remedial action plan that is consistent with background levels and avoids the implementation of unnecessary remediation programs for sites with concentrations within background levels. A demonstration of the flexibility and strengths of the package will be presented using an example site in California.
Mehmet S. Cuhadaroglu
Dames & Moore
6 Hutton Ctr Dr
Santa Ana, CA 92707
USA
Telephone: 714 433 2000 ext 366
Fax: 714 433 2364
E-mail: snamsc@dames.com