Air Monitoring in Johnson County

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment operates all ambient air monitors within the county. The monitors are part of an extensive nationwide network of ambient air monitoring operated by EPA, states, and local air quality agencies. Kansas has sampling locations throughout the state. Currently, there is only one monitoring location with two monitors within Johnson County. One is dedicated to measuring the levels of particulates and one is dedicated to monitoring ozone in the outside air. The monitoring locations is at the north end of Heritage Park in Johnson County.

This location was selected based on a very specific set of criteria established by EPA. These criteria consider characteristics such as population density and effects of busy roadways and/or industrial sources. The goal is that each site will accurately represent the air quality in the county.

These monitors operate on a schedule established by EPA, every three days from midnight to midnight for the particulate monitor and daily for the ozone monitor from April 1 to October 31. The data is collected by KDHE staff and reported to EPA. This information can then be used to judge the air quality and help make decisions on any regulations necessary if problems are found.

Wendell says: "That's my buddy Mike in the picture!"