Overview
Flathead is an air monitoring station in Lake County, Montana, part of the IMPROVE network operated by the National Park Service. It provides data on visibility and particulate matter for the region.
Flathead is an air monitoring station located in Lake County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network, which focuses on assessing visibility impairment and particulate matter in Class I areas. The station is operated by the National Park Service and provides critical data for understanding air quality in the region. The IMPROVE network employs standardized sampling and analytical methods to measure fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and its chemical components, including sulfates, nitrates, organic carbon, and elemental carbon. This data supports regulatory compliance under the US EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) and helps track long-term trends in visibility and air pollution. Flathead's location in a rural area of Montana provides representative background conditions for the region. The station's data contributes to the protection of natural resources and public health by informing air quality management decisions. Continuous monitoring supports the Clean Air Act's goals for visibility protection in national parks and wilderness areas. The information collected at Flathead is used by researchers and regulators to assess the effectiveness of emission reduction programs and to model regional air quality.
Environmental context
Flathead operates within the IMPROVE network, which is specifically designed to monitor visibility and particulate matter in protected areas. The station's location in rural Montana provides baseline air quality data away from major urban sources. The data collected includes PM2.5 mass and speciation, which are critical for understanding regional haze and the impact of transported pollutants. This monitoring supports the Regional Haze Rule and helps evaluate progress toward visibility goals in Class I areas.
Frequently asked questions
The Flathead air monitoring station is located in Lake County, Montana, United States, at coordinates 47.773283, -114.269975.
As part of the IMPROVE network, Flathead measures fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and its chemical components, including sulfates, nitrates, organic carbon, and elemental carbon, to assess visibility and air quality.
The Flathead air monitoring station is operated by the National Park Service as part of the IMPROVE network.
The Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network is a collaborative program to monitor visibility and particulate matter in Class I areas across the United States, supporting the Regional Haze Rule and the Clean Air Act.
Flathead provides data on background particulate matter levels, which helps the US EPA and state agencies assess compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and track long-term trends in visibility and air pollution.
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