Good data as a basis for decision-making
The three objectives of the inventory of information on the site of concern are:
- Gathering all existing data needed for the construction of a conceptual model of the site.
- Identifying data gaps and determining the need for additional investigations at screening level.
- Setting up a data management system, which will be needed in risk-assessment and scenario development.
The inventory should provide a basis for the preliminary determination of the area to be assessed and the description of its relevant properties, which are defined by:
- contaminant sources,
- receptors inside and outside the megasite,
- pathways, through which contaminant transport from sources to receptors occurs.
At this stage of the Integrated Management Strategy (IMS) one should focus on the crucial data needed for the initial site characterization. An important part of this knowledge is likely to be gained from expert judgment, in addition to available databases and data files. Simultaneously, an overview of the data sources that are needed in the risk assessment has to be made. Special attention should be paid to the identification of the critical data gaps that are expected.
After the inventory of data sources and gathering the right information is completed, the challenge is to manage, store and query the data and information. Therefore, it is important to choose the right database system and software as a basis for recording and processing all information. Beside the database system, it is recommended to start to develop a database in a form that can be easily used for the geographical information systems (GIS) and groundwater models that will be needed further along in the IMS process for the risk assessment and management scenarios.
The first description of the contamination situation as well as the site-specific conditions may already confirm the assumption made that one is dealing with a megasite. In that case, a risk-based approach might be required to provide for a reasonable management of the megasite.
Output
The output of the inventory can be the site information displayed in maps or tables. A data management system should be developed to optimally store and process existing and additionally gained data. Based on the inventory, it can already be determined whether or not the site of concern meets the criteria for definition as a megasite and whether or not an integrated risk based approach is likely to be the best way to deal with the environmental problems.
