Southern Ute Indian Tribe

The Tribe's Air Quality Program currently is maintaining two air quality monitoring shelters, known as Ute 1 and Ute 3. Ute 1 is located just north of Ignacio, Colorado in the Tribe's Forestry Division compound and Ute 3 is located off of Colorado State Highway 550 approximately 5.5 miles north of Bondad, Colorado. The monitoring program has been designed to be responsive to the needs of the Reservation, while adhering to U.S. EPA guidelines.

The Tribe's air monitoring network is equipped to measure Oxides of Nitrogen (NO/NO2/NOx), Ozone (O3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Particulate Matter (PM) and meteorological data. The Tribe has collected NO2 and O3 data at the Ute 1 site and Ute 3 site since June 1, 1982 and April 1, 1997, respectively. Since January 1, 2000 both sites initiated meteorological monitors measuring Wind Speed, Wind Direction, Vertical Wind Speed, Outdoor Temperature, Relative Humidity, Solar Radiation, and Rain/Snow Melt Precipitation. Vertical wind speed data was collected from January 2000 to October 2007. Particulate data (PM10) was collected from December 1, 1981 to September 30, 2006 at the Ute 1 site and April 1, 1997 to September 30, 2006 at the Ute 3 site. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) monitoring commenced on June 18, 2009 at both monitoring sites.

The monitors record the following averages for the gaseous pollutants monitored: an annual average for NO2, hourly averages for O3 and CO, and 8-hour averages for O3. PM2.5 sampling is conducted according to EPA's 1-in-6 day sampling schedule. The meteorological parameters collect continuous daily wind speed/direction, ambient temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and precipitation data.

The Tribe will commence visibility monitoring using a nephelometer instrument at the Ute 3 site, which is upon approval from USEPA Region 8.

Air Quality