NYS Water Quality Data Analytics Prototype Project

Summary

Project started on Sept. 30, 2018 (Completed)


The Water Quality Data Analytics Prototype project was designed to provide research scientists, engineers, program directors, and executives in Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Division of Water and Department of Health (DOH) Bureau of Water Supply Protection with an integrated and collaborative data analytics business process, within a shared environment, to support comprehensive analysis and understanding of NYS’s water quality concerns, and integration of analytical outcomes into DEC and DOH programs.

The CTG team followed an iterative process focused on:

  • Identifying and learning about the DEC and DOH needs and work processes;
  • Based on these needs and work processes, designing data management and analysis workflows using technology tools and analytics techniques the CTG team thought were most appropriate for DEC and DOH; and
  • Testing these workflows and tools with a select group of DEC and DOH staff.

The CTG team developed, tested, and refined two prototypes and produced a final prototype that is the basis for a future production system. The result was a data analytics platform that integrates a set of data management and analysis software tools into a coherent whole that complements the capabilities, skills, and tools already in place with DEC and DOH staff. In addition to the Final Prototype, the CTG team provided a set of recommendations to help the agencies improve data governance, streamline and automate data management and flows, and increase capabilities in more advanced data analytical techniques such as panel data, artificial intelligence, and spatial analysis.


Press Releases & News Stories

July 30, 2019: Spending Summer at CTG UAlbany in Style

July 22, 2021: CTG UAlbany Partners with New York State on Water Quality Data Analytics

February 2, 2022: The Case for Data-Driven Decision Making in Government

 

 


Publications & Results

January 5, 2021: Towards Data-Driven Decision-Making in Government: Identifying Opportunities and challenges for Data Use and Analytics

June 9, 2021: Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Evidence-Based Decision Making in Government: Random Forest and Deep Neural Network Classification for Predicting Harmful Algal Blooms in New York State


Partners

This project was led by the Center for Technology in Government (CTG) in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Division of Water, Department of Health (DOH) Bureau of Water Supply Protection, and Office of Information Technology Services (ITS).


Funding Sources

This project was funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.