Air Quality Monitoring

The Division of Air Quality has the primary responsibility for protecting the health and welfare of North Dakotans from the harmful effects of air pollution.

Questions may be addressed to Ryan Mills at 701-328-5254, or email rmills@nd.gov.

Air Quality Index (AQI animated) from EPA AIRNow

What does the AQI mean?

Department of Environmental Quality

The Air Quality Monitoring branch ensures that the ambient (outside) air quality in North Dakota is better than the levels required by the state per Chapter 33.1-15-02 and by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards . To address this responsibility, the Department owns and operates a network of eight ambient air quality monitoring sites stationed throughout the state.

National Park Service

As part of their national monitoring network, the National Park Service has installed an ambient monitoring site at Theodore Roosevelt National Park - South Unit. The Department operates various monitoring equipment at this site on their behalf.

Industry

In addition to the ambient air quality monitoring sites operated by the Department, the owners of certain industrial sources of air emissions also operate air quality monitoring sites within their immediate spheres of influence. The site locations selected are based on computer dispersion modeling and prevailing wind directions.

North Dakota Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Sites (White Labels).

List of Sites and Pollutants Monitored

Site	Site No.	MET	SO₂	NO₂	O₃	CO	PM₁₀	PM_2.5	Other(s)
Bismarck Residential	38-015-0003	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Total Reactive Nitrogen (NO_y)
Beulah North	38-057-0004	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	Ammonia (NH₃)
Dunn Center (Shutdown Dec 2018)	38-025-0003	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Fargo West	38-017-1004	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Hannover	38-065-0002	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Lake Ilo	38-025-0004	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Lostwood NWR	38-013-0004	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	Ammonia (NH₃)
Ryder	38-101-0003	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Theodore Roosevelt NP North Unit	38-053-0002	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓
Theodore Roosevelt NP South Unit	38-007-0002	✓	✓		✓			✓
Williston	38-105-0003	✓			✓		✓	✓

Ambient Data can be accessed through EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) or EPA's GIS Server .

AAQS

Pollutant	Averaging Period	North Dakota µg/m³	North Dakota ppb	Federal µg/m³	Federal ppb
PM₁₀	24-HR	150 ^e		150 ^e
PM_2.5	24-HR	35 ^b		35 ^b
PM_2.5	Annual	9 ^g		9 ^g
SO₂	1-HR	196 ^j	75 ^j	196 ^j	75 ^j
SO₂	3-HR	1,309 ^a	500 ^a	1,309 ^a	500 ^a
SO₂	24-HR ^k			365 ^a	140 ^a
SO₂	Annual ^k			80	30
NO₂	1-HR	188 ⁱ	100 ⁱ	188 ⁱ	100 ⁱ
NO₂	Annual	100	53	100	53
CO	1-HR	40,000 ^a	35,000 ^a	40,000 ^a	35,000 ^a
CO	8-HR	10,000 ^a	9,000 ^a	10,000 ^a	9,000 ^a
O₃	8-HR	137 ^c	70 ^c	137 ^c	70 ^c
Lead (Pb)	3-Months	0.15 ^h		0.15 ^h
H₂S	Instantaneous	14,000	10,000
H₂S	1-HR	280 ^d	200 ^d
H₂S	24-HR	140 ^a	100 ^a
H₂S	Quarter	28	20

^a Not to be exceeded more than once per year.
^b Three year average of the annual 98^th percentile values.
^c Three year average of the annual fourth-highest daily maximum 8-HR concentration.
^d Not to be exceeded more than once per month.,
^e Not to be exceeded more than once on average over a three year period.
^f Average of annual concentrations for three calendar years.
^g Three year average of annual concentrations.
^h Three month arithmetic mean within a three year period.
ⁱ Three year average of the annual 98^th percentile (8^th highest) of the daily maximum 1-HR average concentration in a year.
^j Three year average of the annual 99^th percentile (4^th highest) of the daily maximum 1-HR averages.
^k Note that in NDAC 33.1-15-02-04 Table 1 (effective July 2020), the annual and 24-hour SO₂ standards have been removed. These standards were removed from the NAAQS effective August 23, 2010 (see Fed Reg. Vol. 75, No. 119, 35520, Tuesday, June 22, 2010).

Note that values are corrected to a reference temperature of twenty-five degrees Celsius (25°C/298 K) and a reference pressure of seven hundred sixty millimeters of mercury (760 mmHg/101.3 kilo-pascals).

Each year, the Department compiles a report summarizing the ambient air quality data obtained from the network of air quality monitoring sites in the state during the previous year. The reports include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and particulate matter ambient air quality data. Online versions of each report from 1995 to present are available by selecting the desired year in the drop-down menu, below. A printed or electronic copy of a given report may be requested by contacting the Department at 701-328-5188.

For a number of years, in addition to the annual report, the Department also published quarterly reports. These have now been superseded by the ability to generate custom time period data summaries. These summaries can cover historical periods (including those covered by the quarterly reports) up until the present.

A custom summary can be requested by calling 701-328-5254 or emailing Ryan Mills (rmills@nd.gov).

Note: The reports below were prepared specifically for two-sided printing in Portable Document Format (PDF). Therefore, blank pages will occur in single-sided printed version.

Ambient Data can be accessed through EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) or EPA's GIS Server .

Ambient Monitoring Reports & Network Plans

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Report	Info Type	Rev. Date
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2024 and Data Summary for 2023¹	PDF	2024
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2023 and Data Summary for 2022¹	PDF	2023
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2022 and Data Summary for 2021¹	PDF	2022
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2021 and Data Summary for 2020¹	PDF	2021
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2020 and Data Summary for 2019¹	PDF	2020
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2019 and Data Summary for 2018¹	PDF	2019
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2018 and Data Summary for 2017¹	PDF	2018
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2017 and Data Summary for 2016¹	PDF	2017
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2016 and Data Summary for 2015¹	PDF	2016
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2015 and Data Summary for 2014¹	PDF	2015
NCore Relocation Addendum	PDF	2015
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2013	PDF	2014
Ambient Network Plan for 2013	PDF	2014
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2012	PDF	2013
Ambient Network Plan for 2012	PDF	2013
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2011	PDF	2012
Ambient Network Plan for 2011	PDF	2012
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2010	PDF	2011
Ambient Network Plan for 2010	PDF	2011
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2009	PDF	2010
Ambient Network Plan for 2009	PDF	2010
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2008	PDF	2009
Ambient Network Plan for 2008	PDF	2009
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2007	PDF	2008
Ambient Network Report for 2007	PDF	2008
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2006	PDF	2007
Ambient Network Report for 2006	PDF	2007
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2005	PDF	2006
Ambient Network Report for 2005	PDF	2006
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2004	PDF	2005
Ambient Network Report for 2004	PDF	2005
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2003	PDF	2004
Ambient Network Report for 2003	PDF	2004
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2002	PDF	2003
Ambient Network Report for 2002	PDF	2003
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2001	PDF	2002
Ambient Network Report for 2001	PDF	2002
Ambient Monitoring Report for 2000	PDF	2001
Ambient Network Report for 2000	PDF	2001
Ambient Monitoring Report for 1999	PDF	2000
Ambient Network Report for 1999	PDF	2000
Ambient Monitoring Report for 1998	PDF	1999
Ambient Network Report for 1998	PDF	1999
Ambient Monitoring Report for 1997	PDF	1998
Ambient Network Report for 1997	PDF	1998
Ambient Monitoring Report for 1996	PDF	1997
Ambient Network Report for 1996	PDF	1996
Ambient Monitoring Report for 1995	PDF	1996
Ambient Network Report for 1995	PDF	1996
Ambient Network Report for 1994	PDF	1995
Ambient Network Report for 1993	PDF	1994
Ambient Network Report for 1992	PDF	1993
Ambient Network Report for 1991	PDF	1992
Ambient Network Report for 1990	PDF	1991
Ambient Network Report for 1989	PDF	1990
Ambient Network Report for 1988	PDF	1989
Ambient Network Report for 1987	PDF	1988
Ambient Network Report for 1986	PDF	1987
Ambient Network Report for 1985	PDF	1986
Ambient Network Report for 1984	PDF	1985
Ambient Network Report for 1983	PDF	1983

Ambient Air Quality Data for North Dakota

This air quality ambient monitoring stations interactive map viewer allows visitors to explore and discover air quality information for the state of North Dakota. External Link to EPA's GIS Map.

Last Updated: 01/10/2020

Air Quality Monitoring

Current Conditions

May 2024 AQI Color Scale Changes

AirNow products reflect the Air Quality Index

updated May 6, 2024 for the revised fine particulate

matter (PM2.5) ambient air quality standard.

Click here to learn more about the effect of the

AQI updates to the designated colors.

Air Quality Index (AQI animated) from EPA AIRNow

What does the AQI mean?

Understanding the Air Quality Index, Wildfire Smoke Impacts, and Forecasting

Monitoring Network

Department of Environmental Quality

National Park Service

Industry

North Dakota Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Sites (White Labels).

Bismarck Residential Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Fargo Northwest Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - South Unit Painted Canyon Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Dunn Center Air Monitoring Station (Shutdown Dec 2018)

Monitored Parameters

Hannover Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Lake Ilo Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Beulah North Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Ryder Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Williston Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge Air Monitoring Station

Monitored Parameters

Station Graph Test

List of Sites and Pollutants Monitored

Site

Site No.

MET

SO2

NO2

O3

CO

PM10

PM2.5

Other(s)

Ambient Data can be accessed through EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) or EPA's GIS Server .

Ambient Air Quality Standards (AAQS)

AAQS

Annual Reports & Monitoring Network Plans

PDF Reader

Ambient Monitoring Reports & Network Plans

Report

Info Type

Rev. Date

Ambient Monitoring GIS

Ambient Air Quality Data for North Dakota

Ambient Monitoring Contacts

Program Manager and Data Processing

Quality Assurance Manager

Field Operations

Contact Us

About Us

Jobs

Local Public Health Units

Intranet

matter (PM_2.5) ambient air quality standard.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - South Unit
Painted Canyon Air Monitoring Station

Theodore Roosevelt National Park
North Unit Air Monitoring Station

SO₂

NO₂

O₃

PM₁₀

PM_2.5