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?

Current Air Quality Forecast


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.

Site Map

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

List of Sites and Pollutants Monitored

Site

Site No.

MET

SO2

NO2

O3

CO

PM10

PM2.5

Other(s)

Bismarck Residential 38-015-0003 Total Reactive Nitrogen (NOy)
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
PM2.5 24-HR 35 b 35 b
PM2.5 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 98th 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 98th percentile (8th highest) of the daily maximum 1-HR average concentration in a year.
  • j Three year average of the annual 99th percentile (4th 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

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

1 Now a combined document of the Ambient Monitoring Report and the Ambient Monitoring Network Plan.

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