Shale Network brings together water-quality observations from community monitoring groups, researchers, government agencies, and other data providers. The project organizes measurements from regions of oil and gas development so they can be found, cited, and used in research and teaching.
Our published datasets focus on Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States. They bring together observations collected for different purposes, with different sampling designs and analytical methods. That context matters when comparing sites or interpreting changes in water quality.
What you can find here
- Water data: published datasets and database access, including groundwater, stream water, and waters associated with hydrocarbon production.
- Research: studies using Shale Network data to examine methane, salinity, and other water-quality questions.
- Teaching: activities and course materials that use environmental observations to teach data analysis and interpretation.
- Community history: workshop records and project news documenting exchanges among researchers, monitoring groups, agencies, and other participants.
How we work with data
The project organizes laboratory-report records in a structured input template. Its data-entry rules preserve the reported analytical method, use controlled variable names where available, and retain source information. A similar method is not a substitute for the method actually reported by a laboratory.
Read how data are prepared and assessed before combining records. A database entry does not by itself establish the cause of a water-quality observation or the suitability of a measurement for a particular analysis.
Work with us
To discuss a dataset, a teaching use, or a research question, contact Tao Wen. See Get Involved for ways to contribute.