Background on Radon project: Distribution of Radon Potential in Colorado Springs
In Colorado Springs, we live in one of the most naturally beautiful places in the country. But with this beauty comes a plethora of geologic and other natural hazards that are inherent in the land that we occupy as a city. These hazards include, but are not limited to, landslides, mudflows, floods, abandoned mine subsidence, and rock fall.
One major concern affecting human health is radon gas. Radon gas is a pervasive, dangerous, and invisible hazard, produced as a result of the natural decay of minerals containing uranium or thorium found in rocks, the soil or water. This gas can leak into a home, often through the basement. Unfortunately, the rock type and structure in the Pikes Peak region make it one of the most vulnerable places in the country to radon gas impacts. Because radon gas in Colorado Springs is a dangerous, yet preventable hazard, the people of Colorado Springs must be aware of the extent of the risk and procedures to mitigate it.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI Report: “The Health Effects of Exposure to Indoor Radon” http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/beirvi1.html from EPA by permission of The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) February 19, 1998). Radon gas problems are amenable to prevention. In fact, most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs, such as painting or having a new hot water heater installed. (Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon" http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/pubs/hmbyguid.html#6.a).
The Radon Measurements Lab in the Physics Department at UCCS has been testing homes in the Colorado Springs area for radon for years. The Radon Measurements Lab has accumulated thousands of radon readings. The Southern Colorado Geodata Laboratory in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies (GES) at UCCS imported these data into a Geographic Information System (GIS) and geo-located each measurement so that the spatial distribution could be mapped and analyzed.
The Southern Colorado GeoData Laboratory has developed a website devoted to disseminating information to the citizens of Colorado Springs and El Paso County about the possible hazards in our community. The map is fully interactive, allowing users to zoom in or out and view the particular areas they are interested in, and currently shows areas of risk from ten different geo-hazards (web.uccs.edu/geogenvs/hazards/). The site can be accessed from the GES Home Page as well as the City of Colorado Springs Home Page (www.springsgov.com). It is used and often recommended to the public by the City Planning Department, local geology consultants and many local realtors. The radon maps are now available in an interactive format. These can be viewed and queried along with the other natural hazards in the Colorado Springs area.
More Radon Information:
The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies is located in Columbine Hall. Phone: 719.255.3016 Fax: 719.255.4066