EPA AI-WATER
AI Water Guardians:
Protecting Falls Lake with Artificial Intelligence
Empowering NC students, educators, and communities to monitor, predict, and respond to harmful algal blooms using AI and satellite technology.
About the Project
Bridging AI Education and Environmental Action
Falls Lake Reservoir is the primary drinking water source for over 500,000 residents in the Raleigh–Durham metro area. Yet it faces escalating threats from harmful algal blooms (HABs) driven by nutrient pollution — and most residents don’t know why or how AI can help.
The AI Water Guardians project, led by NC State University and funded by the EPA Environmental Education Grant Program, puts cutting-edge AI tools — including Sentinel-2 satellite imagery analysis and graph neural networks — directly into the hands of students, teachers, and community members.
Over 24 months, we will co-develop curriculum with K–12 educators, train educators, deploy a public AI dashboard for real-time water quality monitoring, and catalyze community stewardship actions at Falls Lake.
📋 Project Details
Project Goals
Three Overarching Goals
Our framework targets two EPA funding priorities: advancing AI education and ensuring clean, safe water for communities.
Build AI & Environmental Literacy
Co-develop five curriculum modules with K–12 educators, integrating AI with Falls Lake water science. Train 30 educators and reach 500 community members through workshops.
📚 5 AI-integrated curriculum modules 👩🏫 30 educators trained (80% gain AI literacy) 🏘️ 12 public community eventsDevelop Critical Thinking Through AI Analysis
Engage 1,500 students analyzing Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and graph neural network predictions. Facilitate 10+ student and community action plans.
🛰️ 1,500 students using satellite AI tools 📊 75% improved critical thinking skills 📋 10+ water quality action plansCatalyze Environmental Stewardship & Community Action
Conduct 8 waterway clean-up events at AI-identified HAB hotspots and establish 10 youth-led monitoring programs.
🌿 8 clean-up events, 400+ volunteers 🏫 10 youth-led monitoring programs 🏠 100+ households adopt conservation practicesProject Phases
Four-Phase Project Timeline
Each phase advances participants through the full EPA Environmental Education Continuum — from awareness to stewardship action.
Foundation & Development
Develop five AI-integrated curriculum modules on HABs and satellite water quality monitoring, together with educators from partner organizations. Build and deploy a publicly accessible web-based AI dashboard visualizing near-real-time Falls Lake water quality data from Sentinel-2 imagery and graph neural network predictions.
Professional Development Institute
A hybrid (in person and online) intensive institute for 30 K–12 educators, co-facilitated by The Science House and the Data Science & AI Academy. Educators gain hands-on experience with AI literacy, satellite imagery analysis, and environmental monitoring techniques, and receive an AI for Environment Certificate upon completion.
Student & Community Engagement
Trained educators implement curriculum in 13–15 classrooms reaching 1,500 students. Twelve community events across the watershed — AI workshops, Science Saturdays at Falls Lake, and neighborhood water testing activities.
Action, Stewardship & Sustainability
Eight waterway clean-up events at AI-identified HAB hotspots. Youth-led monitoring programs at 5+ schools. Project culmination showcase. Open-source curriculum and AI tools released for national adoption.
Curriculum
Five AI-Integrated Learning Modules
Each module guides students through the full Environmental Education Continuum using real Falls Lake data and AI tools. Modules are co-developed with K–12 educators: NC State provides instruction on all of the AI concepts and tools and on how to translate them into K–12 classrooms, and supports educators as they help design, test, and refine each module.
Module 1: Introduction to Falls Lake
Our Water, Our Responsibility. Foundational awareness of the watershed, HABs, and why clean water matters to every community member.
AwarenessModule 2: Eyes in the Sky
Using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and AI classifiers to detect harmful algal blooms. Students interpret real satellite data of Falls Lake.
Knowledge / Critical ThinkingModule 3: Predicting the Future
AI and graph neural network models for water quality forecasting. Students explore how machine learning predicts HAB outbreaks before they happen.
Problem SolvingModule 4: From Data to Decisions
Interpreting AI outputs to make real environmental decisions. Students design evidence-based action plans from their AI analysis results.
Decision MakingModule 5: Water Guardians in Action
Designing and implementing community stewardship projects. Students lead clean-up events and build long-term monitoring programs.
Action / StewardshipExpected Project Impact
By the Numbers
Our Team
Project Leadership
A multidisciplinary team from NC State University and partner organizations.
Dr. Paul Liu
Dr. Jason Painter
Taryn Shelton
Partners & Collaborators
Building a Community of Practice
NC State University – MEAS
Lead institution — Dr. Paul Liu (PI), Dept. of Marine, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
Data Science & AI Academy
Taryn Shelton (Co-PI) — K–12 data science & AI curriculum, statewide programs
U.S. EPA
Funder – Environmental Education Grant Program (EPA-EE-25-01)
Falls Lake Watershed Partners
Upper Neuse River Basin Association & local watershed organizations
Falls Lake Watershed Schools & Organizations
13–15 schools and nonprofits across the six watershed counties, prioritizing Title I and underserved communities
Community Organizations
501(c)(3) nonprofits, HOAs, local government agencies
NC State Extension
Community outreach, media partnerships, local engagement networks
News & Updates
Project Milestones
🎉 Project Kickoff – AI Water Guardians Officially Launches!
The 24-month EPA-funded project begins. The team assembles and starts developing the AI-integrated curriculum modules with input from partner educators and the Falls Lake water quality AI dashboard.
Kickoff🛰️ AI Dashboard Launch: Real-Time Falls Lake Water Quality
A publicly accessible web dashboard visualizing Falls Lake water quality using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and graph neural network predictions will go live.
Upcoming👩🏫 Educator Institute: AI for Water Quality Monitoring
A hybrid professional development intensive for 30 K–12 educators from the six Falls Lake watershed counties, co-facilitated by The Science House and Data Science & AI Academy. Participants earn an AI for Environment Certificate upon completion.
UpcomingPartner School Application
Apply to Be an AI Water Guardian Partner
We invite nonprofit organizations — especially public and private schools near Falls Lake — to join as official program partners and bring AI water science directly to your students and community.
Selected partner schools and nonprofits receive a $5,000 grant to cover program materials, supplies, field activities, and student participation costs.
🏫 Who Should Apply?
Per EPA eligibility requirements, subrecipients must meet the same eligibility criteria as the prime recipient. We invite applications from qualified nonprofit or public education organizations serving communities in the Falls Lake watershed. The 770-square-mile region draining into Falls Lake includes portions of six North Carolina counties: Durham, Franklin, Granville, Orange, Person, and Wake. Eligible applicants include:
- Private K–12 schools with 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, particularly those near Falls Lake
- Local Education Agencies (e.g., school districts) applying on behalf of one or more public schools
- Nonprofit community organizations with 501(c)(3) status serving youth in the Falls Lake watershed
- After-school programs, youth clubs, or environmental education nonprofits serving K–12 students
⚠️ Note: Individual public schools that are not nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, and individual teachers or students are not eligible to receive subawards under EPA guidelines.
📋 Partner Commitments
Selected partner organizations agree to fulfill the following activities during the project period:
Attend Educator Training
At least two educators from your school attend the hybrid (in-person and online) AI Water Quality Professional Development Institute, gaining skills in AI literacy, satellite imagery analysis, and environmental monitoring. Participating educators will receive an AI for Environment Certificate upon completion and will help co-develop the curriculum modules — NC State provides instruction on all AI aspects, shows how to translate them into K–12 classrooms, and supports you throughout curriculum development.
Adopt AI Curriculum Modules
Implement at least two of the five AI-integrated curriculum modules on harmful algal blooms and Falls Lake water quality in your classrooms, reaching a minimum of 60 students.
Hold One Community Event
Organize at least one public community awareness event focused on Falls Lake water quality and AI-based environmental monitoring. This can be a dedicated standalone event or a session integrated into an existing school science fair, community night, or district event — not necessarily a separate independent event.
Lead One Waterway Trash Pickup
Conduct at least one organized waterway or shoreline clean-up event at or near Falls Lake, engaging students and community volunteers to remove litter and reduce nutrient runoff into the lake.
Establish a Student Water Guardian Team or Club
Form a student-led Water Guardian team, club, or monitoring program that continues environmental stewardship activities — such as regular water quality data collection or community education — beyond the grant period.
Questions? Contact Dr. Paul Liu at [email protected] before applying.
🌊 Apply Now Click to open the application formGet Involved
Whether you’re a school, community organization, or passionate individual — there are many ways to join the AI Water Guardians initiative.
NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
🎓 Not a Partner School? You Can Still Join!
Even if your organization is not selected as a partner school, you can still participate in our AI for Water Quality Training Workshop and earn the AI for Environment Certificate.
Individual educators, community members, and organization representatives are welcome to attend. Please indicate your interest in the workshop when completing the application form above.
📋 Check the Application Form