2026 SAG Award Winners

State of Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Pollution Control

Project Goal

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) set out to modernize statewide water quality management through a suite of GIS-driven solutions and applications. This initiative unifies data collection, quality assurance, analysis, regulatory tracking, and public communication across four core applications: a real-time Beach Monitoring Program, a Coastal Restoration Dashboard, a centralized Environmental Data Management System (EDMS), and an Impaired Waters & TMDL Tool. Together, these systems streamline workflows, improve data integrity, enhance transparency, and support science-based decision-making, enabling MDEQ to more effectively monitor, manage, and protect Mississippi’s water resources while providing timely, accessible information to stakeholders and the public.
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Business Problem Solved

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality faced fragmented, outdated workflows that relied heavily on manual and paper-based data entry, siloed systems, and time-consuming processes for managing water quality data. These limitations slowed data availability, increased the risk of errors, and made it difficult to efficiently support regulatory reporting, analysis, and public communication. By modernizing and integrating these processes into GIS-based environments, the agency eliminated redundant workflows, improving data accuracy and accessibility. This transformation replaced legacy systems with streamlined, digital solutions that support scalable, efficient, and transparent water quality management statewide.

Technology Implemented

ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Dashboards, ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript, ArcGIS 3D map, ArcGIS Survey123, ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Portal

Development Team Biography

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Office of Pollution Control and Office of Restoration in collaboration with the Geospatial Group

Company Overview

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is the state agency responsible for protecting Mississippi’s air, land, and water resources. The agency works to safeguard public health and environmental quality through science-based research, regulatory oversight, permitting, compliance, and public engagement programs. Its mission is to protect present and future generations by conserving and improving natural resources while supporting sustainable economic growth. MDEQ collaborates with communities, businesses, and government partners to promote environmental stewardship, ensure regulatory compliance, and provide accessible information and services that support informed decision-making across the state.

Return on Investment

MDEQ’s investment in integrated GIS solutions has delivered significant returns through increased efficiency, reduced operational costs, and improved data quality. By replacing manual, paper-based workflows with automated data collection and centralized management, staff time spent on data entry, QA/QC, and reporting has been substantially reduced. Real-time data access and streamlined processes enable faster decision-making and regulatory response, while minimizing errors and duplication. Additionally, enhanced public-facing applications improve transparency and reduce staff burden for information requests. Collectively, these improvements allow MDEQ to do more with existing resources while strengthening statewide water quality management.