The objective of this project was to develop the Training for Environmental Monitoring Performance Optimization (TEMPO) Training Tool, which is an interactive training tool that provides users a hands-on experience in chemical of concern (COC) site investigation through examination of virtual sites. It is aimed at supporting learning and skills development for two training modules including a Site Investigation module for improving investigation skills for conceptual site model development and a Long-Term Monitoring module for improving the design of cost-effective monitoring programs for long-term compliance. TEMPO is accessible online and consists of a graphical user interface that allows end users to undertake real-time training on these modules and for seven different virtual sites with varying complexity in geology and COC distribution. Users have the ability to investigate the selected virtual site by deploying an array of both conventional and advanced investigation tools including boreholes and monitoring well installations, membrane interface probe and dye-enhanced laser induced fluorescence, and soil and groundwater analytical sampling. TEMPO tracks the costs of the investigation or monitoring programs in real-time and allows the user to evaluate their results to the true, known model of the virtual site, balancing cost with uncertainty and value of information. The user can assess their performance against the true results and monitor improvement with multiple attempts at each site.

TEMPO has two modules: Site Investigation and Long-Term Monitoring. TEMPO consists of seven different virtual sites (VSD) with varying complexity in geology and COC distribution. The first three VSD are learning modules (VSD1 through VSD3) for site investigation. VSD1 through VSD3 may be repeated multiple times so that the user can experiment and attempt to improve their score. VSD4 is created to be a test VSD and may not be repeated multiple times. The Long-Term Monitoring module comprises temporal monitoring data at three different sites (VSD5 through VSD7) and will focus on improving the users’ skill at selecting long-term monitoring locations.

Use of TEMPO should result in the following objectives:

• Develop site investigation skills through engagement with conceptual site models of virtual sites with varying complexity in geology and COC distribution.
• Contrast the application of conventional and advanced investigation tools for the treatment of virtual sites.
• Enhance the ability to design cost-effective monitoring programs for compliance.
• Utilize the evaluation of performance against true results to improve abilities in site investigations for remedial designs.

The goal of the TEMPO program is to provide a training instrument for students, early career COC-impacted site specialists, and site management personnel to improve abilities in site investigations for remedial designs that are not under- or over- scoped and aid in the review of sampling programs. Application of this training tool will ultimately lead to more cost-effective COC site management, directly benefiting the warfighter and installation communities. (Project Completion - 2022)