Monitoring Stations

Mecklenburg County Air Quality (MCAQ) maintains a network of real-time, federally-approved monitoring stations to determine compliance with health-based air quality standards.

The stations are equipped with air monitoring instruments that measure the amount of pollution in our outdoor air. Monitoring instruments are carefully placed at locations around Mecklenburg County to provide a representative picture of our air quality. The data collected from the monitoring stations is used to generate an Air Quality Index value that allows county residents to make informed decisions in order to protect their health.

MCAQ's air monitoring stations are collecting and reporting air quality data 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; so, you will always have access to current information about air quality in our community to help you determine:

  • Peak air pollution levels,
  • Typical ambient levels in populated areas,
  • Air pollution transported into and outside the city or region, and
  • Air pollution levels near specific sources.

Visit Air Quality Trends to view historical air quality information.

  Friendship Park  |  Garinger High School  |   I-85 Equipment Drive | Ramblewood Park  |  Remount  |  University Meadows  

Friendship Park Monitoring Station

The monitoring objective of the Friendship Park station is to measure PM2.5 concentrations in an area of high population density. The site is located 4.0 miles north of the central business district of Charlotte, North Carolina. The monitor is located in a large grass field between two baseball fields at Friendship Park. Data from this site is used to assess compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards of the pollutants listed above.

Resource: Friendship Park Visitor's Guide

Monitoring Location

Monitoring Equipment

AQ Monitoring Stations, ​​​​​​​​Air Quality Permitting and Enforcement Forms

Garinger High School Monitoring Station

The Garinger High School Station is the most advanced monitoring station in Mecklenburg County and measures multiple pollutants including coarse and fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), ground-level ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Meteorological data is also collected at Garinger. 

Data collected at this station represents typical air pollutant concentrations in the highly populated, urban areas of Mecklenburg County. It is designed to measure emissions originating from a wide variety of mobile, commercial, and industrial sources. The Garinger air quality monitoring station is located at Garinger High School, 3.4 miles east-northeast of Charlotte’s central business district. Data from this station is used to assess compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the pollutants listed above.

Monitoring Location

Monitoring Equipment

AQ Monitoring Stations, ​​​​​​​​Air Quality Permitting and Enforcement Forms

I-85 Equipment Drive Monitoring Station

The I-85 Equipment Drive station measures nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Data collected at the I-85 Equipment Drive station represents typical air pollutant concentrations near heavily traveled roadways. The I-85 Equipment Drive air quality monitoring station is located 4.3 miles northeast of the central business district of Charlotte, NC, within 80 feet of Interstate 85 South between North Graham Street and West Sugar Creek Road. Data is used to assess compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the pollutants listed above.

Monitoring Location

Monitoring Equipment

equipment-dr-site-cropped.jpg, Air Quality document

Ramblewood Park Monitoring Station

The monitoring objective of the Ramblewood Park station is to measure PM10 concentrations in an area of high population density. This site is located 8.0 miles south-southwest of the central business district of Charlotte, North Carolina. The monitor is located in a large grass field between soccer field #9 and the baseball field at Ramblewood Park. Data from this site is used to assess compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards of the pollutants listed above.

Monitoring Location

Monitoring Equipment

AQ Monitoring Stations, ​​​​​​​​Air Quality Permitting and Enforcement Forms

Remount Monitoring Station

The Remount station measures multiple pollutants including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).  Data collected at the Remount station represents typical air pollutant concentrations near heavily traveled roadways. The Remount air quality monitoring station is located 2.6 miles southwest of the central business district of Charlotte, NC, within 100 feet of Interstate 77 South between NC Highway 160 and mile marker 8. Data is used to assess compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the pollutants listed above. 

Monitoring Location

Monitoring Equipment

AQ Monitoring Stations, ​​​​​​​​Air Quality Permitting and Enforcement Forms

University Meadows Monitoring Station

Ozone concentrations are expected to be the highest at the University Meadows station. The monitoring station is located 9.3 miles north east of the central business district of Charlotte, NC. It is oriented along the primary summer wind vector (SW to NE) which intersects the central business district. Data is used to assess compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground-level ozone.

Monitoring Location

Monitoring Equipment

AQ Monitoring Stations, ​​​​​​​​Air Quality Permitting and Enforcement Forms

Historical Stations

Access a map of historical Mecklenburg County Air Quality monitoring station locations here.