The site of the investigation is
fictitious Ramford County which is home to a large
old city with an industrial history, surrounded by
suburban sprawl; agricultural (farm and fruit
orchard) land uses; and large tracks of
undeveloped state and federal forest land.
Ramford, the large city, is bordered on three
sides by the Ramford River which once provided the
power to run all the early industry. The Ramford
River watershed provides drinking water to most of
the residents of the state. Upstream from Ramford
its waters have been dammed into large reservoirs.
As the river approaches the City input of
chemicals from point and non-point sources have
degraded water quality; and development has
altered the natural habitat.