U.S. Com Dep Sec Announced $2.5M to U-M to Develop Forecasting for Dead Zones Lk Erie

["Shannon Briggs" <briggssl@michigan.gov>]

U.S. COMMERCE DEPUTY SECRETARY ANNOUNCED $2.5 MILLION TO UNIVERSITY OF 
MICHIGAN TO DEVELOP FORECASTING FOR DEAD ZONES IN LAKE ERIE

U.S. Commerce Deputy Secretary David A. Sampson today in Detroit 
announced NOAA has awarded $506,190 as the first installment in a 
five-year $2.5 million grant to the University of Michigan. The grant 
will be used to forecast the formation of hypoxia, or low-oxygen 
conditions known as dead zones in Lake Erie, and its influence on lake

ecology and fish production potential.

"This investment reinforces President Bush's commitment to the Great 
Lakes," said Sampson. "By investing in cooperative projects like this,

we can maximize our understanding of this vital ecosystem and improve 
our conservation of it."

Scientists at the University of Michigan and the Cooperative Institute

for Limnology and Ecosystems Research (CILER) are working to develop a

set of state-of-the-art models to understand a complex array of 
potential causes including nutrient pollution, invasive species, and 
climate change, and provide management alternatives to alleviate this 
serious threat to living resources in Lake Erie. This approach aims to

improve the reliability of forecasts by integrating output from 
different models, each with different strengths and weaknesses.

Input and feedback from the management community is critical to the 
success of this project and key representatives of relevant agencies 
have been included in the development of this project. Ultimately, a
set

of management and policy options will be produced along with
uncertainty

assessments and technical guidance for implementation of a given course

of action.

The Great Lakes are a major resource to North America, containing 18 
percent of the world's surface freshwater and 90 percent of the United

States' surface freshwater. They serve as the focus for a multi-billion

dollar tourist and recreation industry, supply 40 million people with 
drinking water, provide habitat for wildlife and fish, and support 
transportation and diverse agricultural production.

"This award is an example of how NOAA is expanding the development of 
ecological forecasting," said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. 
Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and 
atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "NOAA has long been a leader in the

forecasting of weather, climate, and fish stocks. Ecological
forecasting

is a tool that synthesizes complex scientific information in a way that

can support successful ecosystem approaches to the management of the 
nation's coasts, oceans, and Great Lakes."

Lake Erie, the smallest by volume and shallowest of the Great Lakes,
has

historically experienced hypoxic, or low-oxygen conditions, often 
referred to as a dead zone because of its devastating impact on aquatic

life. After a period of decline in hypoxic events during the 1980s and

early 1990s, hypoxia has once again become a critical issue in the
lower

Great Lakes, especially western Lake Erie.

NOAA's Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR) is committed

to developing predictive capabilities for coastal ecosystems, and to 
supporting the transition of science results to management tools. This

project will advance ecological forecasting capabilities in support of

regional ecosystem-based management and NOAA's ecosystem and climate 
goals, and is an example of the types of ecological forecasts that can

be developed by top academic and NOAA scientists working in concert
with

coastal managers.

In fiscal year '06, CSCOR provided approximately $10 million in 
competitive grants to institutions of higher education, state, local, 
and tribal governments, and other non-profit research institutions to 
assist NOAA in fulfilling its mission to study our coastal oceans. 
NOAA-sponsored competitive research programs such as Eco-Forecasting 
Program demonstrate NOAA's commitment to its historic responsibilities

of science and service to the nation for the past 35 years.
- 30 -
On the Web:
NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov 
NOAA's National Ocean Service: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ 
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science : 
http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/ 


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