Tampa Bay Pilot Study Project Proposal: Workshop

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Objectives/Strategy

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Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

GEOLOGIC DIVISION NEW PROJECT PROPOSAL- FY 2001

Task: 1
Task Leader: Edgar, N. Terence, tedgar@usgs.gov
600 4th Street South,
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: 727-803-8747
Fax: 727-803-2030

Title: Gulf of Mexico Estuaries - Tampa Bay Pilot Study Workshop

Old Tampa Bay,
viewed from Safety Harbor.

Task Priority: 1

Programs from which fiscal support is solicited:

Coastal and Marine Geology Programs 100

Task summary and objectives:

The Gulf of Mexico Estuaries - Tampa Bay Pilot Study will be coordinated through a workshop to be held at the USGS Center for Coastal Geology in St. Petersburg, Florida during January of 2001 and through planning meetings with individual collaborators, partners, and clients.

The objectives of the workshop are to

Identify addional partners, collaborators, and clients.
Define the roles and responsibilities of partners, collaborators, and clients.
identify the needs of clients and determine what information is most critical to address those needs.
Identify standardized methods and products that can be applied to other estuarine systems and the best methods for conveyance of results and products.
Develop a work-plan and a schedule for implementing the plan.

Large ships' traffic affects wave propagation and sediment transport on Tampa Bay.

Emphasis will be placed on developing multidivisional, integrated science strategies and identifying products that can be applied to other estuaries. Planning meetings with individual partners will be held before the workshop to refine workshop strategies, and after the workshop to monitor progress.

The Estuarine Research Federation (ERF) will hold their biennial conference on November 3-8, 2001 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Funds will be requested during FY2002 to provide sponsorship for the ERF 2001 conference and to hold a special session and discussion at the conference on current Tampa Bay research and future needs. Results from demonstration studies outlined in task 2 will be presented at this meeting. The active participation of the USGS in the ERF conference will aid in strengthening the Coastal and Marine Geology Program’s presence in both the local and national estuarine research community.

Work to be undertaken during the proposal year and a description of the methods and procedures:

The Gulf of Mexico Estuaries - Tampa Bay Pilot Study workshop will convene for 2 days in January 2001. A number of participating clients and collaborators have already been identified (see listing). Additional contacts will be established with those clients for which contact information has not been listed. We anticipate participation of 20 to 30 representatives from participating agencies and universities. Lead scientists currently participating in research efforts on other Gulf of Mexico estuaries will be invited to attend. Their perspectives will assist in developing strategies that are transferable to other estuarine systems. Funds are requested for workshop and planning meeting preparation and materials, travel and accommodations for invited scientists, and publication of workshop reports.

Key components of establishing a successful integrated science plan for estuarine research in the Gulf of Mexico and other locations are the development of strong partnerships, the identification of potential collaborators and clients for future efforts, and the establishment of a strong USGS presence in the local and national estuarine research community. The ERF conference in November of 2001 will be attended by local, state, federal, and university representatives actively involved in estuarine research across the nation and internationally.

Conference themes will include: detecting estuarine change, measuring estuarine health, marine restoration/conservation, combining science and management to solve estuarine problems, technological advances, ecological impacts of invasive species and disease, modeling estuarine processes, tropical/temperate comparisons, new perspectives on habitat use and trophic interactions, and communicating science to the public. This meeting will provide an excellent opportunity to identify current problems and client needs associated with Tampa Bay and other estuarine systems and potential collaborators and partners for future estuarine research in other regions.

USGS researchers are actively participating in ERF conference planning activities by serving on the conference steering committee. We will offer to host/chair a special session featuring presentations on current research efforts in Tampa Bay and discussion on future directions. This will provide a the opportunity to present results from USGS demonstration studies and to review identified research needs prior to initiating a large-scale effort in 2002.

Planned outreach: