Coastal Management Fellowship Program
The fellowship program is one of the most powerful programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Coastal Services Center. Postgraduate students are matched with state coastal zone management agencies and assigned specific projects. One state official said the program ". . . gives us the opportunity to address issues that otherwise would have stayed on our wish list for years, if not forever."
Each fellowship is a two-year opportunity that offers a competitive salary, medical benefits, and relocation and travel expenses for the fellow.
Current fellowship projects are listed below. To learn more about the program, visit www.csc.noaa.gov/cms/fellows.html.
- Maryland – Develop and distribute a watershed planning toolbox for local governments.
- North Carolina – Compare two commonly used shoreline datums in North Carolina – the wet/dry line and the mean high water line – to determine if results of the two methods are interchangeable.
- Connecticut – Develop and implement a visual impact assessment strategy.
- California – Develop an implementation plan for the San Francisco Bay Water Trail.
- Maine – Identify new approaches to manage the state's embayments.
- Massachusetts – Develop early detection and eradication protocols for aquatic invaders.
- New Hampshire – Conduct an outreach program for the state's groundwater sustainability program.
- New Jersey – Develop a permit tracking program and public access guide.
- New York – Advance the state's efforts to improve water quality in riparian habitats.
- Oregon – Provide information and planning assessments for Oregon's rocky shore resources program.
Flood Inundation Maps Available
Hurricanes can flood inland areas, destroying property and endangering lives. A new computer tool lets southeastern emergency managers quickly access flood inundation maps and rainfall and river level forecasts. This information helps officials develop better evacuation and response plans.
The new Inland Flood Planning and Response Tool is part of HURREVAC, a national hurricane evacuation computer program. For more information, contact Mark.Kolowith@noaa.gov.
Harmful Algal Bloom Forecasting System
Algal blooms can harm local sea life and impact a region's economy when harmful algae are inshore. The harmful algal bloom bulletin is sent to local officials to warn them when the potential for an outbreak is great. The accompanying Web site also tracks the spread of the bloom when outbreaks occur. A new portion of the Web site was recently added to give the public information about what's happening in southwestern Florida. Visit www.csc.noaa.gov/crs/habf/ to see the site.
Determining Potential Impacts from Nonpoint Source Pollution
The Nonpoint Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (N-SPECT) is software that lets coastal managers input different development scenarios to get information about potential impacts to surface water runoff, nonpoint pollution, and erosion. The tool was originally designed using data for a project in Hawaii, but it can also be used in other watersheds. The easy-to-use geographic information system (GIS) based tool helps officials understand potential water quality impacts to rivers and streams. Visit www.csc.noaa.gov/crs/cwq/nspect.html, or contact Dave.Eslinger@noaa.gov for more information.
