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December 21, 2006

Contents
1.  NEW INVASIVE SPECIES IDENTIFIED!
2.  GLERL in the News
3.  New Reprints - Ballast
4.  Hot Items
5.  New NWS GLOS Stations in the upper Great Lakes
______________________________________________________

1.  NEW INVASIVE SPECIES IDENTIFIED!
An article on the following is expected to appear in tomorrow's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - NOAA's official press release probably won't make it out until next Wednesday...

A Ponto-Caspian mysid, Hemimysis anomala, was discovered in November in the channel between Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, and in a small boat basin connected to the channel.  The discovery of the new invader was made by Steve Pothoven, a research scientist at NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory’s Lake Michigan Field Station in Muskegon.  It was identified by Dr. Igor Grigorovich (Wilson Environmental Laboratories, Duluth MN), an expert on European aquatic invertebrates.

A quick survey was conducted of nearby areas, but so far it has only been found in the channel and boat basin.  Hemimysis anomala favors hard bottom or rocky habitats that are often difficult to sample, and because of their preference for concealment, they may often go unnoticed.  The population that was found appears to be reproducing.  Since Hemimysis anomala has the potential to significantly affect the food web by preying on zooplankton and phytoplankton, it can be classified as the newest invasive species identified in the Great Lakes.

A paper documenting the discovery was fast-tracked for the Journal of Great Lakes Research and will appear in the March 2007 issue.

Pictures of the new invader are available on the GLERL website: http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/photogallery/Hemimysis.html

For more information, contact Dave Reid... <David.Reid@noaa.gov>

November 21, 2006

GLERL Internal Proposal Review
Abstracts and/or full proposals available on request.  Current copies are considered drafts until the review at GLERL on December 4-5.  Comments from Sea Grant staff welcome, especially re outreach, audiences I should consider for particular research topics and items you would like me to track.

New Project Proposals

• Lake Erie and Hypoxia
  • Hypoxia Effects on the Living Resources of the Northern Gulf of Mexico - Brandt, Ludsin, Mason
  • Consequence of coastal hypoxia on food web structure and function - Mason, Ludsin, Stow, Brandt
  • ECOFORE: Forecasting the Causes & Impacts of Lake Erie Hypoxia - Ludsin
  • Lake Erie Precipitation: using radar-measured precipitation to improve estimates - De Marchi
• Microcystis
  • Genetic and environmental factors influencing Microcystis bloom toxicity - Dyble, Fahnenstiel
  • Ecological consequences of toxin and colony size induction by Microcystis aeruginosa on Dreissena polymorpha and Daphnia pulicaria - Wilson, Dyble, Vanderploeg
• Invasive Species
  • Evolution of invasive species: characterization and effects of changes in Bythotrephes - Peacor
  • Theory & Modeling of Algal Blooms Influenced by Zebra and Quagga mussels - Peacor
  • Status of the pelagic food web in Lake Michigan: post quagga mussels - Pothoven, Fahnenstiel, Vanderploeg
• Other Biology
  • Recruitment of Great Lakes Fishes: A Meta-analysis - Hook, Ludsin
  • Causes, Consequences and Correctives of Fish Contamination in Detroit River AOC - Kashian
  • Diets and condition of forage fish in southern Lake Huron - Pothoven, Nalepa
  • Fine-scale spatio-temporal dynamics of zooplankton: Phase 1 - Mason, Ruberg
  • Temperature & salinity effects on growth & survival of juvenile penaeid shrimps - Mason
  • Establishment of Baseline Data Prior to Mine Development: Yellow Dog River & Lake Superior - Kashian, Nalepa
• Physical
  • Improving DLBRM's capabilities to forecast hydrological and water quality impacts De Marchi, Croley
  • Dynamics of the benthic nepheloid layer in Lake Ontario - Hawley
  • Environmental Monitoring with Airborne Hyperspectral Imagery - Leshkevich
  • Lakes in General Circulation Models -Lofgren
  • Statistical Downscaling of Global and Regional Climate Simulations -Lofgren

Proposals for Continuing Projects

• Hypoxia and Lake Erie
  • Development of a Coordinated Lake Erie Science Program - Ludsin, Hawley, Eadie, Brandt, Lansing, Clites, Maira, Johengen
  • Ecological responses to low oxygen events in central Lake Erie - Ludsin, Vanderploeg, Pothoven, Nalepa, Peacor, Ruberg, Costantini, Cavaletto, Fanslow, Lang, Liebig,Yagiela, Morehead; Miller, Hook, Roberts          
  • The ecological consequences of coastal hypoxia: Lake Erie, Chesapeake Bay, and Gulf of Mexico - Ludsin, Brandt, Vanderploeg, Mason
  • Time series measurements in Lake Erie - Hawley, Johengen
  • Overlake Wind Events on Lake Erie - Lofgren
  • River discharge as a predictor of yellow perch recruitment in Lake Erie - Ludsin, Croley, Stow, Mason, Vanderploeg, Leshkevich, Höök
  • Biomass, Condition of Western Lake Erie Dreissenids - Nalepa, Lozano
  • Coupled hydrodynamic-ecological model of Lake Erie - Schwab, Beletsky
• Microcystis
  • Evaluation of Hazard of Microcystis Blooms for Human Health through Fish Consumption - Dyble, Hook, Kashian, Landrum, Pothoven, Wilson
  • Evaluation of the Hazard of Microcystis Blooms for Human Health - Landrum, Dyble, Pothoven
  • Effects of zebra mussel grazing on genetic composition of Microcystis blooms Dyble, Vanderploeg, Fahnenstiel
  • GLERL ECOHAB Fahnenstiel, Dyble
  • OHH: Microcystins in the Great Lakes Fahnenstiel, Dyble, Joseph
  • Development of New MODIS Algorithm for Retrieval of Chlorophyll, etc  - Leshkevich
  • Development of MODIS Phycocyanin Image Product - Leshkevich
  • The role of zebra mussels in promoting Microcystis blooms and other ecosystem changes - Vanderploeg, Nalepa, Fahnenstiel, Lozano
• Invasive Species
  • ISP / NCRAIS - Reid, Sturtevant
  • Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System (GLANSIS) - Reid, Sturtevant
  • Quantifying the impact of exotic invertebrate invaders on food web structure and function - Mason
  • Digital Organisms in a Virtual Ecosystem (DOVE) food web model - Peacor
  • Changes in the pelagic food web of southern Lake Michigan - Vanderploeg, Lozano, Johengen, Fahnenstiel, Pothoven, McCormick
  • Pelagic-Benthic Coupling in Nearshore Lake Michigan - Nalepa
  • Assessments of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the Great Lakes region - Nalepa, Ruberg, Lozano
  • Long term trends in Benthic Populations in Lake Michigan - Nalepa
  • Ecology of Lake Whitefish and Response to Changes in Benthic Communities in Lake Huron - Nalepa, Pothoven
  • Trait-Mediated Effects of Invasive Predatory Cladocerans - Peacor
  • Implications of Cercopagis and Bythotrephes to alewife recruitment and stability Vanderploeg, Mason, Ruberg
  • Growth and filtering rates of Dreissenids in western Lake Erie - Lozano
  • Dreissenid mussels as homeostatic filter feeders and nutrient excreters - Vanderploeg, Dyble, Johengen
  • Filtering rates of Dreissenids in Lake Erie - Lozano
  • Does infrared light inhibit the attachment of zebra mussels? - Hawley
  • Computational Modeling of Ballast Tanks - Reid
  • NOBOB Best Management Practices - Reid, Johengen
  • NOBOB Vessels and Low-Salinity Ballast Water - Reid, Johengen
  • NOBOB-S: Salinity/Brine Exposure as a Biocide - Reid, Johengen
  • Invertebrate Resting Eggs - Reid, Landrum
  • Assessing Ecological Risks Posed by a Ballast Water Disinfectant - Landrum
• Fish
  • Ontogenetic and Seasonal Variation of young Non-Native Fish energy densities in L. Michigan Hook, Pothoven
  • Modeling historic and spatial variation of Great Lakes fish maturation schedules Hook, Peacor
  • Micro-elemental analysis of statoliths - Ludsin
  • Salmonid spawning stock abundance, recruitment and exploitation in the Muskegon R. - Mason
  • Habitat-Mediated Predator-Prey Interactions in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico - Mason
  • Development of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis for rapid assessment of fish condition - Pothoven, Ludsin, Mason, Fanslow, Hook
  • Bioenergetics of lake whitefish in the Great Lakes - Pothoven
• Climate Change
  • Dynamical Modeling of Great Lakes Regional Climate - Lofgren
  • Climate and Land Use Change Processes in East Africa - Lofgren
  • Hydrologic Effects of Shifting Probability Functions for High Precipitation Events - Lofgren
  • Broadening Topics and Participation in GLERL's Climate Program - Lofgren
  • Great Lakes Sensitivity to Climatic Forcing - Croley
• Contaminants
  • Long-term changes in daphnid responses to Great Lakes contaminants - Kashian, Landrum
  • Bioavailability of Sediment-Associated Toxic Organic Contaminants - Landrum
  • Contaminant Effects Using Body Residues as the Dose - Landrum
• Hydrology
  • Next Generation Large Basin Runoff Model - Croley, He, DeMarchi, Ludsin, Stowe
  • Coupling QPE & Great Lakes Hydrologic Models - Croley
  • Assimilation of high-resolution snow maps in Distributed Large Basin Runoff (DLBRM) Model De Marchi, Croley
  • Evaluation of Uncertainty in DLBRM Output and Analysis of its Components DeMarchi, Croley
  • Plan of Study for Review of Regulation of Outflows from Lake Superior - Sellinger
• Wind, Waves, and Transport
• Measurement and modeling of wave-induced sediment resuspension in nearshore water - Hawley
• Rogue Waves and Explorations of Coastal Wave Characteristics - Liu
• Measurement and time-frequency study of nearshore wind and wave processes - Liu
• Upwelling Dynamics in the Laurentian Great Lakes - Mason, Leshkevich, Schwab
• Near-Shore Transport - Schwab, McCormick, Beletsky
• Miscellaneous
  • Great Lakes Physical and Biological Measurement and Modeling Program - Lozano
  • New Bathymetry of the Great Lakes: Huron and Superior - Reid
  • Improved Mapping Methods - Ruberg, Nalepa, Hank Vanderploeg, Tom Johengen
  • CoastWatch Operations - Leshkevich
  • CoastWatch Research and Product Development - Leshkevich
  • Great Lakes Coastal Forecast System - Schwab, Beletsky
  • Real-time Meteorological Observation Network - Ruberg, Schwab, McCormick, Quigley, Lane
  • Real-time Environmental Coastal Observation Network (RECON) - Ruberg, Brandt, Mason, Ludsin, Johengen, Muzzi, Lane, Miller, Constant, Lansing
  • Alliance for Coastal Technologies  - Johengen
  • Microsensor Development - Ruberg, Johengen
  • Thermal structure monitoring and related studies - McCormick, Beletsky, Schwab
  • Lake Champlain - McCormick, Beletsky
    

GLERL Seminar Video Archive
Recent additions to the archive...

• "The global hazards of eutrophication and hypoxia" Robert Diaz, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
• "Predicting coastal hypoxia: applications of Occham's Razor." Dr. Don Scavia, Professor of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan, Director of the Michigan Sea Grant Program, and Interim Director of the Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research.
• "Ecological consequences of hypoxia in coastal systems: case studies of Lake Erie, Chesapeake Bay, and the northern Gulf of Mexico" Dr. Stuart Ludsin, Research Fishery Biologist, NOAA/GLERL
• "Station/formation keeping mini-buoy for use in a wireless networked buoy array" Dr. John Vesecky, Emeritus Professor Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences, University of Michigan
• "Linking landscape and water quality in the Mississippi River basin for 200 years "  Dr. Eugene Turner, Louisiana State University

November 17, 2006

Contents
1. GLERL Internal Proposals
2. GLERL in the News - Lake Huron Fisheries
3. New Reprints
4. GLERL Web: Hot Items
5. CEGLHH - Beach Modeling Researchers Meeting
________________________________________________

1. GLERL Internal Proposals
GLERL researchers are all very busy working on their internal proposals, which are due close of business today. They should be available on our internal website next week -- I will be sending a supplement to this update with the list of titles as soon as I have access. The 2-day internal proposal review is scheduled for December 4th and 5th. Sea Grant Directors should have received an invitation from Dr. Brandt to attend the review and provide feedback on all proposals. Other interested parties contact Rochelle for more information.

2. GLERL in the News - Lake Huron Fisheries
There is a Great Lakes Radio Consortium audio at the following link:
http://glrc.org/story.php3?story_id=3213
It reports on the collapse of the fisheries on Lake Huron due to invasive species. Includes information and a quote from Tom Nalepa.

3. New Reprints

BELETSKY, D., D.J. SCHWAB, and M.J. McCORMICK. Modeling the 1998-2002 summer circulation and thermal structure in Lake Michigan. Journal of Geophysical Research 111:C10010, doi: 10.1029/2005JC003222 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060032.pdf

BRANDT, S.B., J. Hendee, P. Levin, J. Phinney, D. Scheurer, and F. Schwing. Ecological forecasting. White paper #5. In Ecosystem Science Capabilities Required to Support NOAA's Mission in the Year 2020. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-74. NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD, pp. 52-63 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/2006tm74.pdf

Cardenas, M.P., D.J. SCHWAB, B.J. EADIE, N. HAWLEY, and B.M. Lesht. Sediment transport model validation in Lake Michigan. Journal of Great Lakes Research 31:373-385 (2005). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2005/20050031.pdf

Carter, G., P. Restrepo, J. Hameedi, P. Ortner, C.E. SELLINGER, J. Stein, and T. Beechie. Freshwater issues. White paper #3. In Ecosystem Science Capabilities Required to Support NOAA's Mission in the Year 2020. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-74. NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD, pp. 29-39 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/2006tm74.pdf

CARTER, G.S., T.F. NALEPA, and R.R. REDISKE. Status and trends of benthic populations in a coastal drowned river mouth lake of Lake Michigan. Journal of Great Lakes Research 32:578-595 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060029.pdf

Cowden, J.R., D. Watkins, and T.E. CROLEY II. Investigating urban land use effects on runoff by using the distributed large basin runoff model. Proceedings, The Workd Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2006: Examining the Confluence of Environmental and Water Concerns, Omaha, Nebraska, May 21-25, 2006, EWRI, ASCE, 9 pp. (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060024.pdf

DeMaster, D., M. Fogarty, D.M. MASON, G. Matlock, and A. Hollowed. Management of living marine resources in an ecosystem context. White paper #2. In Ecosystem Science Capabilities Required to Support NOAA's Mission in the Year 2020. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-74. NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD, pp. 15-28 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/2006tm74.pdf

DYBLE, J., P.A. Tester, and R.W. Litaker. Effects of light intensity on cylindrospermopsin production in the cyanobacterial HAB speices Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii. African Journal of Marine Science 28(2):309-312 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060025.pdf

Great Lakes Beach Association, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Michigan Sea Grant Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Geological Survey. Great Lakes Beach Health Research Needs. NOAA Technical Memorandum GLERL-138. NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI, 27 pp. (2006). ftp://ftp.glerl.noaa.gov/publications/tech_reports/glerl-138/tm-138.pdf

Gregson, B.P., D.F. Millie, C. Cao, G.L. FAHNENSTIEL, R.J. Pigg, and D.P. Fries. Simplified enrichment and identification of environmental peptide toxins using antibody-capture surfaces with subsequent mass spectrometry detection. Journal of Chromatography A 1123(2):233-238 (2006).

He, C., and T.E. CROLEY II. Spatially modeling nonpoint source pollution loadings in the Saginaw Bay watersheds with the DLBRM. Proceedings, Geographic Information Systems and Water Resources IV: AWRA Spring Specialty Conference, Houston, TX, May 8-10, 2006, 8 pp. (2006).
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060023.pdf

Hong, Y., A. Steinman,, B. Biddanda, R. Rediske, and G.L. FAHNENSTIEL. Note. Occurrence of the toxin-producing Cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii in Mona and Muskegon Lakes Michigan. Journal of Great Lakes Research 32:645-652 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060028.pdf

JAEGAR, A. L. Invasive species impacts on ecosystem structure and function. Master’s Thesis, Michigan State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, E. Lansing, MI, 199 pp. (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060022.pdf

Millie, D.F., G.R. Weckman, H.W. Paerl, J.L. Pinckney, B.J. Bendis, R.J. Pigg, and G.L. FAHNENSTIEL. Neural net modeling of estuarine indicators: Hindcasting phytoplankton biomass and net ecosystem production in the Neuse (North Carolina) and Trout (Florida) River, USA. Ecological Indicators 6(3):589-608 (2006).

Millie, D. F., G.R. Weckman, R.J. Pigg, P.A. Tester, J. DYBLE, R.W. Litaker, H.J. Carrick, and G.L. FAHNENSTIEL. Modeling phytoplankton abundance in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron: Using artificial neural networks to discern functional influence of environmental variables and relevance to a Great Lakes observing system. Journal of Phycology 42:336-349 (2006). 20060026.pdf

Osgood, K., N. Cyr, T. O’Connor, J. Polovina, D.J. SCHWAB, P. and Stabeno. Ecosystem responses for climate variability. White paper #1. In Ecosystem Science Capabilities Required to Support NOAA's Mission in the Year 2020. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-74. NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD, pp. 6-14 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/2006tm74.pdf

POTHOVEN, S.A., and T.F. NALEPA. Feeding ecology of lake whitefish in Lake Huron. Journal of Great Lakes Research 32:489-501 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060030.pdf

POTHOVEN, S.A., T.F. NALEPA, C.P. Madenjian, R.R. Rediske, P.J. Schneeberger, and J.X. He. Energy density of lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in Lakes Huron and Michigan. Environmental Biology of Fishes 76:151-158 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060031.pdf

Stroud, J., B.M. Lesht, D.J. SCHWAB, D. BELETSKY, and M.L. Stein. Tracking suspended sediment motion in Lake Michigan by combining satellite images with a numerical model. Technical Report No. 38, The University of Chicago Center for Integrating Statistical and Environmental Science, 36 pp. (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060027.pdf

4. GLERL Web: Hot Items

136 downloads – NOBOB Final Report (2005). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/projects/nobob/products/NOBOBFinalReport.pdf

91 downloads – Laird, G.A., D. Scavia, and G.L. Fahnenstiel. Algal organic carbon excretion in Lake Michigan. Journal of Great Lakes Research 12(2):136-141 (1986). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/1986/19860002.pdf

82 downloads - Liu, P.C., and U.F. Pinho. Freak waves--more frequent than rare! Annales Geophysicae 22:1938-1942 (2004). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2004/20040008.pdf

68 downloads - Lofgren, B.M. Global warming effects on Great Lakes water: more precipitation but less water? Proceedings, 18th Conference on Hydrology, 8th Annual Meeting of the Americal Meteorological Society, Seattle, WA, January 11-15, 3 pp. (2004). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2004/20040002.pdf

5. CEGLHH - Beach Modeling Researchers Meeting
The CEGLHH Beach Modeling Working Group, which is comprised of Center beach modeling researchers, and NOAA Oceans and Human Health external PIs and Distinguished Scholar (who work on Great Lakes beach issues), met in October to give updates on current research, discuss the 2006 field season, offer insight or pose questions regarding model development, and begin planning for the 2007 field season. The working group has been meeting collaboratively since Jan 2006 to coordinate modeling efforts. contact Sonia Joseph <sonia.joseph@noaa.gov> for more information.

October 19, 2006

Contents
1. Fall Seminar Series
2. New Reprints
3. Hot Items (web)
4. CEGLHH - 2006 EPA National Beaches Conference.
5. CEGLHH - Technical Report
6. Staff News
7. From NOAA ...NOAA 200th Celebration Photo Contest! - DEADLINE EXTENDED!
__________________________________________________________________________

1. Fall Seminar Series

The NOAA - U of M Great Lakes Seminar Series (http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/news/seminars/) is pleased to announce a new special focus seminar series, "Coastal Hypoxia: Lake Erie and Beyond." The series will focus on the growing problem of hypoxia in aquatic coastal environments, with primary emphasize on Lake Erie and coastal zones of North America. However, we start with presentations by Dr. Robert Diaz, who will provide a global perspective, and Dr. Don Scavia, who will discuss hypoxia forecast models.

Thursday, October 19, 10:30 am ...Video should be posted by October 20...

Speaker: Dr. Robert Diaz
Professor of Marine Science at Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Title: "The global hazards of eutrophication and hypoxia"
Abstract: Development associated with human populations has led to the globalization of many environmental problems. In marine systems, the most serious of these problems are directly related to the process of eutrophication. The increased production of organic matter in these marine systems associated with eutrophication is the primary factor impacting species abundance and composition and dissolved oxygen budgets. Oxygen, which is essential to maintaining balance in ecosystem processes through its role in mediating microbial and metazoan activities, has declined to critically low levels in many systems, which has led to the development of hypoxia (<2 ml O2/l) and anoxia (0 ml O2/l). Currently, most oxygen depletion events are seasonal, but trends toward longer periods that could eventually lead to persistent hypoxic or anoxic conditions are emerging. Over the last 50 years, there has been an increase in the number of systems reporting problems associated with low dissolved oxygen. Currently there are close to 200 hypoxic/anoxic areas around the globe, ranging in size from <1 km2 to 70000 km2, that exhibit a graded series of responses to oxygen depletion, ranging from no obvious change to mass mortality of bottom fauna. Ecosystems currently severely stressed by eutrophication induced hypoxia continue to be threatened with the loss of fisheries, loss of biodiversity, alteration of food webs, and simplification of energy flows.

Tuesday, October 24, 10:30 am

Speaker: Dr. Don Scavia
Professor of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan, Director of the Michigan Sea Grant Program, and Interim Director of the Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research.

Title: "Predicting coastal hypoxia: applications of Occham's Razor."
Abstract: To be useful, hypoxia forecast models should be scaled to the spatial and temporal frames of decision makers. It is also important to understand and quantify the certainty in such models before they can be used in forecasts and as a basis for estimating ecological impact. We have successfully applied a very simple model formulation for predicting hypoxia extent in the Chesapeake Bay and the northern Gulf of Mexico, and will describe their basis, application, and testing. The strengths and weaknesses of simple vs. more complex models will be discussed in the context of their utility for forecasts and for supporting impact assessment.

Additional fall seminars scheduled include:

Monday, October 23, 10:30 am
Speaker: Dr. Sergei Rodionov, Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Title: "Climate and ice cover variations on the interannual to decadal time scales"

Wednesday October 25, 11:30 am
Location: University of Michigan School of Public Health II, Auditorium
Human Health Series
Speaker: Linda S. Birnbaum, National Health and Environmental Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency
Title: Brominated Flame Retardants: What we know, and what we don’t

Monday, October 30, 10:30 am
Speaker: Dr. Jia Wang, Research Professor, International Arctic Research Center (IARC), University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Title: "Simulating ice-ocean downscaling characteristics in the Beaufort-Chukchi seas using an IARC Coupled Ice-Ocean Model (CIOM)"

Wednesday, November 1, 10:30 am
Coastal Hypoxia Series
Speaker: Dr. Stuart Ludsin, Research Fishery Biologist, NOAA/GLERL
Title: "Ecological consequences of hypoxia in coastal systems: case studies of Lake Erie, Chesapeake Bay, and the northern Gulf of Mexico"

Tuesday, November 14, 10:30 am
Coastal Hypoxia Series
Speaker: Dr. Eugene Turner, Louisiana State University
Title: "Linking landscape and water quality in the Mississippi River basin for 200 years "

Thursday, November 16, 10:30 am
Coastal Hypoxia Series
Speaker: Dr. Steven Lozano, Research Biologist, NOAA/GLERL
Title: "Empirical assessments of Lake Erie ecological conditions"

Thursday, December 7, 2:00 pm
Speaker: Dr. David F. Reid, Physical Scientist, GLERL
Title: "CFD modeling and simulation of ballast water exchange"

Videos may be available at http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/news/seminars/pastseminars.html.
Contact Rochelle to request that specific seminars be taped.

2. New Reprints

Biddanda, B.A., D.F. Coleman, T.H. JOHENGEN, S.A. RUBERG, G.A. Meadows, H.W. VanSumeren, R.R. Rediske, and S.T. Kendall. Exploration of a submerged sinkhole ecosystem in Lake Huron. Ecosystems (online publication) 23 pp. (2006). http://www.springerlink.com/content/r106152q530xn0m1/fulltext.html

HAWLEY, N., T.H. JOHENGEN, Y.R. Rao, S.A. RUBERG, D. BELETSKY, S.A. LUDSIN, B.J. EADIE, D.J. SCHWAB, T.E. CROLEY II, and S.B. BRANDT. Lake Erie hypoxia prompts Canada-U.S. study. Eos Transactions 86(32):313-319 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060021.pdf

Liu, L., M.S. Phanikumar, S.L. Molloy, R.L. Whitman, D.A. shively, M.B. Neers, D.J. SCHWAB, and J.B. Rose. Modeling the transport and inactivation of E. coli and Enterococci in the near-shore region of Lake Michigan. Environmental Science and Technology 40:5022-5028 (2006).

NALEPA, T.F., D.L. FANSLOW, A.J. FOLEY III, G.A. LANG, B.J. EADIE, and M.A. QUIGLEY. Continued disappearance of the benthic amphipod Diporeia spp. in Lake Michigan: Is there evidence for food limitation? /Aquatic Invaders /17(3):1-10 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060018.pdf

PANGLE, K.L., and S.D. PEACOR. Non-lethal effect of the invasive predator Bythotrephes longimanus on Daphnia mendotae. /Freshwater Biology/ 51:1070-1078 (2006).

Schiesari, L., S.D. PEACOR, and E.E. Werner. The growth-mortality tradeoff: evidence from anuran larvae and consequences for species distribution. Oecologia 149:194-202 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060019.pdf

3. Hot Items - Most downloaded PDF’s from the GLERL website for September 2006

148 downloads – Laird, G.A., D. Scavia, and G.L. Fahnenstiel. Algal organic carbon excretion in Lake Michigan. Journal of Great Lakes Research 12(2):136-141 (1986).

116 downloads - Liu, P.C., and U.F. Pinho. Freak waves--more frequent than rare! Annales Geophysicae 22:1938-1942 (2004).

64 downloads – NOBOB Final Report (2005).

4. CEGLHH - 2006 EPA National Beaches Conference.
CEGLHH was featured prominently at this year's EPA National Beaches Conference, with oral and poster presentations from PIs Dr. Sheridan Haack, Dr. Walter Frick, and Dr. Joan Rose's graduate students funded through the Center. In addition, the Beach Health Research Needs Technical Report was presented, by Workshop collaborator Dr. Leon Carl of USGS. Outreach Coordinator Sonia Joseph participated in the Beach Management 101 training workshop that preceded the conference with a presentation on CEGLHH and its Harmful Algal Bloom research.

5. CEGLHH - Technical Report
The Great Lakes Beach Health Research Needs Technical Report is available for view/circulation at: ftp://ftp.glerl.noaa.gov/publications/tech_reports/glerl-138/tm-138.pdf

6. Staff News
Doran Mason replaces Pete Landrum as GLERL's new Science Branch Chief (this is a two year rotation). Brian Eadie has retired.

7. From NOAA ...NOAA 200th Celebration Photo Contest! - DEADLINE EXTENDED!
My understanding is that they are looking to build a large photo collection. Sea Grant welcome!

To help commemorate our 200th Celebration in 2007, NOAA is sponsoring the 200th Celebration Photography Contest! Help us tell the NOAA story and submit photos of your colleagues and what you do at NOAA. The 200th Celebration Photography Contest! is open to all NOAA employees, contractors and interns. Photos or digital images should emphasize the great things NOAA does. Winning photos in each category will be prominently featured in the 200th Celebration during 2007 -- possible uses include: the NOAA 200th web site, brochures, and displays.

Extended deadline: November 13, 2006

The Categories

   * A day in the life of NOAA - Images that depicts what NOAA does
     everyday to serve or protect our Nation.
   * NOAA's strange and unusual - Images that show the strange and
     unusual things, places, or equipment NOAA people encounter. This
     can include strange or unusual views of even common things, places
     or equipment!
   * NOAA people in action - NOAA people doing what they are best at!
     Got a picture of a colleague in action on a boat, plane, in the
     field, at an event? We want to see it!
   * Bonus Category: "NOAA Colors" - Images that emphasize NOAA's
     colors; emphasis should be on pictures of people with blue or
     white image backgrounds.

For more information please visit the web site or contact the 200th Celebration Photo Contest coordinator, Nadia Sbeih. (Nadia.Sbeih@NOAA.Gov)

September 18, 2006

1) New Reprints
2) Hot Items
3) GLERL in the News - Biodiesel “Green Ships” and Water Levels
_____________________________________________________________

1) New Reprints
Biddanda, B.A., D.F. Coleman, T.H. JOHENGEN, S.A. RUBERG, G.A. Meadows, H.W. VanSumeren, R.R. Rediske, and S.T. Kendall. Exploration of a submerged sinkhole ecosystem in Lake Huron. Ecosystems (2006). Published online at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/r106152q530xn0m1/. Hardcopy publication to follow.

PEACOR, S.D., and C.A. Pfister. Experimental and model analyses of the effects of competition on individual size variation in wood frog (Rana sylvatica) tadpoles. Journal of Animal Ecology 45:990-999 (2006).

2) Hot Items
(Most downloaded PDF’s from the GLERL website for August 2006)

95 downloads - Liu, P.C., and U.F. Pinho. Freak waves--more frequent than rare! Annales Geophysicae 22:1938-1942 (2004).

75 downloads – NOBOB Final Report (2005).

51 downloads - NOAA Technical Memorandum GLERL-113, Proceedings of the Great Lakes Paleo-Levels Workshop: The Last 4000 Years. C.E. Sellinger and F.H. Quinn (1999)

3) GLERL in the News
Biodiesel “Green Ships”
Excerpt from NOAA Informer
Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) toured one of NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory’s award winning petroleum free biodiesel “Green Ships”* *at GLERL during an August 10th visit to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory Lake Michigan Field Station in Muskegon, MI. The ships run on 100 percent biodiesel made from American soybeans and engine oils and lubricants made from rapeseed oil and canola oil. The NOAA project won an award from the Department of Energy. GLERL Director Stephen Brandt represented NOAA.

What happened to the water?
Excerpt from August 27th Detroit Free Press /http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/NEWS05/608270595

All the Great Lakes were well above their long-term averages between 1965 and 1997. Then they fell sharply. By 2000, Lakes Michigan and Huron -- considered one lake by scientists who study lake levels -- had dropped 4.3 feet, and Lake Erie dropped 4.15 feet, said Cynthia Sellinger, a hydrologist with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor. Although Lakes Erie and Ontario have recovered to long-term averages, the other lakes are still well below theirs. By midsummer, Lakes Huron and Michigan were 18 inches below their long-term norm, while Superior and St. Clair were down 8 and 7 inches, respectively.

Some scientists say lake levels will rise again some day, as they always have. Others say they won't.

In a study released in June, the Army Corps of Engineers said natural cycles are to blame for continued low-water levels. The corps' study debunked a widely-publicized 2005 study by a Toronto firm that said Lakes Michigan and Huron had suffered a permanent drop of at least a foot because of dredging in the early 1960s in the St. Clair River. That study said erosion in the river after the dredging allowed more water to drain out of the upper Great Lakes, much as a bigger bathtub drain lets water out more quickly. The corps studied river depths, and concluded that erosion in the river is moving sediment from one part of the river bottom to another without changing the overall flow. In other words, the bathtub drain is still the same size.

Lake levels rise and fall depending on how much rain and snow falls on the lakes and in their drainage basin, and how much of the water evaporates, hydrologists say. Ice cover, for instance, reduces evaporation. Whether global warming is lowering precipitation and increasing evaporation is a key question. Brent Lofgren, a scientist who studies climate change in the Great Lakes for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said he believes global warming could cause the levels to drop for the next 30 to 50 years, then stay the same or rise. "That's a speculative guess," he said. Many things could alter it.

Low lake levels hurt Michigan economy
Excerpt from - August 27th UPI http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060827-053508-3458r

Lower water levels in Lakes Michigan and Huron are hurting Michigan marinas, tourism and the shipping industry, the Detroit Free Press reported. This is not the first summer Michigan's boaters and beach-goers have seen more shallow water, but many are saying it is the worst, the report said. "It's not just down a little -- it's down a lot," said Jim Doran, who owns a house on Lakeshore Drive in Harrison Township. Doran said garbage, weeds, bottles, rotting seaweed and dead fish have piled up along the shoreline due to the diminishing water levels. The Free Press said marinas have seen more empty boat slips and the shipping industry has reported lighter loads and less profit, as low levels result in less revenue.

Cynthia Sellinger, a hydrologist with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich., said Lakes Michigan and Huron dropped 4.3 feet between 1997 and 2000.

Great Lakes drain away
Excerpt from Chicago Tribune article by James Janega. September 3, 2006
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0609030287sep03,1,1602696.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed

A decade of warm winters with sporadic snowfall has failed to refill the snow-dependent Great Lakes, with falling water levels bringing the top ever closer to the bottom in Lakes Michigan and Huron. When snows are small and sporadic, problems arise, said Scott Thieme, chief of Great Lakes hydraulics and hydrology for the Army Corps of Engineers in Detroit. Last winter's spotty snowfalls are a good example. "It [was] just melting in pieces instead of one big slug in the spring," Thieme said. "We just didn't get a huge spring ride--it wasn't doing bad in the April-May time period, but it did suffer in the summer time period."

A dry summer exacerbated last year's mediocre winter, whose meltwater trickled out as quickly as it could sprinkle in. The disappointing result is a level at about the low reached in 2000--and not far from other historic lows in the 1960s and the Dust Bowl era. As of late August--typically the high point of the lakes' annual swelling--Lake Michigan is 2 inches lower than it was two months ago. It's down 2 inches from 2005 and is 19 inches below its long-term average. "It's just been waffling around the low point," said Cynthia Sellinger, lakes hydrologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich. "Does it matter that the lakes are low? Yeah, it matters."

It matters to sailboat owners obliged to polish piloting skills around once-submerged sandbars, and to lake freighters running with partly empty holds to clear the bottom. And around older harbors, like Chicago, the low water has brought an unexpected threat to the wooden pilings beneath breakwaters: rot. The curving cement crescent most people think of as Chicago's breakwater is actually just a concrete cap. Beneath it, a 20-foot stack of lumber holds it up, vestiges of virgin Wisconsin and Michigan forests felled in the 1880s. Protected by rubble, it has rested in watery comfort, impervious to the elements. Low water since 2000 has let airborne bacteria flourish, weakening the wood and compromising the breakwall, Hungness said. Three 60-foot sections of the wall have dropped a few feet in recent years, and repairs are needed soon.

One solution to low lakes? Hard winter
Excerpt from Muskegon Chronicle September 06, 2006 by Jeff Alexander
http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1157555734100910.xml&coll=8&thispage=1 <http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1157555734100910.xml&coll=8&thispage=1>

Water levels have dropped 44 inches in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron since 1997, which was the last high water mark, said Cynthia Sellinger, a hydrologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes laboratory in Ann Arbor.

Lake Michigan water levels rose to near record levels in 1986, claiming dozens of lakefront cottages and homes in West Michigan, like the Stickney Ridge section in Grand Haven. The lake level dropped in subsequent years, peaked in 1997 and is currently 18 inches below average, according to government data.

Lake levels are largely determined by the weather, especially during the winter. A hard winter, with above-normal snowfall and bitter cold temperatures that create vast areas of ice cover on the lakes, will drive up lake levels. Conversely, mild winter temperatures means less ice cover on the lakes and more evaporation, which drives lake levels down.

Scientists and environmentalists have theories, some of which are backed by science, about what's causing lake levels to plummet.

Sellinger said global warming has shortened winters in the Midwest, decreased the amount of winter ice cover on the Great Lakes and increased evaporation from the lakes. The result: lower lake levels. "It's hard to tell if this is part of global climate change, but it does seem to be coinciding with warmer weather," Sellinger said.

Some environmentalists blame the plummeting lake levels on a 1962 dredging project in the St. Clair River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which dredged the river to a depth of 30 feet to accommodate freighters, neglected to place a compensating structure on the river bottom to prevent future erosion, Sellinger said. Parts of the St. Clair River channel are now 60 feet deep, according to a recent study commissioned by a group of lakefront property owners along Lake Huron. That study concluded the Corps' 1962 dredging project "opened a bigger drain hole in the Great Lakes."

Though the precise cause of lower lake levels remains subject to debate, this much is certain: Water levels in Lake Michigan-Huron have dropped dramatically over the past decade and, unlike the other Great Lakes, have not returned to normal. Water levels in lakes Superior, Erie and Ontario are currently at or near their long-term averages, Sellinger said.

The volume of water lost from Lake Michigan as the lake level drops is almost beyond comprehension. Every inch of lake level drop means a loss of 383 billion gallons of water, the equivalent of 589,000 Olympic swimming pools. With the lake level 51 inches lower today than in 1986, there are 19 trillion fewer gallons of water in the lake, according to NOAA scientists.

Sellinger said the Great Lakes region needs a hard winter, with a deep and prolonged snowpack and significant ice cover on the lakes, to elevate water levels. She said most evaporation on the lakes take place in the fall and winter, when there is the greatest difference between air and water temperatures.

August 17, 2006

Contents
1. GLERL Lake Michigan Field Station Hosts COSEE-Great Lakes Educator House Call
2. New Staff
3. New Reprints
4. New on the Web - Great Lakes Sensitivity to Climatic Forcing
5. What's Hot - Most downloaded papers from the GLERL website for July 2006
6. GLERL in the News
- Great Lakes water temperatures
- Get up-to-date on changing Great Lakes Learn about latest threats, successes at panel discussion
- Groups devoted to Great Lakes' health abound in Ann Arbor

______________________________________________________________________

1. GLERL Lake Michigan Field Station Hosts COSEE-Great Lakes Educator House Call
On August 16, GLERL's Lake Michigan Field Station hosted the first COSEE-Great Lakes Educator House-Call. Five teachers from Muskegon and Monroe were given the opportunity for a day-long interactive session with scientists currently engaged in research at the field station. The day included presentations by both scientists and teachers as well as a cruise on the RV Laurentian where teachers had the opportunity to sample plankton and benthos and to help set out gill nets for a researcher. The sampling was a vivid demonstration of the impact of quagga mussels on Lake Michigan biodiversity -- both the benthic samples and the fish trawl (well it was supposed to be a fish trawl) pulled up no live organisms other than thousands of quagga mussels -- not so much as a single bloodworm or sculpin. Participants were also able to view a Microcystis bloom at the Muskegon dock while researcher Gary Fahnenstiel explained the research GLERL and CEGLHH are conducting on the toxin and other water quality issues before launching into a tour of the lab. The day closed with a compressed discussion of opportunities for future collaboration, and potential directions GLERL educational programs should take and needs of both teachers and researchers for improvements to educational outreach opportunities.

2. New Staff
GLERL welcomes Donna Kashian. She is a new CILER independent investigator and will be working on environmental toxicology problems. Her first project is to examine the potential for changes in the response of organisms to contaminants from before industrial development to present using resting eggs to get cultures of organisms from different eras. Resting eggs buried in sediments for centuries have been known to produce viable organisms when extracted from sediment cores and hatched in the laboratory. This work will give insight into the question of whether invasive species have resulted in rapid evolution (or adaptation) of Great Lakes species. *

3. New Reprints
FOLEY, A.J. III, T.F. NALEPA, G.K. Walker, and M.J. McCORMICK. Epibiont populations associated with Diporeia spp. (amphipods) from Lake Michigan. Verh. Internat. Verin. Limnol. 29:1205-1211 (2006).

Hultquist, T.R., M.R. Dutter, and D.J. SCHWAB. Reexamination of the 9-10 November 1975 Edmund Fitzgerald storm using today's technology. Bulletin of the American Meteorologial Society 87(5):607-622 (2006).

McCORMICK, M.J., T.O. Manley, A.J. FOLEY III, J.C. Gascard, and G.L. FAHNENSTIEL. Lake Champlain Lagrangian experiment. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 29:1683-1687 (2006).

VANDERPLOEG, H.A., and M.R. Roman. Introduction to special section on analysis of zooplankton distributions using the optical plankton counter. Journal of Geophysical Research 111:C05S01, doi:10.1029/2006JC003598 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060015.pdf

4. New on the Web - Great Lakes Sensitivity to Climatic Forcing

New set of web pages just went up on the GLERL website describing a new NSF funded collaborative project relating to climate change and the Great Lakes. The project looks at the paleo -geography, -climate and -hydrology to help predict how the Great Lakes might respond to shifts in climate.

Linked from the left side of the main GLERL web page ... http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/ or direct to http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/Programs/glscf/

5. What's Hot - Most downloaded papers from the GLERL website for July 2006

80 downloads - NOBOB Final Report http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/projects/nobob/products/NOBOBFinalReport.pdf

79 downloads - NOAA Technical Memorandum GLERL-113, Proceedings of the Great Lakes Paleo-Levels Workshop: The Last 4000 Years. C.E. Sellinger and F.H. Quinn (1999) ftp://ftp.glerl.noaa.gov/publications/tech_reports/glerl-113/tm-113.pdf

65 downloads - LIU, P. C., and U. F. Pinho. Freak Waves -- More frequent than rare! /Annales Geophysicae/ 22:1839-1842 (2004). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2004/20040008.pdf

6. GLERL in the News
Great Lakes water temperatures
Excerpt from "Hot Topics" by Detroit Free Press staff writer Zachary Gorchow

One way to beat the heat is a dip in the Great Lakes, right? Well, even the lakes are warm this summer. This year's lake temperatures are some of the highest on record since researchers began using satellites to measure, said Dave Schwab, oceanographer with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

Satellite readings just before midnight Sunday showed bathwater-warm temperatures at Monroe on Lake Erie, where the surface of the water was 80 degrees. At Grand Haven on Lake Michigan, it was 75, and at Oscoda on Lake Huron, it was 68. The water temperature at Marquette on Lake Superior was 69. For an icy splash, you'd have to go as far north as Isle Royale, where the water was still a chilly 41 degrees in some spots.

Temperatures are supposed to go higher: Most lakes have yet to hit their peak.

Get up-to-date on changing Great Lakes Learn about latest threats, successes at panel discussion
http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/features-1/115522081894610.xml?aanews?FEG&coll=2

Cites a presentation that GLERL scientist Tom Nalepa will make on Diporeia decline in the Great Lakes. The presentation will be made as part of a Tuesday 8/15 , 7 PM panel at the Main Branch of the Ann Arbor Public Library in downtown Ann Arbor.

Groups devoted to Great Lakes' health abound in Ann Arbor
http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/features-1/115522086994610.xml?aanews?FEG&coll=2

Contains short description on what GLERL does.

July 14, 2006

Contents
1) New Outreach Publication - The Impacts of Diporeia spp. Decline on the Great Lakes Fish Community
2) New Reprints - Rogue Waves
3) GLERL in the News - NOAA'S New Great Lakes Weather Observation Platforms Provide More Data for Forecasters & Boaters
4) GLERL In the News - NOAA Discusses Biofuel Research Vessels at Capitol Hill Forum
5) GLERL in the News - Brandt Radio Interview
6) CEGLHH - Harmful Algae Blooms and Beach Closure Forecasting
___________________________________________________________________________________

1) New Outreach Publication - The Impacts of Diporeia spp. Decline on the Great Lakes Fish Community -http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/brochures/

This new fact sheet combines and updates information found in two previous GLERL fact sheets on Diporeia declines in the Great Lakes. It includes the 2005 map of Diporeia distribution in Lake Michigan and extension of the lake whitefish condition data through 2004.

2) New Reprints - Rogue Waves
LIU, P.C., and K.R. MacHutchon. Are there different kinds of rogue waves? Proceedings, 25th International Conference of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering. Hamburg, Germany, June 4-9, 2006. ASME, 6 pp. (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060014.pdf

3) GLERL in the News - NOAA'S New Great Lakes Weather Observation Platforms Provide More Data for Forecasters & Boaters
Excerpt from NOAA Magazine. July 7, 2006

More than a dozen new weather observation platforms deployed in the Great Lakes region by NOAA are providing valuable information directly to recreational and commercial boaters and to NOAA National Weather Service meteorologists issuing marine weather forecasts and life-saving warnings. NOAA's National Weather Service, National Ocean Service and Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory joined forces to deploy 13 new coastal weather observation sites throughout the Great Lakes.

"Implementation of the Great Lakes weather observation platforms enhances NOAA's ability to improve weather forecasts and is a concrete example of NOAA's continuing efforts to enhance the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems," said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.

"Experienced seafarers know the more information you have, the better off you are on any body of water," said Richard B. Wagenmaker, meteorologist-in-charge of the NOAA National Weather Service forecast office in Detroit and member of the joint team that created and coordinated the platform project. "These observation platforms now provide critical information on wind speed and direction, temperature and atmospheric pressure that are updated and broadcast every hour on the Internet for public consumption. Boaters can use the information to avoid perilous situations on the water and our forecasters will incorporate the data with other factors to improve weather and marine forecasts."

Platform locations were chosen following a study by NOAA to determine gaps in the Great Lakes coastal weather observing network. "Observations are key to our understanding, analysis and prediction of the Earth's environment," said Lynn P. Maximuk, director of the NOAA National Weather Service Central Region. "Information from these platforms is expected to help improve wind and wave forecasts, assist in the response to coastal hazards, strengthen coastal resource management and improve the safety of marine commerce and recreation in the Great Lakes." Maximuk noted the expanded information will enhance the NOAA National Weather Service's mission to protect lives and livelihoods. "Mariners on the Great Lakes are very weather dependent, not only for their own safety but also for protecting their commercial investments," said Maximuk. Each year, nearly 200 million tons of cargo, mostly iron ore, limestone and coal, are shipped over the Great Lakes' sometimes treacherous waters, which also are home to large recreational and commercial fisheries.

The Lake Erie platform was installed at Toledo Harbor Light #2. Lake Huron platforms are at Gravelly Shoal Light in Saginaw Bay, Alpena and Fort Gratiot, Mich.; and Lake Michigan platforms are at Big Sable Point, Grand Traverse Light and Menominee, Mich.; Kewaunee and Port Washington, Wis.; and Waukegan Harbor, Ill. Platforms in Lake Superior are located at Portage Canal, Mich., Silver Bay, Minn., and Saxon Harbor, Wis. Some of the collection platforms are on navigation structures just offshore while others are affixed to towers adjacent to lake waters.

In coming years, NOAA plans to install up to 32 additional weather data collection platforms in the Great Lakes to create a denser network of observing stations.
NOAA Western Great Lakes Platform Data
NOAA Eastern Great Lakes Platform Data

4) GLERL In the News - NOAA Discusses Biofuel Research Vessels at Capitol Hill Forum
Excerpt from NOAA Office of Legislative Affairs' THE INFORMER

On June 20th, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) Director Dr. Steven B. Brandt traveled to Capitol Hill to give a presentation on the lab's Green Ship Initiative. The initiative won an award from the U.S. Department of Energy. Dennis Donahue, the leader of the Green Ship Initiative and the Operations Manager at GLERL's Muskegon, Michigan Field Station accompanied him. During his 15 minute presentation, Dr. Brandt presented the audience with a thorough history of the groundbreaking work that the lab has been doing in the area of alternative fuels and environmental management. The Green Ship Initiative was an idea that launched in 1999, almost solely from the vision of Dennis Donahue.
Instead of engineering bio-products into new vessel designs, the project was focused on the conversion of vessels and machinery that was 30-50 years old. Mr. Donahue started with the mission of converting not only the fuel propulsion and electric generators to biodiesel, but also the oils used for power transmission, lubricants, and crankcase motors. By 2005, Mr. Donahue had transformed the R/V Huron Explorer into the first ever petroleum free ship, and had a timeline of conversion for GLERL's two other research vessels: the Laurentian and the Shenehon. By May 2006, Mr. Donahue had converted the Laurentian and the Shenehon to completely non-petroleum products. All three vessels now incorporate rapeseed-based hydraulic oil for its deck crane, winches, transmission and steering gear, 100 percent soy biodiesel for engine fuel, and canola motor oil.

5) GLERL in the News - Brandt Radio Interview

Steve Brandt's radio interview on the Lou Perry Program, Ann Arbor's WLBY 1290 AM on Saturday, July 8, 2006 is available on-line. Various GLERL topics including beach contamination, lake levels, and biodiesel.
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/news/glerlnews/

6) CEGLHH - Harmful Algae Blooms and Beach Closure Forecasting

CEGLHH and HAB Event Response websites updated, please see www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/Centers/HumanHealth and www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/Centers/HABS/habs.html, for more details.

CEGLHH beach closure forecasting researchers conducted a water quality field investigation on the Grand River, in Grand Haven, Michigan during June 20-23. Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF-6 ), a non-toxic, non-harmful chemical tracer, was released into the Grand River and monitored to help scientists understand the movement and flow of the River, which extends to the mouth of Lake Michigan. The three-day study gave researchers valuable experience and data for characterizing the mixing and movement of water in the Grand River. This study will contribute to testing the adequacy of predictive models being developed by the Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health as well as providing a better understanding and tracking the movement of pollutants to predict impaired water quality events.

June 15, 2006

Contents:
1. Award - Outstanding Scientific Paper
2. GLERL in the News - NOAA Scientists Re-Analyze Weather Conditions During Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
3. GLERL in the News - Lake levels up -- and down
4. GLERL at IAGLR - Presentations with GLERL co-authors
5. New Reprints
6. CEGLHH - Beach Closure Fact Sheet

1. Award - Outstanding Scientific Paper
Congratulations to Dima Beletsky and Dave Schwab for receiving NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) Outstanding Scientific Paper Award for 2005. There were thirty papers submitted for consideration this year; all of the submissions were published in 2003 or 2004. OAR selected one paper in each of three categories: Climate, Ecosystems, and Weather & Water

Their paper:
Schwab, D.J. and Dmitry Beletsky: Relative effects of wind stress curl, topography, and stratification on large-scale circulation.

2. GLERL in the News - NOAA Scientists Re-Analyze Weather Conditions During Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Excerpt from NOAA News - http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2633.htm

A re-analysis of the weather conditions on Lake Superior during the November 1975 gale when the lake freighter Edmund Fitzgerald went down, killing all 29 aboard, shows a period when the winds and waves were the most extreme, say the NOAA scientists who conducted the review. "Modern observation and forecast systems have substantially improved forecasts for the Great Lakes over the past 30 years, allowing for greater advance notice of storms, which allows most ships to avoid such severe conditions," the authors wrote. "But the tragic events of 10 November 1975 should continue to serve as a reminder of the hazards one can encounter when traveling on the Great Lakes."

The findings are the cover article in the May issue <http://ams.allenpress.com/amsonline/?request=get-abstract&doi175/BAMS-87-5-607 of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, or BAMS.

"During the late afternoon and early evening of Nov. 10, conditions deteriorated rapidly with winds in excess of 69 miles per hour, hurricane-force gusts and waves more than 25 feet high," said Thomas Hultquist, science and operations officer at the NOAA National Weather Service forecast office in Negaunee, Mich., and lead author.

"This shows how quickly conditions can worsen and become life threatening on the Great Lakes," wrote Hultquist and his co-authors, Michael Dutter from the NOAA National Weather Service forecast office in Cleveland and David Schwab, from the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The NOAA authors combined meteorological observations from the storm with hindcasts-forecasts run in retrospect-of conditions throughout the storm. The hindcasts indicated the critical six-hour window that proved fatal to the ship and its crew. Hindcasts help meteorologists better understand historical events, which could also improve forecasts.

A lack of surface weather observations made it difficult for researchers to determine the actual conditions. However, using high-resolution numerical computer models, the three researchers were able to simulate a more complete picture of wind and wave conditions during the storm. One of the models used was the NOAA GLERL Wind-Wave Model <http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/>.

In addition to high winds and waves, the freighter was caught in waves traveling west to east. This could result in a hazardous rolling motion for vessels traveling southward, the direction that the Edmund Fitzgerald was heading as it tried to reach the safety of Whitefish Bay, about 15 miles from where it sank. "While high winds on Lake Superior are not rare, it is unusual for the waves to get that high on the lake," said Schwab. "It's unlikely that Captain Ernest McSorley, the skipper of the Edmund Fitzgerald, had ever seen anything like that in his career."

The authors note that storms of the magnitude of the Nov. 9-10, 1975, storm occur every two to six years on average. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes. The size of the lake, the low number of vessels traveling the lake and the infrequency of the high wave conditions, makes the tragedy of the Edmund Fitzgerald a rare event.

NOAA Background on Edmund Fitzgerald <http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mqt/fitzgerald/>

3. GLERL in the News - Lake levels up -- and down
Excerpt from Holland Sentinel. Thursday, June 8, 2006. By NATHAN PECK
Full Article at http://hollandsentinel.com/stories/060806/local_20060608012.shtml

Water levels in Lake Michigan are up 3 inches from a year ago but remain 16 inches below average. Lower-than-normal snow packs and a lack of ice on Lake Michigan are contributing to low water levels, said Mike Quigley, an ecologist with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor. "Evaporation was much higher this winter with the lack of ice cover," Quigley said. "This spring has been on the wetter side, but it hasn't been enough to make up for the loss this winter."

Relief for low lake levels is not a sure thing any time soon, Quigley said. An active hurricane season may provide an unlikely aid for Michigan boaters. "Last summer, a lot of moisture was carried in with the hurricanes," Quigley said. "What hurricane remnants will reach the Great Lakes Basin is a big unknown."

4. GLERL at IAGLR - Presentations with GLERL co-authors
Abstracts at: http://www.iaglr.org/conference/2006/program.php/

• Beletsky, Schwab, Hawley, and Yerubandi. Hydrodynamic Modeling of Circulation and Thermal Structure in Lake Erie
• Bosch, Han, Allan, and Johengen. The Influence of Natural Lakes and Artificial Impoundments on the Transport and Fate of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in two Southeastern Michigan River Catchments.
• Cavaletto, Vanderploeg, Ludsin. Vertical Migration Patterns of Zooplankton in Lake Erie's Central Basin as Related to a Hypoxic Event.
• Croley, and He. Spatially Distributed Surface-Subsurface Watershed Hydrology Model of Water and Materials Runoff.
• Dyble, Fahnenstiel, Tester, Litaker, and Millie. Detecting Toxic Microcystis Strains in the Lower Great Lakes.
• Edgington, Robbins, Klump. Uranium in Lake Baikal as a Proxy for Paleoclimate Change in Eastern Siberia.
• Friedhoff and Donahue. New Information a Scientist should Know Before Using a Research Vessel.
• Geddes, Tyson, Krueger, Rutherford, and Ludsin. Development of Ecological Classifications of Open-Water Habitats in Lakes Huron and Erie.
• Gray, VanOverdijk, Johengen, Reid and MacIsaac. Does Open-ocean Ballast Exchange Reduce the Risk of Future Great Lakes Introductions from Transoceanic Vessels?
• Hand, Ludsin, Marsden, Fryer. Analysis of Stratoliths as a Tool for Determining the Stream Origins of Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in Lake Huron.
• Hawley and Eadie. Observations of Sediment Transport in Lake Erie During the Winter of 2004-2005.
• Howe, Marsden, Ludsin, Hand, Fryer. Tributary Contributions to the Parasitic and Spawning Adult Population of Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in Lake Champlain Using Elemental Signatures.
• Hook, Roberts, Fanslow, and Ludsin. Nucleic Acid Ratios to Index the Short-term Growth and Condition of Animals in Response to Lake Erie's Dead Zone.
• Johengen, Ludsin. Spatial and Temporal Development of Hypoxia and Associated Trophic Conditions in Lake Erie During 2005.
• Joseph, Whitman, Morrison, Wirick, Briggs, and Suri. Great Lakes Beach Health Research Needs Workshop: Lessons Learned in Collaboration and Working Toward a Common Goal.
• Kimura, Ludsin, Rutherford, Tyson, Johnson, and Mason. Estimating Habitat Quality and Recruitment of Yellow Perch Larvae in Lake Erie.
• Krueger, Rutherford, Mason. Predation as a Mediator of Chinook Salmon Recruitment Success in a Large Lake Michigan Tributary.
• Leshkevich and Liu. Great Lakes CoastWatch Update.
• Liebig, Vanderploeg, Ruberg, Lang, Constant, Ludsin and Cavaletto. Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Zooplankton and Chlorophyll Relative to Oxygen Concentration in Central Lake Erie.
• Ludsin, Hook, Pothoven, Roberts, Costantini, Vanderploeg, Ruberg, Liebig, Cavaletto, and Lang. Influence of Hypoxia on the Distribution and Behavior of Fish in Central Lake Erie.
• Ludsin, Brandt, Hawley, Eadie, and Lansing. The 2005 International Field Years on Lake Erie (IFYLE) Hypoxia Program.
• Mills, Watkins, Dermott, Lozano, Rudstam, and Scharold. The Changing Benthos of Lake Ontario: Analysis of Whole-Lake
  Assessments of Diporeia and Dreissenid Mussels.
• Nghiem and Leshkevich. Satellite Scatterometer Monitoring of Freeze-Up and Break-Up Dates in Large Northern Hemisphere Lakes.
• Pangle, Vanderploeg and Peacor. Bythotrephes Predation Rate: Light Level and Density Dependence.
• Pothoven, Nalepa, Madenjian, Rediske, Schneeberger and He. Energy Density of Lake Whitefish in Lakes Huron and Michigan.
• Quigley, MA. A Brief History of Great Lakes Science Vessel Inventory and Coordination Efforts - 1968-Present.
• Raikow, Atkinson, and Croley. Resource Shed Delineation in Lake Erie.
• Roberts, Hook, Ludsin, and Pothoven. The Effects of Hypoxia on Yellow Perch in Offshore Waters of Central Lake Erie.
• Ruberg, Brandt, Bootsma, Gordon, Lane, Meadows, Miller, and Muzzi. Real-time Environmental Coastal Observation Network (RECON)
• Schloesser, Nalepa, Dermott, Dittman and French. Status of Dreissenid Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and D. bugensis) in the Laurentian Great Lakes.
• Schwab, Beletsky, Frick, Ge, McCormick, Winkelman and Foley. Development of Near-shore Hydrodynamic Models for Beach Closure Forecasting in the Great Lakes.
• Shuchman, Leshkevich, Hatt, Pozdnyakov and Korosov. Verification and Application of a Bio-Optical Algorithm for the Great Lakes Using SeaWiFS and MODIS: An Analysis of Satellite Data Obtained for Lake Michigan and the Creation of a New Hydro-optical Model for Lake Erie Using In Situ Radiometric Data.
• Sturtevant, Suri, and Joseph. Harmful Algal Bloom Event Response Information System.
• Sturtevant and Fortner. New Outreach and Education Opportunities through COSEE Great Lakes.
• Vanderploeg, Dionisio-Pires, Liebig, Robinson, Moorehead, Sarnelle, Wilson. Dreissenids and Great Lakes Toxic Microcystis
  Blooms: Theory and Progress.
• Wang, Hook, and Ebener. Spatial and Temporal Variation in Maturation Schedules of Great Lakes Whitefish.
• Westrick and Joseph. Great Lakes and Human Health - Is there a Relationship?
• Yerubandi, Hawley, Schwab, Schertzer, and Charlton. Physical Processes in Lake Erie during 2004 and 2005.

5. New Reprints

• CROLEY, T.E. II. Using climatic predictions in Great Lakes hydrologic forecasts. ASCE Task Committee Report on Climate Variability, Climate Change, and Water Resources Management. Garbrecht, J., and U. Lall (Eds.). American Society of Civil Engineers, Arlington, VA, 164-185 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060013.pdf
• LIEBIG, J.R., H.A. VANDERPLOEG, and S.A. RUBERG. Factors affecting the performance of the optical plankton counter in large lakes: Insights from Lake Michigan and laboratory studies. Journal of Geophysical Research 111:C05S02, 10 pp. (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060012.pdf

6. CEGLHH - Beach Closure Fact Sheet
The "Beach Closures and Human Health" 2-page fact sheet from the NOAA Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health fact sheet is available for circulation! Please feel free to distribute them throughout your offices and upcoming events. Contact Sonia Joseph for copies.

May 17, 2005

Contents
1) NOAA Research Vessel Receives Award for Vegetarian Diet
2) GLERL in the News: Quagga Mussel Mess
3) New Reprints

1) NOAA Research Vessel Receives Award for Vegetarian Diet
GLERL's Huron Explorer, the first modern U.S. research vessel to operate free of petroleum products, was given an award today by the Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program during an Earth Day Week event on the shores of Lake Michigan.

In 2004, the Huron Explorer, a 41-foot former U.S. Coast Guard vessel, joined the fleet of NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory's other two ships that are used to conduct research on the Great Lakes. The Huron Explorer serves the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve in Lake Huron. The other two ships, including the 67-foot Shenehon which is one of the oldest in the NOAA fleet, use some non-petroleum products. The Shenehon began its use of B100 biodiesel in 2000 and was dubbed the "french fry" ship by some. It showed immediate reductions in visible emissions, smoke and offensive odor, with unchanged performance of the main engine or generators. The use of B100 was a significant achievement in demonstrating soy oil as an alternative fuel in marine applications. B20, a 20 percent blend of soy oil with petroleum diesel, has been in use for a number of years in road vehicles, such as cars, buses and trucks. GLERL's Ship Operations Group, headed by Dennis Donahue, expanded the use of bio-hydraulic oil on the Laurentian, an 80-foot research vessel built in 1974. All systems using the bio-hydraulic oil performed satisfactorily without change to pump or equipment performance while contributing to improved onboard storage and reduced inventory. In August 2005, the Huron Explorer completed its transformation from petroleum products to biofuels and lubricants by incorporating rapeseed-based hydraulic oil for its deck crane, winches, transmission and steering gear, and 100 percent soy biodiesel for engine fuel and canola-based motor oil. GLERL plans to convert the Shenehon's remaining systems to agri-products this year and the Lauentian is slated to convert to B100 biodiesel in 2007, making all three of the ships 100 percent petroleum-free.

The "You Have the Power" campaign helps federal agencies reach their energy-saving goals by raising awareness about energy efficiency at federal facilities. The federal government can encourage wise energy use, while simultaneously protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. "NOAA has a commitment to stewardship of the environment, and this research vessel, the R/V Huron Explorer, demonstrates that commitment in very practical ways. Environmentally friendly vessels are better suited to tread lightly on the ecosystems they help research," said Stephen B. Brandt, acting deputy assistant administrator for oceanic and atmospheric research.

"We saw dramatic reductions in emissions and improvements to the original 1974 engines in wet exhaust odor and pollution," Donahue said. "The biodegradable vegetable oils offer an additional level of environmental protection in case of a spill or leak." Donahue added that the switch to agri-products has improved the work environment of the ships' crews and scientists. "These ships have become real-world field studies that can be used to expand field test data and support other ship conversions," said Donahue. Other NOAA boat operations and some private vessels are implementing similar bio-product conversions based upon experiences at GLERL.
On the Web:
http://www.noaa.gov
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov
http://thunderbay.noaa.gov/
http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/services/yhtp/

2) GLERL in the News: Quagga Mussel Mess
Excerpt from Earthwatch Radio
But the zebra mussel is being overtaken by another creature known as the quagga mussel. A recent study found huge numbers of them in Lake Michigan, and they're living in places where the zebra mussel could not survive.

Tom Nalepa is a biologist with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Nalepa says the zebra mussel and the quagga mussel both were discovered in the Great Lakes in the late 1980s. The zebra mussel spread more quickly, but the quagga mussel appears to be more hardy. For one thing, it can live in deeper and colder water. Nalepa led a survey of Lake Michigan last year, and he says quagga mussels were all over the bottom. "And it was pretty astounding in terms of how the population has increased in just a three or four year period of time."

Nalepa says the quagga mussels appear to be hurting some native crustaceans. One deepwater species is disappearing, and fish that depend on them for food are losing weight.

Nalepa says quagga mussels have also spread into shallow water, and they're taking over territory that's now occupied by zebra mussels. "Just to give you an idea, in many locations in 2002, we had 95 percent zebra mussels and only five percent quagga mussels. Just this past July, it was completely reversed. It's 99 percent quagga mussels and only one percent zebra mussels at the sites that we sampled, so it's quite a difference - a complete flip flop."

Nalepa says the changes in Lake Michigan have also occurred in some of the other Great Lakes where quagga mussels have taken up residence.

3) New Reprints
Barbiero, R.P., T.F. NALEPA, and M.L. Tuchman. Phytoplankton, zooplankton, and benthos. In The State of Lake Huron in 1999. M.P. Ebener (Ed.). Great Lakes Fishery Commission Special Publication 05-02, pp. 33-41 (2005). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2005/20050029.pdf

CROLEY, T.E. II. Modified Great Lakes hydrology modeling system for considering simple extreme climates. NOAA Technical Memorandum GLERL-137. Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI 27 pp. (2006). ftp://ftp.glerl.noaa.gov/publications/tech_reports/glerl-137/tm-137.pdf

Lindberg, W.J., T.K. Frazer, K.M. Portier, F. Vose, J. Loftin, D.J. Murie, D.M. MASON, B. Nay, and M.K. Hart. Density-dependent habitat selection and performance by a large mobile reef fish. Ecological Applications 16(2):731-746 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060009.pdf

Mantha, P.S., J.B. Rose, and S. JOSEPH. Water pollution studies for the lower Grand River, MI. Michigan State University, Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, 2 pp. brochure (2006).

Plattner, S., D.M. MASON, G.A. LESHKEVICH, D.J. SCHWAB, and E.S. Rutherford. Classifying and forecasting coastal upwellings in Lake Michigan using satellite derived temperature images and buoy data. Journal of Great Lakes Research 32:63-76 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060008.pdf

QUINN, F.H., and C.E. SELLINGER. A reconstruction of Lake Michigan-Huron water levels derived from tree ring chronologies for the period 1600-1961. Journal of Great Lakes Research 32:29-39 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060006.pdf

Schuler, L.J., P.F. LANDRUM, and M.J. Lydy. Comparative toxicity of fluoranthene and pentachlorobenzene to three freshwater invertebrates. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 25(4):985-994 (2006).

SCHWAB, D.J., B.J. EADIE, R.A. ASSEL, and P.J. Roebber. Climatology of large sediment resuspension events in southern Lake Michigan. Journal of Great Lakes Research 32:50-62 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060007.pdf

Werner, E.E., and S.D. PEACOR. Lethal and nonlethal predator effects on an herbivore guild mediated by system productivity. Ecology 87(2):347-361 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060011.pdf

Zhulidov, A.V., T.F. NALEPA, A.V. Kozhara, D.A. Zhulidov, and T.Y. Gurtovay. Recent trends in relative abundance of two dreissenid species, Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis in the lower Don River System, Russia. Arch. Hydrogiologie 165(2):209-220 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060010.pdf

April 17, 2006

Contents
1. New Reprints
2. DOE "You've Got the Power" Award for biofuels project
3. GLERL in the News - Yellow perch might be recovering from decimation *
________________________________________________________________________________
1. New Reprints
Bunnell, D.B., C.P. Madenjian, and T.E. CROLEY II. Long-term trends of bloater (Coregonus hoyi) recruitment in Lake Michigan: evidence for the effect of sex ratio. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63:832-844 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060005.pdf

CROLEY, T.E. II, and C. He. Watershed surface and subsurface spatial intraflows model. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering 11(1):12-20 (2006).

Madenjian, C.P., S.A. POTHOVEN, J.M. Dettmers, and J.D. Holuszko. Changes in seasonal energy dynamics of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) in Lake Michigan after invasion of dreissenid mussels. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63:891-902 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060004.pdf

NALEPA, T.F., D.L. FANSLOW, A.J. FOLEY III, G.A. LANG, B.J. EADIE, and M.A. QUIGLEY. Continued disappearance of the benthic amphipod Diporeia spp. In Lake Michigan: is there evidence for food limitation? Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63:872-890 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060003.pdf

NALEPA, T.F., D.C. Rockwell, and D.W. Schloesser. Disappearance of the amphipod Diporeia spp. in the Great Lakes: Workshop summary, discussion, and recommendations. NOAA Technical Memorandum GLERL-136. NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI, 20 pp. (2006).
ftp://ftp.glerl.noaa.gov/publications/tech_reports/glerl-136/tm-136.pdf

Tirelli, V., D. Borme, F. Tulli, M. Cigar, S. Fonda-Umani, and S.B. BRANDT. Energy density of anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, L. in the Adriatic Sea. Journal of Fish Biology 68:982-989 (2006).

2. DOE "You've Got the Power" Award for biofuels project
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
set a goal to minimize the use of petroleum products onboard its research ships and demonstrate the operational benefits of bio-products in marine applications. This project introduced soy biodiesel at 100% for ship propulsion and generators-a significant advancement in alternative diesel fuels that typically were based upon a 20% blend of soy oil with petroleum oil. The project was then expanded to replace all petroleum lubricants, hydraulic, transmission, and motor oils with products formulated from renewable stock such as canola and soy oils. In August of 2005 the Huron Explorer, serving the National Marine Sanctuary at Thunder Bay, became the first U.S. research vessel to operate free of petroleum products, demonstrating NOAA's commitment to the marine environment. There will be an Earth Day presentation of this award to NOAA on April 18th at the Lake Michigan Field Station

3. GLERL in the News - Yellow perch might be recovering from decimation
Excerpt from Journal-Sentinel 3/13/2006, by Dan Egan
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=407993

When Lake Michigan makes headlines these days, it seems the news is almost always bad.

But a bit of good news is flowing out of the world's fifth-largest freshwater lake - yellow perch could be on the rebound. Recent state and federal fish surveys show that the 2005 class of perch, perhaps the lake's most popular native fish in terms of eating and angling, is the largest in more than a decade.

DNR biologist Brad Eggold said there are likely a number of factors for the apparent rebound, but a big one is the state's decision in the mid-1990s to stop commercial perch harvests on Lake Michigan except for the bay of Green Bay. Around the same time, the DNR dropped the recreational daily catch limit from 50 to five. Despite the good news, a DNR report on the survey cautions that the perch population remains "a major concern," and there are no plans to lift the daily catch rates. Members of the class of 2005, after all, are still not much bigger than a finger, and there is no guarantee their numbers won't be decimated in the next few months from a lack of food. Or they could be eaten by bigger fish, such as salmon or trout.

While Eggold says the survey results "were extremely promising," nobody is predicting the population will return to the glory days of the 1980s. Too much has changed in the lake since that time, thanks largely to impact of foreign species, such as the zebra mussel. "It may be that recovery to population levels that we enjoyed prior to the early '90s is not a realistic expectation given the altered environment," states the DNR report.

Numbers of exotic mussels on the lake bottom appear to have exploded over the past year. The zebra mussel is the invasive species that has grabbed the most attention, but it is its slightly larger cousin, the quagga mussel, also a native of the Caspian Sea, that appears to be having the most impact under the waves.

The first zebra mussel was reported in Lake Michigan in 1990, and the quagga mussels didn't turn up until the late 1990s. But the quagga recently surpassed the zebra mussel in numbers. A likely reason is the fact that the quagga is a hardier creature that can thrive at depths beyond 200 feet.

The annual USGS Lake Michigan fish survey doesn't target mussels, but they turn up in the nets nonetheless, and this year's study estimates the mussel population, in terms of weight, has nearly tripled in the lake since last year.

Tom Nalepa, a biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has conducted his own mussel studies and says the mussels' range has expanded, and it is clear the quagga mussel is now a bigger threat to the lake than the zebra mussel. "It doesn't matter whether it's shallow depths or deeper depths, it's pretty much all quaggas, and what were seeing now is quaggas are expanding much deeper into the water than zebra mussels," he said. Quagga mussels can now be found at depths of about 300 feet, Nalepa said. That's about the maximum depth typical in the southern third of Lake Michigan. "Now you're looking at almost the entire (southern) lake bed as potential habitat for mussels," said Steve Pothoven, a NOAA biologist at the Lake Michigan field station in Muskegon, Mich.

The big worry is the quagga mussel will squeeze out what is left of a tiny shrimp-like creature called the diporeia, a critical food source for several fish species. Diporeia used to be found at densities as high as 20,000 per square meter on the lake bottom. Now, in vast stretches on the southern end of Lake Michigan, they have essentially disappeared. A direct link between the rise of foreign mussels and the decline of diporeia has yet to be made, but few biologists doubt one exists. Nalepa said he has yet to analyze the data for an update to the diporeia study he did six years ago, but "I'm plugging into the spreadsheets a lot of zeros, and I think it's going to (show) a remarkable loss."

March 17, 2006

Contents
1. New Reprints - Toxics, Otoliths, Rogue Waves, Ballast Treatment
2. GLERL in the News - New invasive species mussel threatens lakes
3. GLERL in the News - Quagga mussel the latest dangerous invader
4. GLERL in the News - On Great Lakes, Winter Is Served Straight Up

1. New Reprints - Toxics, Otoliths, Rogue Waves, Ballast Treatment
LEE, J.-H., and P.F. LANDRUM. Application of a Multi-component Damage Assessment Model (MDAM) for the toxicity of metabolized PAH in Hyalella azteca. Environmental Science and Technology 40(4):1350-1357 (2006).

LEE, J.-H., and P.F. LANDRUM. Development of a Multi-component Damage Assessment Model (MDAM) for time-dependent mixture toxicity with toxicokinetic interactions. Environmental Science and Technology 40(4):1341-1349 (2006).

LUDSIN, S.A., B.J. Fryer, and G.E. Gagnon. Comparison of solution-based versus laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for analysis of larval fish otolith microelemental composition. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 135:218-231 (2006). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2006/20060002.pdf

LIU, P.C., K.R. MacHuchon, and C.H. Wu. Exploring rogue waves from observations in South Indian Ocean. In Rogue Waves 2004. M. Olagnon, and M. Prevosto (Eds.). Ifremer, Brest, France, pp. 1-10 (2004). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2004/20040037.pdf

RAIKOW, D.F., D.F. REID, E.E. MAYNARD, and P.F. LANDRUM. Sensitivity of aquatic invertebrate resting eggs to SeaKleen (Menadione): A test of potential ballast tank treatment options. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 25(2):552-559 (2006).

2. GLERL in the News - New invasive species mussel threatens lakes
Excerpt from Muskegon Chronicle 2/19/2006 By Jeff Alexander

Imported to Lake Michigan in 1997 in the ballast water of ocean freighters, quaggas now blanket much of the lake bottom to depths of 330 feet, according to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That's bad news for anglers because quaggas, like zebra mussels, are filter-feeders that eat some species of invertebrates and plankton at the base of a food web that supports salmon and whitefish. Changes caused by zebra mussels have been linked to decreasing numbers of alewife in Lake Michigan, which has led to smaller salmon and whitefish. The quagga is like a frost-proof zebra mussel on steroids -- it's a heartier species that, unlike the zebras, can survive in cold water and live on the entire lake bottom. Zebra mussels thrive in the shallow, warmer waters of Lake Michigan and other inland lakes.

"I think quagga mussels are going to have a much larger ecological impact on Lake Michigan than zebra mussels ever did," said Gary Fahnenstiel, a NOAA senior ecologist and head of the agency's Lake Michigan Field Station in Muskegon. "From a historical perspective, the long-term impacts of quaggas are going to be right up there with the problems caused by sea lamprey and alewife."

NOAA scientists recently discovered quagga mussels covering vast areas of the lake bottom. The average density of quagga mussels at sites sampled last summer was 7,700 per square meter, up from 2,200 per square meter in 200