A delegation from US Geological Survey recently visited DHI, Denmark, to participate in a workshop on Integrated Science and Modeling, addressing issues relevant for the Tampa Bay Integrated Science Study. USGS decided 1½ year ago to apply DHI modeling technology for the Tampa Bay Integrated Science Study. Clif Hearn, USGS, who is responsible for the integrated coastal modeling component in the Tampa Bay study, agreed to an interview while at DHI. Clif is located in St. Petersburg, Florida, at one of the offices of the Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP). Similar CMPG offices are located in Menlo Park/Santa Cruz, Ca and Woods Hole, Ma.
“The visit by the USGS delegation this week is part of the learning, and the program that DHI has made will give both parties an opportunity to get to know each other much better”.
The Workshop Group on site visit to the coming beach park at Amager, Copenhagen.
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Clif Hearn - USGS
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Gregg Brooks – USGS
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Karsten Mangor – DHI
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Ida Broeker – DHI
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Leif Sjoegren – contractor
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Kathryn Smith - USGS
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Kim Yates - USGS
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Mike Crane - USGS
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Justin Krebs - USGS
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Jimmy Johnston – USGS
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Ole Svenstrup – DHI
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Dan Hasloev – (architect)
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The Tampa Bay Integrated Science Study is a five year project (2002-2007) directly funded by Congress. Modeling plays a central role in the study as it integrates the different science areas (Geology and geomorphology, water and sediment quality, hydrodynamics, ecosystem structure and wetlands). “However, the study is also integrated in the sense that it combines the expertise of Federal, State, County and local partners. This is one of the overall aims of the study - to learn how scientists can integrate their studies”, Clif says.
Prior to the study a 2 year pilot study was conducted, to prove the feasibility of an integrated study. The pilot study focused on the scientific requirements necessary to address some of the most pressing societal and ecological problems of Tampa Bay Estuary. To further identify key environmental issues, questionnaires were submitted and results carefully analyzed.
“Examples of key issues;
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sediment dynamics of Tampa Bay and how these are altered by human influence
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the effects of change in fresh water supply to the bay from increased groundwater extraction
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the effects of engineering structures, e.g. navigation channels - Tampa Port is one the busiest in Florida, bridges etc., and
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how the health of the ecology in the bay is affected by these various potential impacts”.
United States Geological Survey (USGS) stands today, as the sole science agency for the Department of Interior. The geological area has gradually broadened out as demands for understanding natural processes and human impacts demand multi-disciplinary scientific approaches to find optimal solutions. As the US's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, USGS collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems. The diversity of its scientific expertise enables USGS to carry out large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations and provide impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers. The mission of USGS is to serve the United States by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.
“The legacy of the project is education, dissemination of results, and a model set-up that can be left behind so it also can be used by others when the study is over. It is very important for all partners and vendors involved that a working model environment is left behind, no matter the type of models used, and of course that the key issues have been properly addressed. The idea is that USGS will see this as a paradigm for other projects, e.g. in Puget Sound”.
“The program is strengthened by on-going projects conducted by participating agencies, counties, universities and the Tampa Bay Estuarine Program”.
“USGS plays a pro-active role in the participation of partners in the program of integrated science and provides some seed money through its cooperative agreements. Today some 150 people are involved in the program”.
The fact that DHI Software, rather than in-house software, is used was explained by Clif as follows: “Inside USGS, and even inside the Coastal and Marine Geology groups, different models are applied. However, a flexible mesh grid and fully integrated sub-models are needed to address management needs in Tampa Bay. Additionally, we were impressed by the way DHI operates and by the ease of working with DHI models plus the range of applications. DHI Software can be used by a wide spectrum of users including experienced modelers, research scientists, managers and students”.
“Another important issue for USGS in the application of models is access to source code. ECO Lab is open and we now have a non-disclosure agreement with DHI that gives us access to other parts of the source code”.
“DHI’s research base, non-profit status, and focus on helping solve real problems with world-class technology, makes it a resource competitive with any institution available to us in North America. DHI’s reputation is growing and other federal agencies, e.g. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) are using DHI Software”.
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For more information about the DHI Software technology applied, please feel free to contact:
Erland Rasmussen ebr@dhi.dk