"Networking Resources for Collaborative Research in the Southeast"

Environmental Hydrology Group

Collaboration Worksheet

1. Research Area/Topic:

Environmental Impacts of Urbanization on Coastal Areas

2. Individuals/Institutions Participating:

• Ashok Pandit - Florida Tech University
• Fred Howell - University of Mississippi
• Ralph Davis - University of Arkansas
• John Yost - University of Idaho
• Steve Landry - University of Southwest Louisiana
• Sam Wang - University of Mississippi
• Stuart Rojstaczer - Duke University

3. What is the Research Need/Opportunity?

Needs:

Gather Data and Apply Models to Assess the Impact of Urban and Industrial Development Along the Coastline. For Example: Movement Towards Results Transparency and Model Connectivity

Problem:

Surface Water/Ground Water Quality is Negatively Impacted by Development Along the Coastline.

Opportunities:

Find out What the Common Problems Are, For Example: Reduced Biodiversity, Sediment Loading, and Freshwater as a Problem. Urbanization vs. NPS

4. What Strengths Will Each Member Bring to This Alliance?

Each Individual is Familiar With a Particular Watershed - Can be Applied to Larger Problems.

• Ashok Pandit - Indian River Lagoon Watershed
• Fred Howell - Pascagula
• Ralph Davis - North Carolina Coast - Sand Investigations with Seismic Data
• Steve Landry - Barreterrier Basin, Atchafalyia Basin

Types of Modeling/Systemic Analysis:

• Fred Howell - Macroinvertebrate Identification
• Ashok Pandit - Surface Water and Ground Water Modeling, F/T Contaminants; Quality and Quantity NPS Modeling (Not Estuary Modeling)
• Steve Landry - Sediment Transport
• Ralph Davis - Seismic Techniques to Identify Sediment Transport and Sources
• Sam Wang - Channel Networks - Water and Sediment Routing; Estuary Modeling; Coastal Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport

5. What Weaknesses Have Been Identified and How Will They be Resolved?

• Lack of Focus - Very Broad at this Point
• Must be Refined - Move Toward Something Tangible
• Relative Lack of Funding

6. Which Organizations Are Potential Funders?

• EPA - Water Pollution (At state level, there is EPA funding as well)
• NSF - Hydroscience, Water and Watersheds (L. Douglas James)
• NASA - Hydrological Sciences
• USDA - NP Runoff Solutions
• DoI - Fish and Wildlife
• (Bob Stewart: National Wetlands Research Center may be interested in furthering network and being involved in alliance.)

7. Which Groups are Likely to be Significant Competitors?

Don't know yet - in a way, though, this is bringing the competitors together Will know more when focus becomes clearer

8. What are the Projected Outcomes of the Alliance?

Establish virtual center of excellence and perhaps web page.

9. What are the Added Values from the Alliance to help Realize these Outcomes?

• Added Value from Working Together
• Value in Geographic Collaboration
• Broader "tool kit" Bring Databases, Models Together
• Political Clout

10. Why is this Need/Opportunity Attractive at the Present Time?

• National Attention to Watershed Issues
• Explosive Growth Along the Coastlines
• Nationwide, Focus on Overall Environmental Science has Grown in the Past Decade

11. Will the Alliance Members' Institutions be Supportive? How?

• Overall, "Yes"
• If Money Comes in, "Yes"
• If There is a Resulting Initiative, "Yes"
• Make Computational Models Available Widely Among Members of Alliance

12. What Outcomes/Decisions Have Been Agreed To?

• Ashok Pandit - Will Draft Outline of a Proposal with Ralph Davis
• Everyone - Will Gather Information in their States for Particular Watershed
• Steve Landry - Will have Someone at National Wetlands Research Center Gather Data on the Web (housed in Lafayette, LA)
• Long Term - Organize a Proposal Writing Meeting in the Future

13. What Needed Actions Have Been Agreed To? Who is Accountable? By When?

• A) Identify all Databases in Respective Watershed Areas. Potential Source of Information: Mandate for Water Protection in Each State - Wellhead Protection
• B) Pick Several Demonstration Sites for Which Data can be Found
• C) Might Use this Project as a Prototype On-Line
• D) Gather Available Data
• E) Ashok Pandit Will Draft a Rough Grant Proposal (potential primary investigator) with Ralph Davis

Return to conference home page.