Science for Decisionmaking Coastal and Marine Geology at the U.S. Geological Survey (1999) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
4 The Federal Role
4 The Federal Role
Pages 51-61
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 51... ...
The committee also found, based on a review of planning documents from the USGS Geologic Division and the CMGP and input from the staff, that no clear and focused identity exists for the program nor does it seem to have a clear mission definition. The committee believes that CMGP, by organizing activities at all three regional centers based on an integrated plan that addresses the grand challenges discussed in Chapter 3, would be well positioned to focus on national, regional, and site-specific coastal and marine issues and problems.
|
From page 52... ...
The committee feels that progress toward these goals can be made in the shorter term by refocusing the scientific efforts at all three CMGP centers to address a few pressing issues that could serve as the initial steps needed for the grand challenges. Such a refocusing should foster closer interaction of scientific personnel, allow more efficient use of equipment and computer resources, and begin expanding the scale of CMGP research to a national perspective.
|
From page 53... ...
N FIGURE 4-la Sidescan-sonar image of the shoreface and inner shelf off Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, showing distinct seafloor features that have been used to document sand transport offshore several kilometers from the beach (modified after Thieler et al., 1998~. (Plate 7~.
|
From page 54... ...
FIGURE 4-lb Interpretive geological map of the shoreface and inner shelf off Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, based on the sidescan-sonar image in Figure 4-la, as well as seismic data, vibracores, and diver observations (Thieler et al., 1998~. the second grand challenge development of a national knowledge bank on the geologic framework of coastal and marine regions.
|
From page 55... ...
ss A .
|
From page 56... ...
Continental Margin Habitat Mapping and Changes The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 contains essential fish habitat provisions and mandates a supporting research effort to: 1) describe and identify essential fish habitat; 2)
|
From page 57... ...
The committee decided not to identify those programs that should be phased out, but it strongly urges CMGP management to concentrate its research efforts and reallocation of funds on a more focused research program, realizing that the near-term focus of the program may change periodically to reflect shifting national and regional priorities. At present, the subset of critical issues identified above seem to be those most appropriate to the overall mission of the CMGP program.
|
From page 58... ...
Examples of such efforts include erosion of the southwest Washington coast; Florida Bay information on injection well flushing (Box 2-4~; the threat posed by contaminated sediment along the coast of southern California (Box 4-1~; and seafloor characterization for essential fish habitat, including coral reef processes. CONFIRMING THE NICHE FOR CMGP Collaboration with Federal Agencies The special expertise of the CMGP in understanding the geology of the coastal oceans lends itself to collaboration with other federal agencies, and some local efforts relating to ecosystems assessments and geologic framework for pollution studies with NOAA, the U.S.
|
From page 59... ...
. It is imperative that the CMGP expand these efforts into regional assessments of the geologic framework of coastal and marine regions.
|
From page 60... ...
60 o ;^ ;^ o o Cal so Ct Ct .0 ,= Cal so Ct Cal ·_.
|
From page 61... ...
The CMGP should focus on the geologic framework questions and assessments while more specific studies are undertaken with its partners. For example, CGMP work on the stratigraphic extent of coastal formations could greatly support efforts by the Water Resources Division to understand aquifer characteristics and evaluate water resources.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.