Event Title
A High-resolution Hydrodynamic Model to Support Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring in Puget Sound
Presentation Abstract
In Puget Sound, increasing occurrences of harmful algal blooms (HABs, caused by marine dinoflagellates in the genus Alexandrium) severely threaten human health and shellfish industry. This trend could continue in the next several decades with projected future changes in global and regional climate in the Puget Sound region. As part of a two-year study funded by NOAA’s Coastal and Ocean Climate Application Program aimed at developing a decision support tool to assist Washington State Department of Health (WDOH) with HABs monitoring resource allocation, this presentation is focused on the development of a high-resolution hydrodynamic and transport model of Puget Sound that provides information on physical variables (e.g., temperature, salinity, and residence time) contributing to Alexandrium blooms. The model is built upon Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) existing Puget Sound hydrodynamic model with substantial refinement in intertidal zones and improvement with water temperature simulation. The hydrodynamic model is driven by hydro-climate forcing data produced by the University of Washington Climate Impact Group. Model inputs include regional climate model simulations, implemented at 12 km resolution over the Northwest U.S., and a consistent set of hydrologic simulations that provide freshwater inputs to Puget Sound. The hydrodynamic model simulates detailed hydrodynamic properties of Puget Sound under both historical and future climate change conditions. The model results can then be correlated with observed shellfish toxicity data to develop a decision support tool to assistant WDOH in allocating HABs monitoring resources in Puget Sound under a changing climate.
Session Title
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) and marine pathogens in a changing world
Conference Track
Climate Change and Ocean Acidification
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Algal blooms--Monitoring--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Algal blooms--Research--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Toxic algae--Washington (State)--Puget Sound
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Puget Sound (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
A High-resolution Hydrodynamic Model to Support Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring in Puget Sound
2016SSEC
In Puget Sound, increasing occurrences of harmful algal blooms (HABs, caused by marine dinoflagellates in the genus Alexandrium) severely threaten human health and shellfish industry. This trend could continue in the next several decades with projected future changes in global and regional climate in the Puget Sound region. As part of a two-year study funded by NOAA’s Coastal and Ocean Climate Application Program aimed at developing a decision support tool to assist Washington State Department of Health (WDOH) with HABs monitoring resource allocation, this presentation is focused on the development of a high-resolution hydrodynamic and transport model of Puget Sound that provides information on physical variables (e.g., temperature, salinity, and residence time) contributing to Alexandrium blooms. The model is built upon Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) existing Puget Sound hydrodynamic model with substantial refinement in intertidal zones and improvement with water temperature simulation. The hydrodynamic model is driven by hydro-climate forcing data produced by the University of Washington Climate Impact Group. Model inputs include regional climate model simulations, implemented at 12 km resolution over the Northwest U.S., and a consistent set of hydrologic simulations that provide freshwater inputs to Puget Sound. The hydrodynamic model simulates detailed hydrodynamic properties of Puget Sound under both historical and future climate change conditions. The model results can then be correlated with observed shellfish toxicity data to develop a decision support tool to assistant WDOH in allocating HABs monitoring resources in Puget Sound under a changing climate.
Comments
We are fine with either oral or poster presentation format.