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For the latest forecasts and critical weather information, visit weather.gov.

Projects Explorer

The NCCOS Project Explorer provides a snapshot of our official, discrete lines of research.
Filter by research category, region, and/or contact.

Microcystins in Bivalves: Optimizing of Monitoring For and Minimizing Risk From an Emerging Human Health Threat

Atlantic Ocean, bivalves, California, Chesapeake Bay, cyanobacteria, Forecasting, harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Long Island Sound, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, microcystins, New York, Other Topics, Pacific Ocean, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Virginia, Waterbodies
This project addresses an emerging concern across the US - the transfer of freshwater algal toxins into the marine environment where they can infiltrate the ...
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Mitigating Microcystis in the Chesapeake Bay

cyanobacteria, cyanotoxins, david.kidwell@noaa.gov, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Maryland, microcystins, microcystis, myxophyceae, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories
Chitosan, a natural compound, is added to concentrations of local sediments and commercial clays to control harmful algal blooms. We are studying the impacts of ...
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Modeling and mapping marine bird distributions on the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf to support offshore renewable energy planning

arliss.winship@noaa.gov, Atlantic, Atlantic Ocean, Canada, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Foreign Countries, Georgia, Habitat Mapping, john.christensen@noaa.gov, Maine, marine bird, Marine Spatial Ecology, marine spatial planning, Maryland, Massachusetts, modeling, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Offshore Wind, offshore wind energy, Protected Species, relative density, Rhode Island, seabird, seabird distribution modeling, seabird predictive mapping, South Carolina, U.S. States and Territories, Virginia, Waterbodies
Seabirds and other marine birds are wide-ranging and highly mobile so mapping their at-sea distributions presents a significant challenge. The purpose of this project was ...
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Modeling Approach to Predicting Nitrogen Removal by the Eastern Oyster Aquaculture Industry

Coastal Aquaculture Siting and Sustainability, Connecticut, Marine Spatial Ecology, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Water Quality
Burning fossil fuel, applying fertilizers, and other activities have resulted in nutrient-loaded runoff that can cause the overgrowth of algae and seaweeds in coastal waters ...
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Modeling Factors that Contribute to Harmful Algal Blooms

Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Hypoxia, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Waterbodies, wayne.litaker@noaa.gov
Harmful algal blooms that disrupt and degrade coastal aquatic ecosystems are occurring with greater frequency. We developed a model that shows these events are not ...
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Modeling Favorable Habitat for Alexandrium catenella in Puget Sound

Climate Impacts on Ecosystems, Coastal Change, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, quay.dortch@noaa.gov, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Washington
In Puget Sound, the toxic alga Alexandrium catenella threatens people who eat shellfish contaminated with the algal toxin. Previous studies identify “seedbeds” of Alexandrium resting ...
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Modeling Hypoxia and Ecological Responses to Climate and Nutrients

alan.lewitus@noaa.gov, Chesapeake Bay, CHRP, Climate Impacts on Ecosystems, Coastal Change, Delaware, Hypoxia, Maryland, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We are developing modeling tools that can be used to predict ecological responses to climate and nutrient input management in coastal systems. This project is ...
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Modeling Impacts of Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Biological Effects of Contaminants and Nutrients, david.kidwell@noaa.gov, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Hypoxia, Louisiana, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Texas, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We are determining the effects of hypoxia (low dissolved oxygen) on reproduction of fish (Atlantic croaker) throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico to accurately model ...
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Modeling Mesophotic Coral Distributions in the Au’au Channel, Hawaii

bryan.costa@noaa.gov, Habitat Mapping, Hawaii, john.christensen@noaa.gov, Marine Spatial Ecology, Pacific Ocean, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We developed predictive maps of the distribution of selected hard corals living in the mesophotic zone (30–150 meters deep) in and around the Au’au Channel, ...
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Modeling Ocean Acidification in the Coastal Zone

Coastal Change, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Hypoxia, Ocean Acidification, ocean acidification, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Waterbodies, wayne.litaker@noaa.gov
Adding carbon dioxide (CO2) to seawater raises the acidity of seawater, which can adversely affect marine life and fisheries. Coastal waters receive both atmospheric CO2 ...
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Modeling to Support Blue Crab Resilience in Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay, Coastal Change, doug.pirhalla@noaa.gov, Maryland, Technology Transfer, Virginia
Critical species that support life and economic activity in the Chesapeake Bay, including the indigenous blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), are facing multiple environmental threats. Understanding ...
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Modeling, Visualizing, and Communicating Nor’easter and Hurricane Threats With Sea Level Rise to Support Coastal Management in New England

Atlantic Ocean, Coastal Change, Coastal Change, Maine, Massachusetts, New England, Other Topics, Rhode Island, Sea Level Rise, sea level rise, Sponsored Research, trevor.meckley@noaa.gov, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We are working to inform and improve coastal resource management and resilience to extreme weather events (e.g., Nor’easters and hurricanes) whose impacts are magnified with ...
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Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms in the Lower Great Lakes

blue-green algae blooms, Great Lakes, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, MERHAB, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Waterbodies
Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms in the Lower Great Lakes (MERHAB-LGL) was the first regional, multi-institution project to examine toxic cyanobacteria in ...
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Monitoring and Management of Lipophilic Shellfish Toxins in Washington

azaspiracid poisoning, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, dinophysis, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, lipophilic toxins, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, MERHAB, shellfish, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Washington
Lipid and fat soluble (lipophilic) algal toxins linked to diarrhetic shellfish poisoning and azaspiracid shellfish poisoning are emerging threats to recreational, subsistence, and commercial shellfisheries ...
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Monitoring Chemical Contaminants in Caribbean Sargassum to Protect Coastal Economies and Support Local Actions and Responses

Assessing Vulnerability and Resilience, Biological Effects of Contaminants and Nutrients, Caribbean Sea, Coastal Change, Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments, emily.pisarski@noaa.gov, Florida, Harmful Algal Bloom Event Response, Marine Spatial Ecology, National Mussel Watch, Puerto Rico, Regional Ecosystem Science, Restoration, Social Science, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment, Water Quality, Waterbodies
Sargassum inundation events are increasing in frequency and intensity in the Caribbean, posing challenges for coastal communities, the blue economy, and ecosystem health. Aquatic plants ...
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Multi-objective Assessment of Flood Adaptation Options in Los Angeles County

California, Coastal Change, Natural and Nature-based Features, sarah.pease@noaa.gov, Sea Level Rise, U.S. States and Territories, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment
We are evaluating, at a high resolution, the social, economic, and environmental benefits, costs, and tradeoffs of different approaches to manage flood risk in Los ...
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Multidisciplinary Approach to a Cross-Regional Problem: Dinophysis and DSP Toxicity

Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, dinophysis, DSP, Forecasting, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Long Island Sound, maggie.broadwater@noaa.gov, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Other Topics, Puget Sound, Rhode Island, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Texas, U.S. States and Territories, Virginia, Washington, Waterbodies
Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) has emerged as a significant and expanding seafood safety threat in coastal regions across the United States. The harmful algal species ...
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Nanomaterials in the Marine Environment: The Use of Salt-Marsh Mesocosms to Study Transport and Partitioning

Biological Effects of Contaminants and Nutrients, microplastic, mike.fulton@noaa.gov, paul.pennington@noaa.gov, South Carolina, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories
In our study of the movement and accumulation of gold and silver nanomaterials in simulated salt-marsh enclosures, we found that the particles moved from the ...
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National Analytical Response to Harmful Algal Bloom–Related Marine Animal Mortality Events

Atlantic Ocean, California, Florida, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, maggie.broadwater@noaa.gov, Pacific Ocean, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Texas, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We use extreme events to research new or changing impacts of harmful algal blooms in coastal waters. The NOAA Analytical Response Team leverages cutting-edge analytical ...
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National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI)

Caribbean Sea, Coral, coral reef, david.hilmer@noaa.gov, Florida, Marine Spatial Ecology, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
Researchers at the National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) are exploring scientifically sound approaches to understand, assess, monitor, restore and mitigate injured coral reefs. NCRI is ...
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National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Implementation: Biological and Socioeconomic Monitoring

American Samoa, Assessing Human Use, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, CNMI, coral, Coral, coral reef, CRCP, CRMP, Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments, Florida, Guam, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Hawaii, lexie.sturm@noaa.gov, Marine Spatial Ecology, monitoring, Puerto Rico, sarah.siegel@noaa.gov, shay.viehman@noaa.gov, Social Science, U.S. States and Territories, U.S. Virgin Islands, Waterbodies
The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) is a framework for conducting sustained observations of biological, climate, and socioeconomic indicators at 10 priority coral reefs ...
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