Project Information

Title: LTM Program: Long-term Monitoring of Oceanographic Conditions in Cook Inlet/Kachemak Bay, Alaska 21120114-J

Project Year and Number: 2021: 21120114-J

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2020: 20120114-J, 2019: 19120114-J, 2018: 18120114-J, 2017: 17120114-J, 2016: 16120114-G, 2015: 15120114-G, 2013: 13120114-G, 2012: 12120114-G

Principal Investigator (PI): Steve Baird (Kachemak Bay Research Reserve), Kris Holderied (NOAA)

Managing Agency: NOAA

Assisting Personnel: None

Project Website: https://gulfwatchalaska.org/monitoring/environmental-drivers/oceanographic-conditions-in-lower-cook-inlet-and-kachemak-bay/

Research Location: Kachemak Bay, Cook Inlet

Restoration Category: Monitoring

Injured Resources Addressed: Not Specified

Abstract:

The Cook Inlet/Kachemak Bay monitoring project provides year-round, high temporal resolution oceanographic and plankton community data to assess the effects of seasonal and inter-annual oceanographic variability on nearshore and pelagic species affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. We continue a 9-year time-series of year-round, monthly shipboard oceanography surveys along the estuarine gradient from Kachemak Bay into southeast Cook Inlet, as well as an 18-year time series of continuous nearshore water quality station observations in Kachemak Bay. Shipboard sampling includes conductivity-temperature-vs-depth casts, and phytoplankton and zooplankton net tows. Outputs from the project include seasonally resolved patterns and interannual shifts in oceanography, plankton abundance and community composition, and harmful algal species. The project provides oceanographic and plankton data to support the Gulf Watch Alaska Nearshore Component in Kachemak Bay and provides year-round information on estuary-shelf oceanographic gradients to help evaluate the effects of local (within estuary) and remote (shelf, North Pacific) climate forcing on nearshore and pelagic ecosystems. Results show that: 1) water temperatures remained anomalously warm through December 2019 (up to 2°C above average), but cooled rapidly in January 2020 with colder air; 2) zooplankton community species composition and phenology changed during the marine heatwave, but not overall abundance; and 3) harmful phytoplankton species continue to be detected and project data are being used to assess environmental drivers of harmful algal blooms as well as toxin transfer in the marine food web. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we were unable to complete some small boat surveys in FY20 (Feb-July). Nutrient samples were not collected and water quality sondes were not switched out from March - June at Seldovia, and April - May at Homer.


Proposal: View (1,724 KB)

Reports:
FY17-21 Final Report: View (7,660 KB)

Publications from this Project: None Available