NWS Partners Meeting 2010

Dave Westerholm, DirectorDave Westerholm, DirectorNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s

Office of Response and RestorationOffice of Response and RestorationJune 9, 2010June 9, 2010

NOAA’s Role in Planning, Preparedness, NOAA’s Role in Planning, Preparedness, Response and RestorationResponse and Restoration

• What I am going to talk about:What I am going to talk about:• Deep well Deepwater Horizon MC252Deep well Deepwater Horizon MC252

– How NOAA Tools and Services have contributed to How NOAA Tools and Services have contributed to the response and what are the response and what are learning with respect to our learning with respect to our role in Traditional Oil and Gas role in Traditional Oil and Gas development, production, development, production, transportation and spills.transportation and spills.

Deepwater oil rig fire

NOAA’s ResponseNOAA’s ResponseOffice of Response and Restoration (OR&R) Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) – Scientific support to the U.S. Coast Guard and Unified Scientific support to the U.S. Coast Guard and Unified

Command Command – Emergency Response Division (ERD) Emergency Response Division (ERD) • Predict oil fates and effects Predict oil fates and effects • Identify resources at risk Identify resources at risk • Manage data and information Manage data and information • Overflight observations and mapping Overflight observations and mapping • Recommend appropriate clean-up methods Recommend appropriate clean-up methods

– Assessment and Restoration Division (ARD) Assessment and Restoration Division (ARD) • Plan for assessment of injuries to natural resources Plan for assessment of injuries to natural resources • Coordinate with state and federal trustees Coordinate with state and federal trustees

Deepwater aerial

NOAA’s ResponseNOAA’s ResponseNational Weather Service (NWS)National Weather Service (NWS)

Incident weather forecasts including marine and aviation Incident weather forecasts including marine and aviation

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) Service (NESDIS) Experimental imagery for spill trajectory forecasts Experimental imagery for spill trajectory forecasts Data Visualization Data Visualization

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Issues related to marine mammals, sea turtles, and fishery Issues related to marine mammals, sea turtles, and fishery resources Public Affairs support to the Joint Information Centerresources Public Affairs support to the Joint Information CenterSeafood SafetySeafood SafetyFisheries closures Fisheries closures

NOAA’s ResponseNOAA’s ResponseOffice of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO)

USCG Liaison to the DCO Incident Support Team USCG Headquarters USCG Liaison to the DCO Incident Support Team USCG Headquarters Aircraft and vessel support Aircraft and vessel support

Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)Oceanographic and atmospheric modeling and data support. Oceanographic and atmospheric modeling and data support. Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant programs providing technical advice on Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant programs providing technical advice on impacts to living resources and coastal communities. impacts to living resources and coastal communities.

National Ocean Service (NOS)National Ocean Service (NOS)Support from ONMS for staffing and technical information Support from ONMS for staffing and technical information Oceanographic modeling support Oceanographic modeling support Public Affairs support to Joint Information CenterPublic Affairs support to Joint Information Center

What have been some of the issues in What have been some of the issues in this response this response

SubsurfaceSubsurface

– Flow RateFlow Rate

– Use Subsurface dispersantsUse Subsurface dispersants

– Fate and Effect of oil rising up from the bottomFate and Effect of oil rising up from the bottom

– Potential biological impacts of subsurface oilPotential biological impacts of subsurface oil

What have been some of the issues in What have been some of the issues in this response this response

SurfaceSurface

– Fate and Effect of oil on Fate and Effect of oil on surfacesurface

– Movement of oil by wind and Movement of oil by wind and current current

– LOOP CurrentLOOP Current Plane spraying oil dispersant

What have been some of the issues in What have been some of the issues in this response this response

SurfaceSurface– Ecosystem impact of oil as well as removalEcosystem impact of oil as well as removal

• Mechanical Mechanical • In Situ burns In Situ burns • Surface DispersantsSurface Dispersants

– HurricanesHurricanes

Deepwater controlled burn

What have been some of the issues in What have been some of the issues in this response this response

ShorelineShoreline

– Protection strategiesProtection strategies

– SCAT TeamsSCAT Teams

– Different types of Shoreline Clean UpDifferent types of Shoreline Clean Up

– Damage AssessmentDamage Assessment

Our New Reality Our New Reality “The Instant World”“The Instant World”

• Our Trajectories and other toolsOur Trajectories and other tools• Web site hitsWeb site hits• Data ManagementData Management• Geospatial InformationGeospatial Information– www.Geoplatform.govwww.Geoplatform.gov

Spill Trajectory

QuestionsQuestions

Boom operations in the Gulf of Mexico