SC2 Priority Funding Gaps

The following table describes first new and then on-going research that is currently unfunded.

These research topics are believed by the SC2 scientists to represent key gaps in scientific understanding of climate change and potential impacts to the Skagit basin landscape, resources and its people. Further work by the scientists over the next year will help prioritize and sequence research amongst the group and assist the scientists in strategically targeting the funding necessary to complete top priority research. The table does not include all unfunded research. If you would like further information that you cannot find on the site, please contact Carol MacIlroy or one of the scientists.

Desired New Research Funding

The following tables describe new research SC2 scientists believe is important to improve our understanding of the Skagit basin and the potential impacts a changing climate can have on human and natural resources. If you are interested in collaborating on any of these projects or providing funding please contact the project lead or Carol MacIlroy to get further information. A PDF of the charts below can be downloaded here.

Under $100K

Cost	Time	Description	SC2 Lead
50-75K	1 year	Bathymetry/Substrate of lower Skagit River	Eric Grossman
50-100K	2 years	Quantify tidal flat and nearshore invertebrate community structure and shore/waterbird use	Eric Grossman
100K	2 years	Link sedimentation, vegetation and affects of sea-level rise on overwintering bird habitat	Eric Grossman
75K	2 years	Movement patterns of birds on Skagit in response to changing weather and tidal conditions	Audrey Taylor
20-30K		Sauk River glacier inventory	Jon Riedel

 

$100-$500K

Cost	Time	Description	SC2 Lead
200-300K	3 years	Examine influence of climate change and sea-level rise on nearshore circulation and the net northward surface transport of Skagit River sediment	Eric Grossman
300K		Penn Cove water quality and harmful algae bloom assessment	Tarang Khangaonkar
100-200K		Bathymetry and substrate of Ross Lake	Ron Tressler
90-180K		Climate change modeling of impacts to freshwater, estuarine and marine habitats of salmon and forage fish populations	Correigh Greene
200K		Link land-use and climate change to coho, chinook, and steelhead life cycles	Correigh Greene

 

$1–5 Million

Cost	Time	Description	SC2 Lead
2M	2 year	Inundation maps for Skagit based on climate predictions	Alan Hamlet
2–5 M	25 years	Monitoring of fish populations in Skagit River in estuary either every 5 years ($2M) or annually ($5M)	Correigh Greene

 

Costs and Time frame not yet determined

Description	SC2 Lead
Long-term monitoring of dike-front vegetation between N and S Fork Skagit River	Greg Hood
Long-term monitoring of marsh progradation	Greg Hood
Integration of glacial data into hydrologic model	Jon Riedel and Alan Hamlet
Channel Migration Zone mapping for Sauk	Jon Riedel
Map of all temperature monitoring stations and monitoring results	Ed Connor
Temperature and sediment model and addition of turbidity monitoring stations at temperature stations	Eric Grossman/Ed Connor
Watershed metrics effort	Eric Grossman
Indicators project	Eric Grossman
Link land-use and climate change to coho life cycle	Correigh Greene

 

Ongoing Research Needing Additional Funding
The following tables describe on-going research needs that require additional funding. If you are interested in collaborating on any of these projects or providing funding please contact the project lead or Carol MacIlroy to get further information.

$100-$500K

Cost	Time	Description	SC2 Lead
100K		Comparison of sediment deposition pattern in Skagit and Padilla Bays 1.) Existing Conditions 2010 and 2.) Year 2100	Eric Grossman
192K (at-risk of being cut)	Annual	Intensive monitoring of estuary restoration	Gregory Hood
100K		Predictive vegetation and tidal channel geometry models

 

Costs and Time frame not yet determined

Description	SC2 Lead
Development of sediment transport and deposition model of Skagit Basin	Eric Grossman