GREAT LAKES NEWS FROM MICHIGAN SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM Water Wise: Safety for the Recreational Boater upwellings The U.S. boating public can improve its safety preparedness with this all-in-one boating safety book. The book is geared toward operators of large and small V O L U M E 2 7 | N U M B E R 2 | J U N E 2 0 0 4 recreational boats, in all waterways nationwide. Don’t Get Trapped! Rip Currents! Recreational boaters on the Great Lakes should be aware that commercial fishing trap nets may be anchored in some locations. Michigan Sea Grant provides information on how to recognize and avoid these nets in the brochure: Don’t Get Trapped! What Recreational Anglers and Boaters Should Know About Be Aware, Swim with Care Commercial Fishing Trap Nets. HOT off the PRESS! Rip Currents: Break the Grip of the Rip In collaboration with the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) and the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA), Michigan Sea Grant has designed new rip current brochures and beach signs for distribution in Michigan, the Great Lakes region and in coastal areas across the nation. These new materials have been extensively reviewed and vetted by communications and technical representatives from the NWS, NOAA National Sea Grant College Program, and the USLA. The rip current signs and brochures highlight facts about rip currents and include safety tips for swimmers. www.miseagrant.umich.edu/pubs MICHU-04-801 Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Michigan Sea Grant College Program PAID 401 E. Liberty, Suite 330 Ann Arbor, MI Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2298 Permit No. 144 upwellings Public Awareness: Key to Water Safety An upwelling occurs in a lake or ocean when strong, For many people, swimming at a Great College Program, NOAA National Weather steady winds push warm in-shore surface water away Lakes beach is the highlight of the Service and the United States Lifesaving from shore causing colder, nutrient-rich water to rise. summer, whether folks live near the Association in a national media campaign Upwellings is published quarterly by the Michigan Sea Grant College Program. Michigan Sea Grant, a shoreline or travel several hours to reach promoting rip current safety. A media cooperative program of the University of Michigan their favorite destination. As this year’s event on May 24, 2004 in North Carolina and Michigan State University, supports understanding and stewardship of the Great Lakes swimming season approaches, beach- unveiled new beach signs and brochures. through research, outreach and education. Michigan goers will notice a new emphasis on water Designed by Michigan Sea Grant’s Dave Sea Grant is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the State safety and rip currents. Brenner, the materials describe how to of Michigan. recognize rip currents and how to escape Rip currents are powerful currents capable Suggestions for articles or editorial correspondence them. The materials are available for use regarding this or future issues of upwellings are of pulling swimmers far offshore. They can by coastal communities along the oceans welcomed. develop in the oceans and Great Lakes. and Great Lakes. (See the back cover of Joyce Daniels, Managing Editor The U.S. Lifesaving Association reports this issue of upwellings.) (734) 647-0766 that rip currents account for 80 percent [email protected] of lifeguard rescues at surf beaches. Within Michigan, several coastal Dave Brenner, Senior Graphic Artist In Michigan, many popular Great Lakes communities have already formed task (734) 764-2421 [email protected] beaches do not have lifeguards, and forces to promote rip current awareness potential danger is often underestimated. and general water safety. These local Elizabeth LaPorte, Communications Director (734) 647-0767 partnerships are an effective way to [email protected] A number of tragic incidents in the bring together the expertise of a variety Great Lakes over the past few years For a subscription, call (734) 764-1118 of people with a common interest. In or visit the Michigan Sea Grant Web site: www. have accelerated interest in rip currents. miseagrant.umich.edu this issue of upwellings, the feature Scientists have begun to piece together article beginning on page 4 highlights When reprinting material, please give credit to information about water and weather “Upwellings, a publication produced by Michigan Sea some of these activities, scientific conditions during some of the recent Grant” and send a copy to: progress related to rip currents and key drowning events, and they’re working Upwellings safety facts and tips to help beach-goers Michigan Sea Grant College Program toward a better understanding of the swim safely this summer. 401 E. Liberty, Suite 330 conditions that precede these strong Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2298 currents. This information is critical as the National Weather Service develops a Great Lakes forecasting system to issue accurate advisories to the public. Michigan Sea Grant has teamed up with Elizabeth LaPorte a number of other Sea Grant programs Michigan Sea Grant Communications Director as well as NOAA National Sea Grant Michigan Sea Grant Management Team Donald Scavia, Director William Taylor, Associate Director Phone: (734) 615-4084 Phone: (517) 353-0647 Michigan State University and the University of Michigan Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] are equal opportunity/affirmative action institutions MICHU#04-801 Jennifer Read, Assistant Director John Schwartz, Extension Program Leader Phone: (734) 936-3622 Phone: (517) 355-9637 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 2 MICHIGAN SEA GRANT www.miseagrant.umich.edu upwellings Volume 27 | No. 2 | June 2004 GIS Technology Improves CoastWatch Web Site CoastWatch: www.coastwatch.msu.edu The Great Lake Sea Grant Network, in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is serving up improved charts of Great Lakes surface water temperatures on its CoastWatch Web site. During the past year, Michigan Sea Grant and the entire CoastWatch team have been working to improve the charts by upgrading the software with the latest in geographic information system (GIS) technology. In addition to improving the existing lake surface temperature charts, the upgraded system provides the CoastWatch team with a tool that has greater flexibility. The new system enables the team to easily refine parameters and create new charts. In addition, upgrades have provided solutions to maintenance issues, including faster recovery time if the system should fail. Michigan Sea Grant and the CoastWatch CoastWatch Features team have collaborated with the NOAA-Great • Charts are updated twice a day with plans to Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory increase to four times daily by summer and Michigan State University’s Remote • Whole lake charts of all Great Lakes Sensing and GIS Research and Outreach • Regional lake charts Service to process image data gathered • Port charts - currently 42 with plans to add more by NOAA’s CoastWatch Great Lakes Node. • NOAA polar orbiter satellites provide data for charts Technical experts use computer automated • Images with a lot of grey or black represent cloud- translation of NOAA satellite data to create covered areas isothermic charts. The CoastWatch site For more information about CoastWatch features, contact features whole lake charts for Superior, the CoastWatch team at: [email protected] Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario; 16 regional charts and; 42 port charts. What is an isotherm? As many as 600,000 CoastWatch images An isotherm is a graphic representation of temperature have been downloaded from the site gradients. “Iso” (similar) “therms” (temperatures) are in a five month period, and users have connected points forming lines that are similar to elevation consistently commented on its usefulness lines on a topographic map. When viewing port image maps, in their work and play. The U.S. CoastGuard each line indicates a change in temperature of one degree uses CoastWatch to guide their choice fahrenheit. of protective gear. Hundreds of charter For more information about surface temperature images, captains rely on it to help them find good see www.coastwatch.msu.edu/help.html fishing areas. upwellings Volume 27 | No. 2 | June 2004 MICHIGAN SEA GRANT www.miseagrant.umich.edu 3 BRENNER Rip Currents Be Aware, Swim with Care On hot summer days, the waters of northern Lake Michigan sparkle invitingly along the popular route U.S.-2, which hugs the shoreline through most of Mackinac County. It’s only at heavily used swimming areas that visitors get a sense of potential danger. Posted signs advise swimmers to use Rip currents are often associated with The incidents have prompted Michigan Sea caution and warn of dangerous currents. ocean beaches but also occur in the Grant to partner with state, regional and Not far from each sign stands emergency Great Lakes. These powerful currents can national organizations to raise awareness rescue stations—stand-alone units flow one- to two-feet per second, faster of rip currents. As conferences and media complete with life vest, life ring, rescue than an Olympic swimmer. In the past events take place nationally, more than 80 board and solar powered cell phone two years, 18 people have died along the people gathered in St. Ignace in late April programmed to dial 911. shores of Lake Michigan, including seven to learn the latest science behind Great in a single day on July 4, 2003 along Lakes rip currents and the importance of “Lake Michigan can be deceiving,” says southwest Michigan beaches. public awareness as the swimming season Michigan Sea Grant extension agent Ron approaches. Kinnunen, a member of the Mackinac County Water Safety Review Team, which established the stations following a According to the United States Lifesaving drowning in 1998. “Conditions may look safe, but rip currents can develop. If Association, rip currents account for 80 you’re not prepared, you can find yourself percent of lifeguard rescues at surf beaches.