The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration granted $605,000 to the State of Oregon to support the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The grant supports operations, education, research, monitoring and stewardship at the South Slough NERR in Charleston, Ore. The South Slough is the southwestern arm of the larger Coos estuary. The formation of such drowned river mouth estuaries along the Oregon coast began 20,000 years ago as glaciers melted and sea level began to rise, flooding river valleys. The South Slough Reserve contains upland forests, freshwater wetlands, salt marshes, mud flats, eelgrass meadows and open water habitats.

“This NOAA grant will support the research needed to aid scientists in making informed decisions about the South Slough,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “NOAA and the Bush Administration are working to improve the understanding of our environment and to strengthen local estuarine research initiatives like those in Oregon.”

Each year, NOAA awards approximately $900 million in grants to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to assist the agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property, and provide decision makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA’s goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for the past 34 years.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. To learn more about NOAA, please visit: http://www.noaa.gov.