Coastal and Ocean Resources

Deployment of Acoustical Alert Devices on Select DoD Vessels to Mitigate the Risk of Vessel Collisions with Marine Mammals - Report, September 2011 (Legacy 08-414) [1.77 MB]: The West Indian manatee is an endangered marine mammal which inhabits the waterways of Department of Defense (DoD) installations in S.E. Georgia and peninsular Florida. Manatees are vulnerable to collisions with watercraft. In an effort to protect manatees The DoD Legacy Management Resource Program supported behavioral hearing and acoustic propagation studies that revealed manatees cannot adequately detect and locate the dominant lower frequency sounds of approaching vessels and slower speeds can actually increase the risks of collisions. These discoveries led to the development and successful field testing of an acoustic warning device designed to provide wild manatees with the sensory awareness to avoid collisions. This report details the development and testing of the alert system.

Development of Mission Avoidance Zones in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range - Report January 2006 (Legacy 05-270): [1.60 MB]: This report discusses the development of a preliminary computer model to help establish mission avoidance zones in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range, an overwater range at Eglin AFB. These zones are being developed to protect marine mammals from impacts resulting from military activities.

An Analysis of Forest Riparian Buffer Zones on Military Installations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed - Report (Legacy 07-305) [240 KB]: This study tested the efficacy of restored forest riparian buffers along streams on military installations in the Chesapeake Bay watershed by examining stream macrobenthic community structure, and water and habitat quality.

An Analysis of Forest Riparian Buffer Zones on Military Installations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed - Installation Report (Legacy 07-305) [448 KB]: Collected data from installations was compared with data from a previous study assessing the effectiveness of riparian buffer zones in the Piedmont physiographic region. Researching efforts grouped all coastal plain sites to statistically compare them to sites in the piedmont region in terms of their age, water quality, habitat, and benthic macroinvertebrate community dynamics.

An Analysis of Forest Riparian Buffer Zones on Military Installations in the Chesapeake - Appendices (Legacy 07-305) [191 KB]: This appendix lists GPS coordinates, water quality data, reported macroinvertebrate data, and habitat assessments associated with Legacy project 07-305: An Analysis of Forest Riparian Buffer Zones on Military Installations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Fact Sheet: Coral Ecosystem and Marine Resources Initiative T/E and Sensitive Species (Legacy 11-306) [74 KB]

Fact Sheet: Coral Ecosystem and Marine Resources Initiative T/E and Sensitive Species (Legacy 10-306) [3.71 MB]

Fact Sheet: Deployment of Acoustical Alert Devices on Select DoD Vessels to Mitigate the Risk of Vessel Collisions with Marine Mammals (Legacy 08-414) [102 KB]

Fact Sheet: Near surface Sound propagation, a Key to Alerting North Atlantic Right Whales of Approaching DoD Ships (Legacy 06-145) [169 KB]

SERDP Conservation CS-1333 [136 KB]: Application of ROV-Based Video Technology to Complement Coral Reef Resource Mapping and Monitoring

SERDP Conservation CS-1334 [306 KB]: Analysis of Biophysical, Optical and Genetic Diversity of DoD Coral Reef Communities Using Advanced Fluorescence and Molecular Biology Techniques

Presentation at 8th International Conference on Artificial Reefs and Artificial Habitats April, 2005

Project Technical Note - Evaluating and Enhancing the Performance of Reefs Constructed from Military Armored Vehicles [71 KB]

Coral Ecosystems and Marine Resources Initiative T/E and Sensitive Species Database (Legacy 10-306): This is an extensive compilation of information and tools for consistent management and conservation of DoD protected marine species and associated benthic/marine habitat (coral reef ecosystems), including endangered threatened and sensitive resources and habitat. The database will assist in compliance with numerous Federal Acts and Executive Orders particularly with regards to the need to inventory biologically or geographically significant or sensitive natural resources. The database provides resource information for use in decision-making regarding on-shore or near-shore activities in order to maintain military readiness with minimal adverse impacts to the marine environment. It serves as an in-house resource for locating underwater resources and identifying potential impacts related to mission needs, operations or development projects.

Natural Resources Conservation Coral Reef Initiative Database - Technical Note, October 2011 (Legacy 10-306) [1.11 MB]: Up to 75% of the world's coral reefs are threatened due to continued pressure from both local and global stressors. As data on the conservation status on marine species are updated, the number of these species occurring in coral reefs habitats has increased dramatically. In order to make these data easily accessible to Military personnel, the previous version of the Coral Reef Initiative Database has been updated, expanded and reorganized. The database of scientific information presented here will greatly benefit resource managers in successfully managing and assessing coral reefs and species of special conservation status associated with coral reefs. This technical note details how the database was developed, what information is contained in the database to date, and how to access it.

An Assessment of the Condition of Coral Reefs Off the Former Navy Bombing Ranges at Isla de Culebra and Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico [8.37 MB]: This Study documents the condition of fringing coral reefs in military and non-military areas, using the Puerto Rican islands of Culebra and Vieques as models.

Coral Reef Implementation Plan [2.85 MB]: This document outlines policies and actions to implement the militarys responsibilities under Executive Order 13089 on Coral Reef Protection. The plan contains a comprehensive overview of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps policies and programs related to coral reef protection, describes military activities potentially affecting coral reef ecosystems. It lists funding sources for coral reef conservation activities, discusses DoD research, outreach, and stewardship initiatives, planned and in progress, designed to protect and enhance coral reef ecosystems.

Technical Notes - Evaluating the Performance of Reefs Constructed from Military Armored Vehicles [71 KB]

The Environmental Effects of Underwater Explosions with Methods to Mitigate Impacts [551 KB]

Fact Sheet: Near Surface Sound Propagation, a Key to Alerting Right Whales of Approaching DoD Ships (Legacy 02-145) [231 KB]: This document summarizes a project that measured bow hull effects and acoustic shadowing in order to ultimately develop practical warning systems for sea vessels approaching Right Whales and other marine mammals.