NEW! - Classroom Materials

Embark on an estuarine odyssey with the "NOAA in the Carolinas" EstuaryLive to be broadcast September 26 - 27, 2007 from the ACE Basin Reserve at Forth Johnson near Charleston, South Carolina. This EstuaryLive is hosted by the ACE Basin, North Inlet-Winyah Bay, and North Carolina Reserves.

Participating in this special EstuaryLive is a great way to celebrate National Estuaries Day and the magical places where fresh water from rivers mix with salt water from the ocean. To learn more about the South Carolina EstuaryLive, read on, or visit http://estuarylive.org/.

• Learn more about the South Carolina EstuaryLive sessions
• View the South Carolina EstuaryLive schedule
• Register for a South Carolina EstuaryLive session
• To watch the live South Carolina EstuaryLive broadcast in September, visit http://estuarylive.org/

An estuary can be a bay, lagoon or slough. These important coastal habitats are used as spawning grounds and nurseries for at least two-thirds of the nation's commercial fish and shellfish. The wetlands associated with estuaries buffer uplands from flooding. Estuaries also provide many recreational opportunities, such as swimming, boating, and bird watching. Explore this Web site to learn more about estuaries and how to protect them.

EstuaryLive broadcasts are free live Internet field trips in estuaries around the country. Designed as interactive for classrooms, this program can be viewed by anyone. Visit this site often for updates on National Estuaries Day, EstuaryLive and ways that you can participate.

South Carolina EstuaryLive Session Descriptions
A NOAA in the Carolinas EstuaryLive
September 26-27, 2007
ACE Basin NERR, Ft. Johnson

Wednesday, Sept. 26

NOAA in the Carolinas/NERRS Introduction
This session will introduce viewers to the network of NOAA partners in SC, the NERR system, the SC NERR sites-ACE and NI-WB- and provide a sense of place with maps, site descriptions, and views of the broadcast locations and surroundings.

EstuaryLive 'Behind the Scenes'
Learn how this live, interactive internet broadcast is being brought to a computer near you! Join Bill Lovin, the producer of EstuaryLive, and Cris Crissman, cameraperson extraordinaire, as they show us the technology and magic behind the broadcast.

Estuary Basics I
Just what is an estuary, and where are they located? This session will describe estuaries and some of the key terms you may hear during our two-day event. You will also learn about some of the typical animals we may encounter, and why estuaries are important to all of us.

Tides
Wonder how tides work? If you’ve ever been to the beach and had your towel and chair washed away at high tide, this session will help you stay dry! We will describe types of tides, what causes changes in water levels, and factors that influence tides-not just in SC, but around the world. Also learn how plants and animals of the marsh adapt to these constant changes.

Creature Feature: Shrimp
One of SC’s most commercially valuable seafood species, shrimp are fascinating salt marsh creatures that are also quite delicious! Have a close look at some of our shrimp species, where they live and how they move between the salt marsh and ocean during their different life stages.

Watersheds, Water Quality & You
Did you know we all live in a watershed, even if we’re not near an ocean or river? We will show you our local watersheds, and describe some watershed terms. Learn about the health of our estuarine waters and how water quality can be affected by human activities both near and far.

Creature Feature: Horseshoe Crabs
A prehistoric species, the horseshoe crab is found throughout the estuary. This session will introduce these animals, describe their role in the ecosystem, and show how they are used in medical research.

SCORE-South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Program
This session will describe the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement (SCORE) program and further explore a keystone bivalve of the estuary-the Eastern oyster-and ways we can protect and restore our oyster reefs and the important ecosystem habitat they provide.

Creature Feature: Reptiles-Shells & Scutes (Turtles, Alligators)
Meet some interesting reptiles of the Lowcountry, including the loggerhead sea turtle, the diamondback terrapin, and the American alligator (from the safety of your computer, of course!).

Thursday, Sept. 27

Estuary Basics II
Learn more about estuaries; in particular, some of the critical functions these productive systems provide, including habitat, flood and erosion control, and nutrients to other coastal systems. Discover how we take water measurements like salinity and turbidity and what they mean. Additionally, we will talk about some of the important plant species which are found in the estuary/wetlands along our coast.

NERR Research & SWMP
Join our research team members to learn about the studies being conducted throughout the NERR system and the System Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) that monitors physical and biological components of the estuary.

Red Drum Research
Go trammel netting for red drum (also known as spottail bass) aboard the Department of Natural Resources sampling boat. Watch scientists catch, measure, and tag fish to learn more about this important estuarine species.

Tour of Research Vessel 'Palmetto'
Come aboard the Palmetto as we show you a working research vessel and describe some of the equipment and sampling that happens from the boat.

Rip Currents
This dangerous coastal phenomenon occurs when waters rush out from the beach back to the ocean and can catch unprepared swimmers and beachgoers off guard. This session will describe rip currents, what to look for while you’re at the beach, and how to escape from the "Grip of the Rip".

History of Ft. Johnson
From Civil War to Marine Science: learn about the rich history of Ft. Johnson and how it has become an important research base for studies about our fragile coastal ecosystems.

Weather, Hurricanes
Join meteorologists from Charleston's National Weather Service for a session on NOAA's role in weather forecasting and something very timely for this season-hurricanes. Learn about severe weather alerts, important safety tips for hurricanes, and how you can track a storm.

SEPMN-Southeastern Phytoplankton Monitoring Network
This session provides an overview of the SEPMN, which is an outreach program with the ultimate goal of linking laboratory scientists to the general public, especially students and citizen volunteers. The link SEPMN provides between scientists and the public fosters a more informed public while providing useful, qualitative data to scientists. Find out more about phytoplankton and harmful algal blooms.

Invasive Species
New species are still discovered around the world, but some of these species are not native to our waters. Learn about some invasive plant and animal species that we’ve discovered in SC, how they got here, how they are affecting our local species, and what is being done to detect them and help prevent their spread.

South Carolina EstuaryLive Schedule