The Pennsylvania Sea Grant Program will hold a four-part series of webinars starting January 29 to highlight recent research and science on bluff recession along the Pennsylvania portion of Lake Erie shoreline.

Bluff recession poses a threat to the Pennsylvania Lake Erie economy, environment, and safety of its residents.

The 76.6-mile long Pennsylvania Lake Erie shoreline includes Presque Isle State Park, Erie Bluffs State Park, several public access points, and privately owned properties.

Researchers from Pennsylvania Sea Grant and Penn State Behrend Campus have assessed recession rates of the Lake Erie bluff using state-of-the-art remotely sensed data, including LiDAR and orthoimagery.

The data and new information collected as a result of the effort will be integrated with existing Pennsylvania Lake Erie-related ecological and economic data, services, guidance, and information in order to assist decision-makers, planners and homeowners, and to better sustain Lake Erie’s natural shoreline.

Webinar Schedule

The webinars will be held from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on--

-- January 29: Bluff Recession – An Overview of the Issue and Challenges. Presenter: Anthony Foyle, Ph.D., Department Chair of Environmental Science and Associate Professor of Environmental Science, Penn State Behrend.

-- February 26: Assessing Bluff Recession Using High Resolution Geospatial Data.  Presenter: Mike Naber, Ph.D., Associate Teaching Professor of Geosciences, Penn State Behrend.

-- March 26: Overview of the latest and inclusive online resource related to Lake Erie - the PA Great Lakes Water and Land Technical Resources (WALTeR) Center. Presenter: Sean Rafferty, Ph.D., Research Director, Pennsylvania Sea Grant College Program.

-- April 30: A Bluff Erosion Potential Index (BEPI) for Pennsylvania. Presenter: Anthony Foyle, Ph.D., Department Chair of Environmental Science and Associate Professor of Environmental Science, Penn State Behrend.

Click Here to register and for more background on buff recession and these webinars.

For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Pennsylvania Sea Grant Program webpage.

Visit DEP’s Lake Erie Bluff Recession Control Point Monitoring webpage for more on regulating bluff recession.

Related Articles - Water:

-- PA State Team Guiding The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan Meets Jan. 26 To Hear Update On State, County Water Cleanup Efforts

-- 26 More Counties Take The Lead In Developing Local Clean Water Action Plans In PA Portion Of Chesapeake Bay Watershed

-- DEP, Partners Provide Progress Report On First Phase Of Chesapeake Bay Implementation Plan To EPA; New DEP Guide To Permitting For Watershed Projects

-- Bay Journal: Can Chesapeake Bay Region Dredge Its Way Out Of Conowingo Dam Problem?

-- CNH Industrial-New Holland Ag Partners With Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay On Riparian Buffer Project In Lancaster County

-- PA Organization For Watershed & Rivers Hosts 3-Part Engagement In Local Government Decision Making For Community Watershed Groups Webinars

-- Feb. 3 Webinar: Managing Polluted Runoff In Southeastern PA

-- Applications Now Being Accepted For Next Penn State Extension Master Well Owner Course

-- Registration Open!  Delaware Estuary Science & Environment Summit; DRBC Climate Change Forum March 1-3

-- $178 Million Invested In 14 Water Infrastructure Projects In 11 Counties By PennVEST

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission To Mark 50th Anniversary Of Basin Compact In 2021

-- Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper Songs Of The Susquehanna River Project Entries Due Jan. 31

-- DEP Blog: Helping Eels And Mussels Is Improving Water Quality In The Susquehanna River And Chesapeake Bay

[Posted: January 21, 2021]

1/25/2021