Coastal Natural Hazards  WCMP contact is Kate Angel  

• Natural Hazards were the backbone of the WCMP when it was created due in part to high lake levels in early 1970s.  Natural hazards continue to be a priority for the WCMP.  
• Since 1994, WCMP has been updating methodologies and data to understand, visualize and develop mitigation measures to deal with shore erosion in the Great Lakes. 
• Current work focuses on developing and implementing shoreline and bluff erosion policies for Wisconsins coasts.  The WCMP seeks to accomplish this through expanding technical tools, providing education and outreach, and cooperating with coastal communities and other agencies. 
• WCMP coordinates with partners (DNR, Sea Grant, Wisconsin Emergency Management, UW-Madison) through the Coastal Natural Hazards Work Group. 
• WCMP coordinates with other federal partners with interest in shore erosion such as Corps of Engineers, FEMA, and others.

Great Lakes Beaches  WCMP contact is Todd Breiby

• Partner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state and local governments to implement the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (Beach) Act of 2000.
• Support for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) in building operational nowcast models for Lake Michigan beaches including education, training and technical assistance to local beach managers.
• Support for the WDNR in modifying and linking the Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA) and Virtual Beach (VB) modeling tools into a single, user-friendly decision-support tool.
• Support for the Door County Soil and Water Conservation Department with beach contamination source identification research at municipal beaches and the development and implementation of nonpoint pollution abatement and beach management plans.
• Support to the City of Racine Health Department in water quality research using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), a rapid testing methodology used to shorten the time period between when a water sample is taken and when water quality results are generated and publicly announced.
• Support for the Great Lakes WATER Institute investigations of Cladophora nuisance algae at Lake Michigan beaches and the development of Lake Michigan nearshore Cladophora and phosphorus models.
• Assistance to municipalities in support of high beach health standards as exemplified by Blue Wave certifications for North Beach in Racine and Bradford Beach in Milwaukee.
• Sponsorship of Ocean Conservancy’s annual International Coastal Cleanup in Wisconsin through support of Alliance for the Great Lakes September Adopt-a-Beach^TM.

 Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR)  WCMP contact is Travis Olson

• Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) implementing partners include UW-Extension (lead state agency), NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (lead federal agency), Department of Natural Resources, City of Superior, Douglas County, and UW-Superior. A NERR will bring a research and education center of national importance to Superior, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Clean Marinas  WCMP contact is Todd Breiby

• Developed in response to Wisconsin’s Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program as authorized under the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) of 1990.
• The purpose of the Wisconsin Clean Marina Program is to protect coastal resources by providing best management practices, compliance and technical information, and educational material to marina and boatyard operators and boaters.
• The goal of the voluntary program is to encourage informed decision making that leads to a reduction in marina, boatyard and boating-related pollution.
• The Wisconsin Marina Association coordinates and maintains the program with assistance from a collaborative partnership that includes UW Sea Grant Institute, WCMP, UW-Extension Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center, Wisconsin DNR and U.S. Coast Guard.
• A Best Management Practices Guidebook is available for marinas and boatyards interested in becoming a certified Clean Marina. Chapters in the Guidebook address siting considerations, marina design and maintenance, stormwater management, vessel maintenance, petroleum control, sewage handling, waste management, marina management, and laws and regulations. Educational clean boater tip sheets are also available.