The Prince William Sound Science Center conducted a study of circulation for the Council to describe and quantify the currents within Port Valdez, Alaska, and to address concerns regarding the potential dispersal of contaminants, such as spilled oil, within the fjord basin.
The Council felt this research would help the oil spill response community to understand the fate and transport effects of oil, gather specific decision making information related to chemical dispersant use, and assist with prioritization and tactics related to sensitive area protection strategies. The knowledge gained from this study would also aid in designing and validating any future models of oil movement and general circulation applied to Port Valdez, including the oil spill contingency and response (OSCAR) model, the general NOAA oil modeling environment (GNOME) and regional ocean modeling system (ROMS).