San Francisco Bay Nutrient Management Strategy Observation Program

This document presents a planning-level description of the draft Nutrient Management Strategy Observation Program (NMSOP), including estimated budget and approach for phased growth.

The NMSOP represents the design that is needed to address NMS†data needs¨ not an existing program. The proposed design represents a balance between two key goals:

● Target high priority NMS data collection needs

● Where feasible, align field work and data collection efforts with other programs’ established infrastructure, to enhance cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

While an inter-program collaborative approach is important for securing NMSOP’s long-term sustainability, building a reliable consortium will require up-front effort to establish inter-program science, management, and financial agreements. This document focuses on the NMSOP scientific program design and growth, with institutional program development described in a companion work plan (SFEI 2016b).