GULF SHORES, AL — Researcher Bryan Groza will talk about work done with the University of South Alabama JagSki in studying Little Lagoon Pass in the quarterly meeting of the Little Lagoon Preservation Society

The public is invited to the Thursday, april 16, meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Adult Activity Center in Gulf Shores. The first 30 minutes is an opportunity to mingle and enjoy refreshments with LLPS members, officers, guest speakers, and the general public.

Groza, a MS Civil Engineering Candidate, Coastal Engineering, will talk about his efforts to construct a model of local hydrodynamics, including currents, waves, sand transport, and salinity.

The model is being constructed using the USA JagSki and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's Coastal Modeling System. The effort is designed to help inform management decisions regarding modifications to the existing channel and jetties which link Little Lagoon with the Gulf of Mexico.

Additionally, the model's flexibility will allow it to aid in predicting the system's response to further modification and natural changes such as sea level rise.

He will include in his presentation animations produced by the model so far to demonstrate potential trends in circulation and sediment movement. This is a "first pass" model and validation surveys will be the next step in the modeling process.

Other topics to be discussed will be the impending opening of the new bridge over the pass, a bacteria currently being conducted in Little Lagoon, an update on an upcoming social, vote to fill two vacancies on the board of directors, update on Alabama Water Watch training coming up on May 2 and a treasurer’s report.

The general public is invited to attend this event and encouraged to join our non-profit society. LLPS strives to preserve and improve the quality of life on and around Little Lagoon by endeavoring to assure that the quality of water in the Little Lagoon is maintained to the highest standards set by the appropriate State and Federal regulatory agencies.

Other goals of the organization are to band together as a group to influence items of interest or concern to the majority of the membership to include, protect the lagoon and surrounding wetlands and wildlife habitat and monitoring local, state and federal governments as an advocate and watchdog group to influence matters that might impact Little Lagoon.

For more information visit www.littlelagoon.org.