404 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM—1965 
NEAR TERM RESEARCH, PROJECTS 
Described herein is the research work being accomplished in FY 1963 
and planned for FY 1964. 
LAKE LEVELS. In this field there are two active projects, determina- 
tion of over-water precipitation and determination of evaporation from large 
water areas. 
Actual precipitation over the lakes will be measured by placing precip- 
itation recorders on six aera islands in Lake Michigan and on two islands 
in Lake Erie. Later a determination of differentials between over-land and 
- over-water precipitation ae will be investigated and their effects on the 
water asian established. The Lake Erie island stations will serve also for 
calibration of over-water precipitation images on radar.screens. For this 
investigation, the U. S. Weather Bureau will operate two radar stations, at 
Detroit and at Buffalo. During the fall months of 1963, the storage-type 
precipitation gages which have been in operation for 10 years in Lake Michigan 
will be replaced by still-experimental Pavretteiets recording devices. In Lake 
- Erie, the stations will be newly established. The Lake Erie Project is being 
conducted with the Weather Bureau as a joint effort. 
Evaporation causes large water losses from the Great Lakes. Although | 
it is impossible to change the evaporation from the Great Lakes, the knowledge 
