In 2006, the Council commissioned a study to determine the frequency and duration of any Response Gap that exists in Prince William Sound.
A Methods Report, describing the proposed methods, data, and analyses to be used in this study, was developed, reviewed, and approved in April 2006. To quantify the Response Gap for PWS, this study began by assembling historical datasets of the environmental factors known to affect the open-water mechanical response system used in PWS. Datasets were developed for two of the operating areas in PWS: Central PWS and Hinchinbrook Entrance. Each dataset contained observations related to four environmental factors: wind, sea state, temperature, and visibility (limited to daylight and darkness). These datasets were used in a ‘hindcast’ to evaluate how often environmental conditions exceed the maximum response operating limits while Hinchinbrook Entrance closure limits were not reached.
See also: Oil Spill Response Gap