News Board

The News Board is a collection of information of special relevance to GCOOS. If you have announcements that you believe should be included here or on the GCOOS Calendar, please contact the web mistress, Susan Martin at srmartin@tamu.edu.

Announcements
 

Regional Effort Offers Funding for Natural Hazard, Climate Change Resilience Research

The Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant college programs, the U.S. EPA's Gulf of Mexico Program, the NOAA Northern Gulf Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey are inviting pre-proposals for funding for one- or two-year projects dealing with natural hazard and climate change resilience.

The goal of the funding initiative is to develop information, tools, technologies, products, policies or public decision processes that coastal communities can use to increase resilience to coastal natural hazards and sea level rise. Projects should address research questions indentified in the Gulf of Mexico Regional Research Plan and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Action Plan II. Federal funds for each selected project will not exceed $200,000 per year for two years. Non-federal matching funds are required at 50 percent of the federal amount.

Interdisciplinary projects are encouraged, and projects must be regional in scope. Projects must include investigators from states associated with at least two of the four Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant programs (Florida, Mississippi-Alabama, Louisiana and Texas). Collaboration with faculty from Mexican universities is encouraged. The submission deadline in February 23, 2009. For more information: http://flseagrant.org/funding/GOM.

Call for Nominations for expansion of the GCOOS Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) Regional Association has decided to expand the Board membership from 12 to 15, as allowed by the Memorandum of Agreement. We are now seeking nominations for three candidates for election to the GCOOS-RA Board of Directors. Terms will begin with the summer 2009 Board meeting. Two terms will be for two years and one term will be for three years. The Board consists of a balance between representatives of the industry, government, academic, and education/outreach sectors. Sought at this time are candidates representing the government, industry, and education/outreach sectors.

The Board meets twice annually. It also meets by telephone every two months, as well as when emergency situations arise. More regarding activities of the Board, including copies of the minutes of past meetings, can be seen at the GCOOS web site (http://www.gcoos.org).

If you wish to nominate one or more candidates, first check to be sure that the nominee is willing to serve. If so, send a brief (one or two paragraphs) biography along with your nomination to Landry Bernard, Chair of the GCOOS Membership Committee, c/o Susan Martin (srmartin@tamu.edu). Also, please indicate the nominee's affiliation, email address and telephone number; nominations without this information will not be considered. Self-nominations are accepted.

Nominations close on 26 January 2009 at 5 p.m. Central Time. The election ballot then will be posted on-line and voting members to the GCOOS-RA will be sent an individualized username and password in order to vote on-line. Votes will be sent to Landry Bernard, chair of the Membership Committee. The results will be announced at the annual meeting of the GCOOS-RA Parties on February 25, 2009 in Orlando, FL.

Coastal GeoTools - March 2-5, 2009

This conference will be held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. GeoTools registration deadline is January 31, 2009. GeoTools is where coastal professionals go to learn about technology and coastal management. This conference usually sells out before the registration deadline, so don't delay. Register today at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/geotools/.

Flood Protection and Ecosystem Restoration Conference - January 22-23, 2009

The Flood Protection & Ecosystem Restoration Conference will be held January 22-23, 2009 at the Dalton J. Woods Auditorium - Energy, Coast & Environment Building, located off the Nicholson Extension at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.laseagrant.org/floodprotection/ or email Katie Lea at klea@lsu.edu.

Executive Director sought for NERACOOS

The Northeast Regional Association for Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS) is seeking an Executive Director. Information on this position is available.

Results of the GCOOS Board of Directors election

The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association (GCOOS-RA) elected members to the Board of Directors to replace the four current Board members whose terms expire in summer 2009. The new members consist of representatives of the government, academic, industry, and education/outreach sectors.

Landry Bernard, Chair of the Membership Committee of the GCOOS-RA, is pleased to announce the results:

  • Private Sector: Terry McPherson is the Coastal Program Manager for Computer Services Corporation,
  • Governmental Sector: Jennifer Wozencraft is Director of the Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise; the Center is a partnership between the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command with its Naval Oceanographic Office, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Ocean Service, and the Corps of Engineers,
  • Academic Sector: Worth Nowlin is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Oceanography at Texas A&M University, and
  • Education/Outreach Sector: Mike Spranger is the Associate Director for Extension and Education with Florida Sea Grant and Associate Dean for Environmental and Natural Resources Programs with the University of Florida (UF) Extension.

Terms are for three years and begin with the summer 2009 Board meeting. Terms will expire August 2012.

Directory of GCOOS Technical Experts

The GCOOS Observing System Committee (OSC) intends to develop a Directory of GCOOS Technical Experts. This directory would be used as a resource within the GCOOS-RA to find help on technical matters associated with operational oceanograpy. The experts should be capable of providing advice on issues about sensors, platforms, what it takes in resources to operate an observing component, and similar issues. The following areas of technical expertise are of interest:

  • HF Radar
  • Remote Sensing
  • AUVs
  • Nutrient Sensors
  • Sea level gauges
  • In-situ optical
  • Oxygen
  • Waves and currents
  • Buoys
  • Drifters
  • Biological Sensors
  • Mapping Sensors
  • Data Techniques

At the present time, the OSC is not planning to have the directory be posted to the GCOOS website. However, we will indicate that the directory exists and the GCOOS Office can be contacted if someone is interested in getting contact information for a particular type of specialist. Comments on the directory idea, types of expertise, and whether or not to post it to the public website are welcome.

If you have the necessary technical expertise and would like to be included in the directory, please reply to the GCOOS Regional Coordinator, Ann Jochens (ajochens@tamu.edu), with your name, affiliation, business address, email, phone number, and your area(s) of expertise. Sending this information will be taken as your permission to be listed in the Directory of GCOOS Technical Experts. The GCOOS-RA Board, Councils, Committees, and staff will have access to this list.

GMRP Public Comment Period

People from throughout the Gulf of Mexico have identified research priorities over the past year. More than 1,200 people have provided input via an online survey, and 300 individuals participated in five workshops that were held across the Gulf of Mexico. The result of this work has culminated into the Gulf of Mexico Research Plan (GMRP). Research-based organizations that fund or conduct research in the Gulf of Mexico are using the GMRP and research priorities outlined within the plan as they address regional needs.

The draft GMRP is available for public comment online at: http://masgc.org/gmrp/report.htm. We would appreciate your input as we finalize the plan. Please submit your comments by December 7, 2008, so that we can adequately address your comments prior to finalizing the plan.

Please contact Steve Sempier with any questions.

GOM Regional Research Planning Coordinator, Sea Grant
Deputy Director, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
Phone: 228-818-8830
Web: http://masgc.org/gmrp
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
703 East Beach Drive
Ocean Springs, MS 39564

Eastern Gulf of Mexico Recreational Boating Workshop

There will be an Eastern Gulf of Mexico Recreational Boating Workshop held in St. Petersburg, FL on 4-5 February 2009. This workshop will provide a forum for the recreational boating community to learn about integrated ocean observing and to identify for the Gulf of Mexico Regional Association what observational data and products are best suited to meet the needs of the recreational boater to improve recreational boating, fishing, diving, search and rescue, and cruising, whether offshore or for a weekend.

Some of the specific breakout sessions considered of interest are:

  • Search and rescue
  • Recreational fishing
  • Recreational diving
  • Offshore sailing
  • Weekend cruising, and
  • Water quality and public health

This is a FREE workshop open to the public. However, pre-registration is required for admittance. Registration will be available soon. Travel costs and lodging are the individual's responsibility.

Gulf Coast Hurricane Preparedness, Response, Recovery, and Rebuilding Conference

PIANC USA has organized the Gulf Coast Hurricane Preparedness, Response, Recovery, and Rebuilding Conference. The conference is being held 11-14 November 2008 in Mobile, Alabama. The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association is a Cooperating Organization of the conference. Further information is available in the Brochure or at the conference web site.

There will be three technical workshops offered at the Conference, each worth 4 Professional Development Hours (PDHs).

Workshop #1: Building a Geospatial Infrastructure through Partnerships between NOAA and Gulf Coast Communities - NOAA's Height Modernization Program
• Tuesday, November 11 (8:00am - 12:00pm)
• Cost of course: $150 (Student Registration $50)
• Course Coordinator: Renee L. Shields, National Ocean Service, National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
http://www.pianc.iwr.usace.army.mil/gchc08/progpreworkshop1.cfm

Workshop #2: Regional Sediment Management
• Tuesday, November 11 (1:00pm - 5:00pm)
• Cost of course: $150 (Student Registration $50)
• Course Coordinator: Dr. Jeffrey Waters, Program Director for the Regional Sediment Management Program, Coastal & Hydraulics Lab/ERDC, US Army Corps of Engineers.
http://www.pianc.iwr.usace.army.mil/gchc08/progpreworkshop2.cfm

Workshop #3: Analysis Techniques for Evaluating Coastal Impacts
• Tuesday, November 11 (1:00pm - 5:00pm)
• Cost of course: $150 (Student Registration $50)
• Course Coordinator: Rose Dopsovic, enterprise coastal GIS (eCoastal) program manager for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District.
http://www.pianc.iwr.usace.army.mil/gchc08/progpreworkshop3.cfm

USGS Provides Water-Quality Information in a Format Compatible with EPA

To access the USGS water-quality web service, please go to http://qwwebservices.usgs.gov.

Water-quality data from the National Water Information System (NWIS) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) can be readily accessed online in a comparable format to data housed in the Storage and Retrieval (STORET) water-quality system of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA).

"For the first time, scientists, water managers, and others interested in water quality can retrieve USGS data in a format that can be easily merged with USEPA data for detailed analyses and modeling," said Matthew Larsen, USGS Associate Director for Water. "The merged data provide enhanced geographic coverage and depiction of water-quality conditions across the Nation, and the integration of spatial and temporal information from multiple agencies and programs help support analyses that go beyond what individual agencies can achieve individually."

Data are retrievable in a comparable format developed collaboratively between USGS and USEPA. The results include discrete provisional and finalized results of physical, chemical, biological, and other descriptive water-quality characteristics using comparable naming conventions. Several file formats are available from the web services including Extensible Markup Language (XML), tab-delimited text, Microsoft Excel and Google Earth Keyhole Markup Language (KML).

The USEPA water-quality web service provides data from the STORET data warehouse that contains biological, chemical, and physical data on surface and ground water collected by federal, state and local agencies, Indian Tribes, volunteer groups, academics, and others (http://www.epa.gov/storet/web_services.html). All 50 States, territories, and jurisdictions of the U.S. are represented.

The USGS water-quality web service provides data from the NWISweb database (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis), which hosts 4.3 million samples and 72 million results representing approximately 368,000 sites across the United States from over a century of monitoring.

This new water-quality web service is an integral part of the USGS mission to disseminate to the public water information in a reliable, impartial and timely fashion that is needed to understand the Nation’s water resources (http://water.usgs.gov/data).

USGS provides science for a changing world. For more information, visit www.usgs.gov.

For questions or more information, please contact Nate Booth, (608)-821-3822, nlbooth@usgs.gov or Timothy Miller, (703)-648-6868, tlmiller@usgs.gov.

TABS Buoys and Hurricane Ike

TABS buoys (green dots and blue triangles) are showing the effects of Ike along the TX coast http://tabs-os.gerg.tamu.edu/tglo/. The small purple square southeast of V is Ike's current location.

We've added an experimental wave gauge to buoy V out at the Flower Garden Banks Marine Sanctuary. We're measuring 24' waves at this point. You can see the data by clicking on buoy V on the map, then selecting "Image" under the "View Met and Wave Data" link on the left side. A different representation can be seen at http://tabs.gerg.tamu.edu/tglo/RTA/V_Waves.html.

Ocean Platform Workshop: High Precision GNSS Observations from Ocean Platforms

The COSMIC program (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate) at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) is planning a project to deploy high-precision GPS instrumentation on ocean platforms - for hurricane intensity and other applications. The meeting, Ocean Platform Workshop: High Precision GNSS Observations from Ocean Platforms, is being held to discuss and plan this project 27-29 October 2008 in Boulder, CO. If you are interested, the workshop website is:
http://www.joss.ucar.edu/joss_psg/meetings/Meetings_2008/ocean_workshop/index.html.

 

Mississippi River Basin flux estimates for nutrients released

USGS has finalized flux estimates for nutrients for the Mississippi River Basin and various subbasins for the Water Year 2007 (October 2006 - September 2007). Tables, maps, and graphics for download and viewing are available at http://toxics.usgs.gov/hypoxia/mississippi/flux_ests/index.html.

The approved data extend the information provided by Aulenbach and others (2007) that covered through Water Year 2005 using the same approach and methodology (Aulenbach, B.T., Buxton, H.T., Battaglin, W.T., and Coupe R.H., 2007, Streamflow and nutrient fluxes of the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin and subbasins for the period of record through 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1080).

Flux estimates are available for nitrite+nitrate, total nitrogen, dissolved ortho-phosphate, total phosphorus, and dissolved silica, and represent the following:

(1) Nutrient flux delivery from the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basins to the Gulf of Mexico (as represented by water-quality information collected near St. Francisville, LA and Melville, LA);

(2) Nutrient flux estimates for nine major subbasins, as represented at 5 stations along the Mississippi River main stem, including the MS River at Clinton, IA; Grafton, IL; Omaha, NE; Hermann, MO; and Thebes, IL, and 4 stations along major tributaries including the Ohio River at Cannelton, IN and Grand Chain, IL; the Arkansas River below Little Rock, AR; and, the Red River at Alexandria, LA; and

(3) Nutrient flux estimates for 22 subbasins of varying size, hydrology, and land use. Data from these stations and others are used in modeling relations between watershed characteristics and nutrient yields and estimating nutrient yields in unmeasured subbasins.

Please note that a companion page is available (released in early July) on preliminaryflux estimates from October 2007 through June 2008, available at http://toxics.usgs.gov/hypoxia/mississippi/oct_jun/index.html.

The USGS will update both of these pages on an annual basis. They will be aviailable from http://toxics.usgs.gov/hypoxia/mississippi/nutrient_flux_yield_est.html.

Please don't hesitate to call me for questions or concerns.

Pixie Hamilton
USGS Office of Water Quality
National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program
1730 E. Parham Rd.
Richmond, VA 23228
(804) 261-2602 (ph)
(804) 261-2657 (fax)

Environmental Monitoring Instrument Technician Position Open

The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) has an opening for an Environmental Monitoring Instrument Technician to maintain and assist in the deployment of a growing system of environmental monitoring stations. See http://weather.lumcon.edu. A flyer with further information is available.

NASA ROSES Earth Science for Decision Making: Gulf of Mexico

NASA has issued a funding opportunity targeted to the Gulf of Mexico; see NASA ROSES element A.28, Earth Science for Decision Making: Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) is interested in collaborative proposals under this announcement. GOMA is particularly interested in finding a coastal hydrodynamic or water quality modeler to work with potential satellite partners on GOMA issues (e.g., monitoring nutrients in state estuaries and coastal water systems; validation of coastal hydrodynamic or water quality models using satellite data; or other GOMA interest areas). If you know of someone or are yourself interested in collaborating with Gulf of Mexico Alliance satellite researchers on coastal hydrodynamic or water quality modeling research, please let me know immediately and I will put you in touch with appropriate GOMA personnel. Thanks.

Workshop on Technologies and Methodologies for Detection of Harmful Algae

The Alliance for Coastal Technology (ACT) is co-sponsoring a workshop on "Technologies and Methodologies for the Detection of Harmful Algae" to be held 29-31 October 2008 in St. Petersburg, FL. The workshop goals include: (1) review the current state of technologies/methodologies and user needs (involving short presentations), (2) develop strategies for the commercialization and transition to operations of new technologies/ methodologies, and (3) build community consensus on approaches and foci of the demonstration activities (from laboratory inter-calibrations to field testing detection technologies). For additional information on the ACT, please visit www.act-us.info.

GCOOS Observing System Plan

The GCOOS Observing System Plan (version 1.1) is available for download as a pdf.

GCOOS Conceptual Design Revised

Version 1.2 of the GCOOS Conceptual Design is now available. The original, Version 1.0, was revised to incorporate comments received through 1 April 2008. Comments on Version 1.2 are welcome; send them to Ann Jochens ajochens@tamu.edu.

Integrated Ocean Observing System Operational Wave Plan

The USACE, NOAA NDBC, and the Alliance for Coast Technology (ACT) have collaborated in preparing "An integrated ocean observing system operational wave plan" dated March 2008. This plan has been forwarded to the IWGOO members for agency comments. This is a very ambitious and comprehensive document.

Marine Protected Areas Framework

Joe Uravitch, Director National MPA Center, sent the IOOS Regional Associations the recently released the Revised Draft Framework for Developing the National System of Marine Protected Areas. You can find electronic copies of the full draft framework and associated documents at http://www.mpa.gov.

A Roadmap to a Seamless Topobathy Surface

Just Released from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center:

A Roadmap to a Seamless Topobathy Surface, http://www.csc.noaa.gov/topobathy/

A Roadmap to a Seamless Topobathy Surface (Roadmap) is a series of documents and maps that seeks to improve and streamline the process of creating a seamless topobathy digital elevation model (DEM). It aims to make topographic and bathymetric data and reference information accessible and make connections between data set quality and DEM application (such as coastal inundation modeling).

Understanding the links between input data quality and application can help create a DEM surface designed for a particular use, help data collectors provide data sets that meet needs, and help technical users define their data needs more explicitly. Roadmap may also be useful to managers who are involved in activities such as planning a data collection. Roadmap examines resources and processes associated with DEM creation, including the following:

1. Available topographic and bathymetric data resources in the Gulf of Mexico 2. Processes to generate high-resolution DEMs that minimize error 3. Examples of topobathy applications

Visit the website, or contact Lindy Dingerson at Lynne.Dingerson@noaa.gov, for more information.

Developing a Gulf of Mexico Regional Research Plan

Five workshops on Gulf of Mexico regional marine research priorities and planning were held in January and February 2008 in FL, AL, MS, LA, and TX. These were sponsored by the Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Programs as the final inputs to developing a prioritized Gulf of Mexico Regional Research Plan. The draft workshop reports were reviewed by participants. The summary report may be viewed on the Gulf of Mexico Research Plan web site at http://masgc.org/gmrp.

2nd IOOS Regional Coordination Workshop report

The final Workshop report is available. The summary is also available from the workshop website.

Action Plans updated

The Action Plans for the GCOOS Committees (Observing Systems, Products & Services, and Data Management and Communications) have been updated on their respective pages.

Workshop on Regional Needs for Coastal Remote Sensing

The report of the Workshop on Regional Needs for Coastal Remote Sensing, Ocean.US Report 16, is available from the Ocean.US website.

Projects Endorsed by GCOOS in Response to NOAA's FY 2008 Call for Proposals

The GCOOS Board endorsed four proposals in response to the NOAA FY 2008 Call for Proposals for implementation of Integrated Regional Ocean Observing Systems. The status of these proposals follows.

  • Integration and enhancement of surface fields in the northern Gulf of Mexico through increased and integrated coverage by HF Radars. Stephan Howden, lead, University of Southern Mississippi. This proposal was well reviewed and is being held for possible support with FY 2009 funds.
  • Develop a portable, self contained, self-powered meteorological package and provide a suite of them to offshore operators willing to provide transport and logistic support and place them on their platforms for data transmission to the NDBC. Caroline Nicholas, FugroGEOS, lead, with James Titlow, WeatherFlow, Inc., and Robert Smith, Society for Underwater Technology. This proposal was declined.
  • Complete testing and evaluation of the GCOOS Data Portal, provide for its maintenance, and focus its future development into the GCOOS Operation Center. Ann Jochens, lead, with Matthew Howard, Texas A&M University, and Sharon Walker, University of Southern Mississippi. This proposal was well reviewed and is being held for possible support with FY 2009 funds.
  • A pilot project to determine whether real-time 3-D ocean circulation models can supply nowcasts, forecasts, and hindcasts of currents and hydrography with sufficient accuracy to be useful to a sizeable constituency around the Gulf of Mexico. Christopher Mooers, University of Miami, Lead, with Cortis Cooper, Chevron Energy Technology Co., and Worth Nowlin, Texas A&M University. This proposal was declined.