The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations Regional Association (SECOORA) Building a Regional Association Framework for the Coastal Ocean Observing System of the Southeastern United States The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Discussion Outline Developing the “RA” Organizing Process Activities to Date Pilot Scale Efforts Ongoing Issues The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Overarching Goal – SECOORA Develop a functional and cost-effective governance and operational mechanism to ensure that COOS activities in the southeast are: Integrated and well-coordinated Science-based Stakeholder-driven Linked to national “backbone” Sustainable for the foreseeable future Represented through the NFRA The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

SECOORA - Geographic Focus SE region is linked oceanographically and experiences similar forcing (winds and river runoff). A merged information system will help address scientific and societal issues. Loop Current/ Florida Current/ Gulf Stream Courtesy of SEACOOS The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Sub-regional System Formation The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Observing Assets in the Southeast U.S. Federal Assets SEACOOS Assets Sub-regional Assets HF Radar The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

SECOORA is working to link existing observing system assets… SEACOOS and the sub-regional coastal ocean observing systems it represents e.g., SABSOON; COMP; PORTS Other existing sub-regional observation systems e.g., Caro-COOPS; CORMP Near-coastal and estuarine monitoring and observing systems e.g., USGS water level stations; federal and state water quality monitoring programs; southeastern NERRS and National Marine Sanctuary monitoring efforts The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

…with the needs of diverse users… State and federal natural resource agencies Marine resources; coastal zone management; water quality; emergency preparedness; military; weather, etc. Public interest/user groups NGOs; municipal governments Private sector user groups Marine transportation; fishing; energy; utilities; sand and minerals; weather providers; emergency managers, etc. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

SECOORA Formation Phase I (Years 1-2) Organizing Efforts Proposal submitted by SC Sea Grant with regional Program Team (NC, SC, GA, FL) Funding at <$100K Annually - NOAA CSC Year 1 Objectives (Oct 2003 Start): Broaden regional engagement of diverse academic/public/private sectors To form a provisional Regional Association with a signed charter to carry the development of SECOORA forward Year 2 Objectives (Oct 2004 Start): Strengthen the partnership by further integration of existing COOS elements and stakeholders in the southeast U.S. Initiate strategic and business planning The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

SECOORA Formation Phase II (Years 3-5) Efforts Proposal submitted by SC Sea Grant Consortium with regional Program Team (NC, SC, GA, FL) Proposed Funding ~$390K Annually - NOAA CSC Year 3-5 Objectives (May 2005 Start): Complete business planning Certification and formal recognition of SECOORA as a Regional Association Subregional Stakeholder Advisory Panels and a regional SECOORA Stakeholder Council Strategies for providing user-defined products and applications Regional DMAC Plan (compliant with the IOOS DMAC Plan) Ecosystem Data Partnership (modeled after the GoMOOS Ocean Data Partnership Initiative) Pilot programs to integrate and enhance the ability of existing regional (SEACOOS) and sub-regional coastal ocean observations programs The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Governance Steering Committee Otis Brown, University of Miami Peter Betzer, University of South Florida Judy Gray, AOML Bob Van Dolah, SCDNR, Marine Resources Division Jim Sanders, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography Russ Lea, University of North Carolina System Harvey Seim, University of North Carolina – CH Evans Waddell, SAIC Carroll Hood, Raytheon Rick DeVoe, S.C. Sea Grant Consortium The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Private Sector Participation Private Sector Weather and Marine Products Broadcast Media Private Sector Oil Spill Response/Cleanup Coastal Engineering and Construction Tourism/Recreational Industry – Boating/Diving/Fishing Commercial Shipping – Containers, Bulk, Towing, Barge, Marine Survey, Routing (the “Ports” enterprise) Commercial Fishing Oil/Gas/Energy Utilities & Wastewater Treatment Maritime Financial – Energy Futures, Insurance & Reinsurance Military Contractors The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

SECOORA TOR MEMBERSHIP University of Miami Southeast Atlantic Fishery Mgt Council University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography University of Florida SAIC Harbor Branch Skidaway Alliance for Coastal Technology NC Sea Grant University of South Carolina SC Sea Grant US Department of the Interior GA Sea Grant Raytheon UNC Chapel Hill Florida State MOTE Marine Lab FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Dialytics Inc The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

RCOOS Development DRAFT SECOORA Design Plan Prepared by SEACOOS Team members Incorporates all existing observing activities Preliminary RCOOS Design Plan developed Coastal stations Offshore assets HF radar Satellite remote sensing Profilers and gliders Ship transects Volunteer observing ships Surface drifters The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Pilot Scale Efforts Ensuring “Relevance” The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Regional Data Collection and Modeling Now working to include additional variables…sea surface temperature next The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Storm Surge Output Products Computer driven models to predict and describe flooding dynamics of the Carolinas’ coastal region during hurricanes, nor’easters, and extra-tropical cyclones. Thru Caro-COOPS Ultimate goal is development of real-time computer driven analyses of storm surge and flooding before, during, and after storm landfall. Models have been developed for Charleston Harbor, the Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, and Wilmington areas. Caro-COOPS has a direct working relationship with the SC Emergency Management Division to develop protocols for using storm surge model output and real time coastal ocean measurements during hurricane events. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006 18

“Carolinas Coast” Program SECOORA pilot project in collaboration with – Caro-COOPS CORMP SEACOOS (data management) Wilmington Weather Forecasting Office Aggregate near real-time observations from in-situ platforms, models, and remote sensing… Integrate these with NOAA NWS observations and products… Leverage outreach activities within both NOAA NWS and coastal ocean observing systems… The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

“Long Bay Hypoxia Study” SECOORA is providing support for an application of IOOS to a subregional coastal management issue: Hypoxia event in Long Bay, SC (Myrtle Beach) An interagency, interdisciplinary partnership was formed to improve understanding of the event: Adding continuous observations in study area Integrating data from multiple sources Providing a website for coastal managers that links coastal ocean observing systems with nearshore monitoring programs (in progress) The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing – Enabling Coastal Management Solutions: The Long Bay Ecosystem Management Project 1,3Davis, B.C., 1Shuford, R.L., 1Fletcher, M., 1,2Porter, D.E., 3Hernandez, D., 3Sanger, D., 1,4Voulgaris, G., 5Libes, S., 5Koepfler, E., 5Bennett, J., 1,6Smith, E., 7Bernard, S., 8DeVoe, M.R. 1Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, University of South Carolina 2Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina 3South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control – Office of Ocean & Coastal Resource Management 4Department of Geological Sciences and Marine Science Program, University of South Carolina 5 Burroughs and Chapin Center for Marine and Wetland Studies Coastal Carolina University 6North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve 7Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association 8South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium The Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) The Long Bay Ecosystem Management Project Ongoing Efforts/Research SCDHEC-OCRM has partnered with Caro-COOPS and SEACOOS to install a dissolved oxygen sensor at an existing station centrally located within the study area (Springmaid Pier). This meter is already reporting in near real-time and will provide early alerts of low DO conditions, as well as long-term, continuous physical water quality observations (salinity, temperature, pressure). In addition, a Long Bay Ecosystem Management web portal is under construction. This site will provide local managers and researchers, as well as the general public, a comprehensive source for environmental data resources in Long Bay, including access to real-time oceanographic observations in the region (http://nautilus.baruch.sc.edu/longbay). The Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) is one of 11 Regional Associations being established through the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), an inter-agency, cooperative effort based on a sustained network of buoys, ships, satellites, underwater vehicles and other platforms that routinely collect real-time data and manage historical information. The central goal of SECOORA is to establish a sustainable ocean information cooperative that can meet the specific needs of southeast ocean users. Background Located in the South Atlantic Bight, Long Bay extends from the southern tip of the Outer Banks in North Carolina to Winyah Bay in SC (Fig. 2) and features a number of inlets and estuaries. The region includes the Myrtle Beach area, commonly referred to as the “Grand Strand”. The beaches and fisheries play a major role in the attraction of tourists, who account for a substantial portion of the South Carolina economy. In July 2004, state managers were alerted to a hypoxia event in the nearshore waters off of Myrtle Beach. Exceptionally high flounder catches were occurring along the shoreline in waters with low dissolved oxygen and a high degree of stratification (Figs. 3 a, b & 4). Figure 2. Study Area: Long Bay, South Carolina The Long Bay Ecosystem Management Web Portal SECOORA Users Weather Forecasting Recreational Boating Search & Rescue Maritime Industries Shipping Surfing & Swimming Commercial & Recreational Fishing Diving Energy & Utilities Cruise Industry Erosion Management Fisheries Management Science Education Marine Science Research Public Health Emergency Preparedness Oil Spill Response Habitat Restoration Marine Protected Areas Homeland Security Aquaculture In response, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC)- Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) hosted a workshop in September 2004 to bring together concerned management agencies and researchers to compile a record of what was known about the July event, and to foster improved coordination in responding to any future hypoxia events in SC waters. The result was an agreement to develop cooperative research efforts and management responses. Home Page Real-time data a. b. Figure 1. SECOORA Domain Purpose The purposes of SECOORA are to: Be a legal entity that provides a fiscal agent with final responsibility for acceptance and expenditure of funds according to the rules of grantors of the funds, insurability, and the ability to enter into enforceable contracts; Represent a partnership or consortium of data providers and users from state and federal agencies, private industry, non-governmental institutions and academia; Provide a means by which the Regional Association and the public at large benefit from and contribute to the development and sustained operation of an IOOS for the open ocean (to the EEZ boundary) and the regional estuaries; Ensure continued and routine flow of data and information and the evolution of SECOORA to adapt to the needs of the user groups and the timely incorporation of new technologies and understanding based on these needs; Represent the interests of those that use, depend on, study and manage coastal environments and their resources in the southeast region. Figure 3. a) Locations of high flounder landings; b) Concurrent dissolved oxygen levels, measured by the SCDNR Figure 4. Measures of temperature and dissolved oxygen from two piers in Myrtle Beach (S. Libes, unpublished) showing clear stratification of the water column and hypoxic conditions. Project Goals The principal goals of this study are to: Identify the data needed to assess relative contributions of anthropogenic impacts and natural oceanographic processes to the creation of hypoxia events in Long Bay, SC; Integrate existing data collections and coordinate future research efforts; Develop a “rapid response” sampling strategy for any future anomalous water quality events in the area. Develop a web-based application that provides utility to local and state coastal managers. Hypoxia Study: Data Synthesis Hypoxia Study: “Rapid Response Sampling Strategy This project represents an innovative, multi-partner approach to manage and integrate complex information from multiple sources to address a serious environmental issue. The project is supported by regional and subregional components of the U.S. IOOS: the Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System (SEACOOS) and the Carolinas Coastal Ocean Observing and Prediction System (Caro-COOPS). These programs are playing an important role in 1) identifying, aggregating and analyzing the full range of relevant data in the region; 2) providing near real-time, continuous data collections from existing monitoring stations; and 3) establishing new sensor platforms and infrastructure to meet the local needs of local resource managers and researchers. The Coastal Ocean Observing System (COOS) Connection: Information Resources How Can Coastal Ocean Observing Systems Support Coastal Zone Management? 1) Addition of new observation platforms and sensors 2) Integration of observations across data collection efforts 3) Development of applications to support user groups SECOORA pilot project: “Long Bay Ecosystem Management Project” Support for this project comes from the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) through SECOORA

Public Awareness and Education The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

SECOORA - Where are we going? Engage a variety of stakeholder/user groups (letters) Intermediate Users End-users Private Sector Science Publish our Business Plan - Apr/May 2006 Establish our Ocean.US Certification Tier (once finalized by Ocean.US) SECOORA Summer 2006 Workshop Approve Business Plan Establish Committees and Board per the Governance Plan Managing expectations - Funding realities - No one said it was easy! The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

JULY O5 DMAC WORKSHOP SUMMARY OPERATIONS: Development of data standards/data dictionary Develop training materials and standards of interoperability Maintain product inventories, descriptions and portals QA/QC data - Who? Where? INFRASTRUCTURE: Current inventories are incomplete across all levels (SAROPS Example) Use a System Engineering Approach - Inventory component parts Coordinate Regional Portals and leverage IT infrastructure Long term archive? RELATIONSHIPS: Develop better “Brand Identity” SECOORA must host greater number of Stakeholder Workshops w/ Academia, Government and Industry RESOURCES: Need more $$ and staff! SECOORA act as central source for info on instruments, data management, and funding opportunities. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

JULY 05 OUTYEAR TRANSITION STRATEGY Inventory, Inventory, Inventory Need a “Standards Committee” Define Data Standards Establish and Maintain structure of interoperability Develop mechanism for data access to distributed data Develop a SYSENG change order procedure Identify and implement “Best Practices” for portals Identify target user groups to validate and verify portals Hold stakeholder workshops…be inclusive Take advantage of sub-regional infrastructure (SEACOOS, Caro-Coops, NERRS etc) ID champions in the private sector who use RCOOS products…engage them in pilots and governance The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

Thoughts? Ocean Data Management Partnership Modeled after GoMoos Effort Formalize, expand and build off good work of SEACOOS Data Management (transition from SEACOOS to SECOORA) More inclusive - The wider the net, the better for all What’s in it for me?….Hypoxia Study example The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006

The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations Regional Association (SECOORA) Building a Regional Association Framework for the Coastal Ocean Observing System of the Southeastern United States The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observations DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Regional Association (SECOORA) MARCH 9, 2006