1. NOAA Buoy Regional Prioritization Inputs and NDBC Response Richard L. Crout, PhD Oceanographer NOAA NWS National Data Buoy Center Stennis Space Center, MS SECOORA Workshop 12 September 2006

2. Thank you for participating and helping to enhance the National Backbone!!

3. Outline Request for Regional Inputs SECOORA Inputs Accomplishments NDBC Challenges –Equipment –Schedule –NDBC 4000 The Plan

4. Request for Regional Inputs Due to FY05 budget, we are able to add some Salinity, ADCP and Directional Wave sensors to existing buoys. What are your priorities? What else do you want to tell us? Coordinated Response desired.

5. SECOORA Input on Directional Waves Priority Order –1st: 41004 (Edisto) and 42036 (W. Tampa) –2nd: 41012 (St. Augustine), 41008 (Gray’s Reef), 42039 (Pensacola), 42040 (Mobile South) –3rd: 41014 (Frying Pan Shoals) and 41025 (Diamond Shoals) General Comments –More important than currents and salinity –Inshore first (concern about 6m Nomads) –Offshore waves very desirable

6. SECOORA Input on ADCP Priority Order –1st: 41004 (Edisto) and 42036 (W. Tampa) –2nd: 42039 (Pensacola), 42040 (Mobile South) General Comments –Repeated desire for more offshore measurements, but concern that ADCP not proven on NOMADS** –Concern that ADCP and directional wave can be accomplished on same buoy

7. SECOORA Input on Salinity Priority Order –1st: 41013 (Frying Pan Shoals) and 41025 (Diamond Shoals) –2nd: 41004 (Edisto) and 42036 (W. Tampa) –3rd: 42039 (Pensacola), 42040 (Mobile South), and 41009 (Cape Canaveral Inshore) General Comments –Maintain and validate with regional partnerships –Inshore first (concern about 6m Nomads**)

8. SECOORA Input on Other Issues New Buoys (network density) are probably more important than new sensors on existing buoys** SE Florida Coast has no assets! (nor does SW) Lead-off statement – Fix LKWF1 (Lake Worth) and DRYF1 (Dry Tortugas) CMAN Stations Add sensors to 41009 – Inshore Canaveral

9. Requested New Buoys

10. Accomplishments Pulaski Light (PLSF1) has replaced Dry Tortugas (DRYF1) Lake Worth (LKWF1) was re-established St. Augustine (SAUF1) CT West Tampa (42036) buoy with ADCP (failed) Directional waves installed on Grays Reef (41008), St. Augustine (41012), and Outer Onslow Bay (41036)

11. Additional Accomplishments (thanks to outside funding) Inshore Onslow Bay (41035) Offshore Onslow Bay (41036)

12. NDBC Scheduling Moored buoy operations schedule –Two- to three-year replacement cycle –Schedule is updated every three months Dependent on Coast Guard for heavy lift capability Weather dependent Planned service visits. Once the buoy is on station, we do not plan to return for 2 years –Service visits for critical sensors may occur Wells may make replacing ocean instruments easier

13. ADCP, CT, SCM Wells

14. NDBC Equipment A large number of ADCPs, point source current meters, and CTs were purchased –Some current measurement will be made at all buoys –We are trying to procure more CTs to augment all buoys with salinity Payloads (data loggers) must be augmented or developed based on the sensor suite. The ADCP data stream is large compared to others. Communications capable of transmitting larger messages are required (Iridium vs. GOES)

15. NDBC 4000 NDBC Document listing the buoys and their proposed/accepted sensor suites The Operations group consults NDBC 4000 before outfitting a buoy for integration, testing, and deployment If a sensor or payload (data logger) is not ready for a scheduled deployment, the deployment goes on and the requirement remains for the next cycle

16. The Plan: Directional Waves Directional waves are to be added to 3m, 10m, and 12m buoys and some C-MAN stations –1.8 meter buoy near Sand Key to support Key West –1.8 meter buoy off Lake Worth –For some 6 meter NOMADS, adding a 1.8 meter companion buoy may be feasible –For some C-MAN stations, adding a 1.8 meter companion buoy or a bottom-mounted wave/current sensor (ALSN6) may be feasible

17. The Plan: ADCPs Edisto (41004) Mobile South (42040) Pensacola (42039) Diamond Shoals/Monitor (41025)** Other NDBC buoys will be equipped with a single point current meter –41001, 41002, 41009 (possible to move an ADCP from a decommissioned buoy), 41010, and 41013

18. The Plan: Salinity Profiles Edisto (41004) CTs @ 1.5m, 10m, and 20m Diamond Shoals (41025) CTs @ 1.5m, 20m, and 40m Pensacola (42039) CTs @ 1.5m, 10m, 20m, 30m, 50m, 100m, and 150m Mobile South (42040) CTs @ 1.5m, 10m, 20m, 50m, 100m, (150m temp only), 200m, and 250m

19. The Plan: Surface Salinity Frying Pan Shoals (41013) Pensacola (42039) Venice C-MAN (VENF1) Lake Worth 1.8m Sand Key 1.8m

20. Summary Please re-assess your region and provide a list of proposed new buoy locations We welcome suggestions NDBC is striving to implement the requests from all of the Regional Associations Six months ago, the list was different; six months from now, it will probably be different again! Thanks again for participating! richard.crout@noaa.gov