1. US Army Corps of Engineers An Overall Vision of the Corps as Data Developers & Users William A. Birkemeier Coastal Field Data Collection Program Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory Subtitle: from punch cards to Google Earth – what’s next? Data entry 1975 Data handling 2009 How far? How Big? How many? How much? How Deep? How confident? How often? How risky? When? How Expensive? How Expensive? Two years to electronically plot beach cross-sections 20 sec for an aerial view anywhere in the world, from any computer What are the benefits? What are the benefits?

2. US Army Corps of Engineers We answer these questions with Data if we have it, or can find it, or can collect it, or can model it Tom Richardson addressed the CERB meeting at Duck, NC in 2002 Data influences all phases of all projects We need data for projects & regionally Physical and environmental parameters The Corps will never collect all the data we require Appropriate then, appropriate now. Tom Richardson addressed the CERB meeting at Duck, NC in 2002 Data influences all phases of all projects We need data for projects & regionally Physical and environmental parameters The Corps will never collect all the data we require Appropriate then, appropriate now.

3. The flow of data Collection Make Decisions

4. The flow of data Wave Forecast Wave buoy Collection Make Decisions Sales go down – why? It’s more complicated, more variables, model inadequate Now dependent on someone else to provide data

5. The flow of data Data Collector Collection Quality control Format Distribute Archive Data User Discover Acquire Re-format Quality control Integrate w/other data Analyze/Explore Create Product Interpret Make Decisions Wave Forecast Wave buoy Collection Data Collectors don’t do this, users do!

6. Google & Google Earth: the Future Defined? Intuitive – allows spatial discovery of data – fast – customizable – links different data sets and People use it!

7. Data Evolution Example: National Data Buoy Center Website This is Big! NDBC: Consolidates data Performs QA/QC Serves it worldwide Provides access NDBC does not: Use/analyze data Develop products Long-term Archive Include all data Have to go elsewhere

9. Prototype Decision Tool for Coastal Flooding & Erosion Predicted and past 4 hours (User clicks through forecast)

10. To Predict the Future - Look Back The evolution of the beach profile (abridged version)

11. The evolution of the beach profile

12. Coastal Lidar And Radar Imaging System (CLARIS) Beach lidar system Integrated, mobile system for a seamless map of beach topography and nearshore bathymetry – (The future looks bright!) + Topo-Lidar Time-exposure for sandbars Bathymetry from wave field inversion

13. ...and in the Future? Data Collector Collection Quality control Format Distribute Archive Data User Discover Acquire Re-format Quality control Integrate w/other data Analyze/Explore Create Product Interpret Make Decisions Wave Forecast Wave buoy Collection High resolution remote sensing Smaller sensors, Better batteries Collection New Sensors Quality control Established Archives More Powerful Servers Standard Formats, including GIS Spatial Discovery “Deep” web “User friendly” Acquire Re-format Quality control Integrate w/other data customizable Analyze/Explore standard tools Integrated Products animated, customized Interpret Scenario testing Better Decisions Everything improves....

14. Data Truisms Collect once, use many times – Real-time data for operations, becomes long-term climate & extreme-event record – Make it available; it will be used – Standardize new data, then add historic Users don’t care who collected it, they just want it – To identify users, turn off the data – they’ll let you know! Data are time-sensitive, You only get one chance – Data gaps are permanent – Extreme events often missing - critical – Start collecting now the data we will need tomorrow 24/7 Field Data Collection requires: – Operational attitude: standard procedures – Staff dedication, expertise – Funding (equipment, logistic support, staffing) – Organizational commitment Collect once, use many times – Real-time data for operations, becomes long-term climate & extreme-event record – Make it available; it will be used – Standardize new data, then add historic Users don’t care who collected it, they just want it – To identify users, turn off the data – they’ll let you know! Data are time-sensitive, You only get one chance – Data gaps are permanent – Extreme events often missing - critical – Start collecting now the data we will need tomorrow 24/7 Field Data Collection requires: – Operational attitude: standard procedures – Staff dedication, expertise – Funding (equipment, logistic support, staffing) – Organizational commitment

15. Dick Seymour Orville Magoon Robert Wiegel Founding Fathers of CDIP Early Players Ron Flick (CDBW) George Domurat Celebrating 35 years in 2010 vision & commitment

16. US Army Corps of Engineers Actions for the Corps Define data requirements Establish Priorities Assign Resources Take advantage of Partnerships Be Forward Thinking Define data requirements Establish Priorities Assign Resources Take advantage of Partnerships Be Forward Thinking

17. US Army Corps of Engineers The End http://chl.erdc.usace.army.mil/cfdc