Real-Time Coastal Ocean Data Products for Tampa Bay, West Florida, and the Southeast US Mark E. Luther College of Marine Science University of South Florida

Tampa Bay PORTS Physical Oceanographic Real- Time System Operated in collaboration with NOAA/NOS/Center for Operational Ocean Products and Services (CO-OPS) and local maritime interests Funding for operations from State and County trust funds and local users Voice: TB-PORTS or ompl.marine.usf.edu/PORTS

Winds, Currents, Water Level Updated every 6 min

Uses/Users of PORTS Information Safe and Efficient Navigation/Tampa Bay Pilots, Tampa Port Authority, Shipping Agents, USCG, Recreational Boating and Fishing Hazardous Material Spill Response/FDEP, NOAA-HAZMAT, USCG, Private Sector Environmental Protection&Management/FDEP, FWC, EPCHC, Dept. of Health Storm Surge Prediction&Mitigation/County Emergency Managers, FDEM Red Tide Studies&Prediction/FWC, FDEP Fisheries Management/FWC, NMFS Sediment Transport Studies & Mitigation/USGS, FDEP, USACOE

Pilot Carry-on Units Display Real-Time PORTS Data aboard ships as part of an operational Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS) Since PORTS became operational in 1992, ship groundings have decreased by 60%

August 1993 Oil Spill Goal of PORTS and VTIS is to prevent this PORTS data and early version of model successfully used to predict spill trajectory – Now written into USCG Area Contingency Plan – NOAA/HAZMAT has special access to data and model products

Forecast Animation September 12,

+ Piney Point Phosphate Plant Real-time observations are combined with a model of currents and water level to provide a predictive capability for storm surge, search and rescue, or hazardous material spills Sewage Spill Trajectory Phosphate Discharge Trajectory Desal Plant +

West Florida Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMPS) Real-time data from buoys, coastal towers, HF radars merged with models and satellite observations COMPS observations are available thru NDBC or

Offshore COMPS buoys send information on currents, winds, temperature, and salinity by radio and satellite to shore-based computers and the Internet

Coastal sites send water levels and other oceanographic and meteorological data by satellite and radio Shell Point New Port RicheyCape Sable

Surface Current Mappers use radio waves to measure ocean currents over large areas off west Florida Indian Rocks Beach SCM antennas

The US Integrated Ocean Observing System National System Satellite remote sensing Reference, Sentinel Stations Link to global module Data standards & exchange protocols Regional Systems Land-based inputs State & Regional Priorities Greater resolution More variables

TB-PORTS and COMPS are building blocks of both the Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System (SEACOOS) and the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS). SEACOOS and GCOOS are actively partnered with SeaGrant Extension Network to engage private sector collaborators/partners in both regions – see and SEACOOS

Ultimate goal of IOOS is to provide useful products for anyone who makes decisions in coastal regions of the US - see