NOAA Tides and Currents Observing System Unmanned Station Design and Development

Abstract: For more than 200 years, NOAA and its predecessors have gathered water level, currents, and real time physical oceanographic data for our nation and turned those data into meaningful information to protect life, property, and the environment. Coastal, Ocean, Ports, and Harbors businesses and communities rely on this information for critical decisions affecting such things as safe and efficient transportation and commerce, coastal planning and marine conservation, protecting and restoring habitats and ecosystems, emergency manager evacuation and recovery notifications, and national defense.
The National Ocean Service (NOS) Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) is one of NOAA’s key information providers. CO-OPS’ mission mandates derive from legislative authority to conduct water level and current observations, and to maintain the legal definition of tidal datums for the United States and by extensive marine boundaries. CO-OPS has developed and maintained the National Water Level Observation (NWLON) as the U.S. Government’s authoritative source for accurate, timely and sustained water level observations. These observations are designed to meet the most rigorous standards and incorporate decades of scientific and engineering expertise and international best practices.
This paper will dive behind the scenes to unveil the configuration, operational and design engineering, observing systems, and infrastructure conducted and shared with stakeholders and partners to deliver highly precise and accurate continuous real time water level and currents measurements from sustainable and maintainable stations located in all coastal states and territories tied to the National and State Spatial Reference Systems. These stations mut operate over multiple tidal cycles (18.8 years each) in all environmental conditions with a very strong return on investment.
Water level, bridge clearance, and currents measurements from the NWLON, the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS), partner stations, and other long- or short-term stations are required to meet NOAA mission requirements and a variety of applications. Each of these applications vary in requirements, accuracies, and specifications; however, comprehensively, they provide the critical and actionable information mariners, ports and harbors engineers, coastal engineers, emergency and ecosystem managers, coastal planners, state coastal boundary determinations, and the public need for timely decision making.

How does this project / topic contribute to the advancement of the industry and profession?: The National Ocean Service (NOS) Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) is one of NOAA’s key information providers. CO-OPS’ mission mandates derive from legislative authority to conduct water level and current observations, and to maintain the legal definition of tidal datums for the United States and by extensive marine boundaries. CO-OPS has developed and maintained the National Water Level Observation (NWLON) as the U.S. Government’s authoritative source for accurate, timely and sustained water level observations. These observations are designed to meet the most rigorous standards and incorporate decades of scientific and engineering expertise and international best practices.

Does the project / topic implement new and innovative techniques, materials, technologies, and delivery methods?: The engineering and development branch continuously evaluates and delivers innovative infrastructure, improved platforms, and sustainable observing stations matched to the available local infrastructure and site-specific mission requirements. This paper will describe the steps taken to ensure the maintainability, reliability, and sustainability of over 500 unmanned remote sensing stations transmitting continuously real time every 18-minutes delivering quality assured and controlled to the public via the tides and currents website.

What was the most challenging aspect of your project / topic and how did you handle it to ensure success?: The most challenging aspect is engineering, designing, and building unmanned remotely operated water level, bridge clearance (air gap), and currents. National Water Level Observation Network (tidal and Great Lakes) water level measurement stations are required to survive more than 36 years providing continuous real time measurements through the maximum most probable worst case environmental conditions.

Who is the target audience for this paper?: Coastal, ocean, ports, Great Lakes, navigable waterway, inlet, federal, and state engineers, managers, mariners, port authorities, USCG Captains of the Port, USACE District Engineers, and communities who rely on the data for critical decisions or desire to design, operate, and maintain similar reliable, precise, and accurate unmanned continuous real time water level measurement systems.