Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System Inc

THE CARIBBEAN COASTAL OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEM: A RESPONSIVE STAKEHOLDER-DRIVEN OBSERVING SYSTEM ADDRESSING REGIONAL AND NATIONAL NEEDS IN THE US CARIBBEAN

PURPOSE: ACTIVITIES PROPOSED HERE ARE FOCUSED ON THREE OVERARCHING GOALS: ENHANCING CARICOOS OBSERVATIONAL CAPACITY TO 1) CONTINUE PROVIDING WATER COLUMN STRUCTURE DATA FOR IMPROVED HURRICANE INTENSITY FORECASTING, 2) ASSESS PELAGIC AND NERITIC ECOSYSTEM STATUS AND THREATS, AND 3) IMPROVING RESILIENCY THROUGH EDUCATING PARTICULARLY CHALLENGED COASTAL COMMUNITIES ON THEIR EXPOSURE TO COASTAL HAZARDS.

THE CARIBBEAN COASTAL OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEM INC. (CARICOOS) PROVIDES REAL-TIME COASTAL AND OCEAN DATA, HELPING TO MONITOR, UNDERSTAND, AND PREPARE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS, ENSURING THE PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE REGION'S NATURAL AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES. ENHANCING ITS OBSERVING SYSTEMS IS VITAL FOR PROVIDING ACCURATE DATA TO STAKEHOLDERS WHO RELY ON THEM FOR DECISION-MAKING, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. HOWEVER, THE DEVASTATION FROM RECENT EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND THE AGING OF OBSERVATION SENSORS HAS STRAINED THE OBSERVING ASSETS NETWORK, NEEDING FREQUENT REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS. UNDER TOPIC 1, CARICOOS WILL: ENHANCE HFR SYSTEMS; ADD GLIDER TO FLEET; SUPPORT STAFF TO OPTIMIZE AND MAINTAIN CARICOOS OCEANOGRAPHIC BUOY SERVICES; REFURBISH OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA BUOYS; USE AUVS TO MONITOR MESOPHOTIC REEFS; INSTALL RAIN GAUGES ON WEATHER STATIONS; AND CONDUCT CRUISES WITH SEAWATER FLOW-THROUGH SYSTEM FOR OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ASSESSMENTS. UNDER TOPIC 2, CARICOOS WILL: SUPPORT OCEAN HEAT WAVES INITIATIVE; CONSTRUCT DASHBOARDS TO SUPPORT MARITIME OPERATIONS; PERFORM NEARSHORE CURRENT MODELING TO SUPPORT BEACHGOER AWARENESS AND RIP/NEARSHORE CURRENT EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE; PROVIDING CAPACITY-BUILDING TRAINING TO ENHANCE RESILIENCE OF FRONTLINE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO COASTAL HAZARDS; PRODUCE INTERACTIVE ONLINE VIDEOS TO ENHANCE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF COASTAL WEATHER AND SEA STATE INFORMATION; ENHANCE COSTAVISPR TOOL; AND SUPPORT ASSESSMENT OF SHALLOW AND MESOPHOTIC CORAL REEF HEALTH.

THE CARIBBEAN COASTAL OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEM (CARICOOS) HAS OPERATED FOR OVER 15 YEARS. ALTHOUGH THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN KEPT UP AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE, FISCAL RESOURCES HAVE NOT ALLOWED FOR RENEWING CRITICAL ITEMS, SUCH AS HF RADARS, DUE TO THE COST OF NEW UNITS. THE PROJECT PLANS TO REPLACE THE MOST FRAGILE (DUE TO AGE) INVESTMENTS ASSETS . IN ADDITION, THEY WILL REQUEST SUPPORT FOR MODEST ENHANCEMENTS IN OBSERVING CAPABILITIES FOR AREAS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN COVERED AND FOR CHEMICAL SENSORS THAT WILL ALLOW FOR UNPRECEDENTED SUSTAINED OBSERVATIONS OF BIOCHEMICAL WATER PROPERTIES AND METABOLISM AS WELL AS OCEAN ACIDIFICATION.

PURPOSE: IN RESPONSE TO THE NOAA-NOS-IOOS DISASTER RELIEF SUPPLEMENTAL ACT (DRSA), THIS PROPOSAL DETAILS THE ACTIONS TO BE CONDUCTED TO ACQUIRE, INSTALL, AND SERVICE THE OBSERVING ASSETS DAMAGED BY HURRICANE FIONA IN 2022. THE CARICOOS OBSERVING NETWORK PROVED TO BE RESILIENT DURING THE IMPACT OF A HURRICANE, PROVIDING STAKEHOLDERS AND USERS WITH REAL-TIME OCEANOGRAPHIC AND METEOROLOGICAL DATA DURING THE EVENT. HOWEVER, SEVERAL ASSETS WERE DAMAGED BY THE WEATHER CONDITIONS GENERATED. THEREFORE, CARICOOS WILL ACQUIRE A NEW HFR SYSTEM TO REPLACE THE DAMAGED ONE IN LOS MORRILLOS LIGHTHOUSE IN CABO ROJO, PUERTO RICO, AND TWO LOW-COST WIND SENSORS TO REPLACE THE ONES DAMAGED IN LOS MORRILLOS LIGHTHOUSE AND PONCE YACHT CLUB. A NEW MOORING SYSTEM FOR THE RINCON WAVE DATA BUOY WITH A NEW DESIGN/NEW MATERIAL TO HOLD THE TENSION GENERATED BY STRONG WAVE-INDUCED CURRENTS. THE FUNDS WILL ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE INSPECTION, RELOCATION, AND INSTALLATION OF BUOYS AND COMPONENTS. FOR THIS PROPOSAL, THERE IS NO NEED TO SUBMIT A NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT ASSESSMENT BECAUSE CARICOOS WILL ONLY REPLACE AND INSPECT COMPONENTS OF SEVERAL ASSETS.