Regional Associations: Essential Components

of the US IOOS

Dr. Harvey Seim, University of North Carolina

and NFRA Board MemberMolly McCammon, NFRA Board Chair and

AOOS Director

Josie Quintrell, NFRA Executive Director

Graphic courtesy of GoMOOS

12 GOOS Regional Alliances

GEOOSGEOOS

GOOSGOOS

12 GOOS Regional AlliancesEuroGOOS, Med GOOS, Black Sea GOOS, NEAR GOOS, Pac Is GOOS,

Indian Ocean GOOS, IOCARIBE GOOS, GOOS-Africa, US IOOS, SEA GOOS, OCEANTLAN, GRASP

12 GOOS Regional AlliancesEuroGOOS, Med GOOS, Black Sea GOOS, NEAR GOOS, Pac Is GOOS,

Indian Ocean GOOS, IOCARIBE GOOS, GOOS-Africa, US IOOS, SEA GOOS, OCEANTLAN, GRASP

US IOOSUS IOOS

Global Global Coastal Coastal

National IOOSNational IOOS Regional IOOS Regional IOOS

Why a regional approach to US IOOS?• US territorial waters are diverse: US IOOS covers 10 Large Marine Ecosystem (LMEs)

• Provides the higher resolution observations and model outputs for regional needs

• Addresses diversity of regional needs from the Caribbean to the Great Lakes to Alaska• Provides a forum for understanding user needs from multiple sectors

• Builds synergies among researchers and federal, state and local agencies • Can be flexible, agile, and responsive • Provides a test bed for transitioning from research to operations • Increases provide access and integration of data from regional sources such gov’t, academic, NGOS and others

RAs link between Users and Federal Partners

US IOOSUS IOOS

NFRA and 11 RAs

NFRA and 11 RAs

Regional Users and ScientistsMariners, managers, search and rescue personnel,

researchers

Regional Users and ScientistsMariners, managers, search and rescue personnel,

researchers

National Network of Regional Associations

11 RA s serve the entire US Coastline, including Great Lakes, the Caribbean and the Pacific TerritoriesRAs are the legal entities that seek out user needs, design and implement the Regional Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (RCOOS)

Regional Associations• Engages stakeholders to understand needs and identify

products• Collaborates with regional partners (including regional

offices of federal agencies) on setting priorities, designing and implementing RCOOS

• RCOOS include: – observations from a variety of platforms

• buoys, HF Radar, gliders, ships, satellites

– Data management and integration.• Data portals for accessing regional data

– Modeling, analysis and product development• Circulation, waves, storm surge, ecosystem• Decision support tools, websites, visualizations

RA are building an informed and engaged IOOS constituency

482 partners and counting …• Federal Agencies (106)• Business and Industry (66)• Shipping (18)• Researchers and Universities (149)• State agencies (59)• Non-governmental Organizations (58)• International Organizations (11)• Local and Tribal governments (8)

Regional Real Time Data

2,800 obs. at 776 location from 30 data providers

National Federation of Regional Associations (NFRA)

A non-profit association dedicated to:– Representing the needs of the 11 Regional

Association to IOOS partners and others– Developing “one voice” for the regional perspective– Educating through communication of lessons learned,

success stories– Governed by Board of Directors appoint by RAs – Represent regional perspective on IOOS policy issues– Advocate for national legislation and funding

Prince William Sound: RA Conceptual Framework

PWS ROMS

Field ValidationExperiments

AncillaryData

DataRetrieval &Processing

3D ModelAssimilation

ApplicationServer (GIS)

ResearchServer (POET)

ModelData

Real time dataRetrieval &Processing

3D ModelAssimilation

Public Feedback

ApplicationServer

ResearchServer

Sea Surface Conditions Meteorology Oceanography Water Quality Currents Precipitation

Education CommunitiesFishery managementEconomic models

Data AssimilationPWS Weather

PWS Waves

Dat

a A

ssim

ilati

on

Case Study: Tropical Storm Ernesto : Sept 1-3 2006

Regional forecast (RU-WRF) provided the most accurate real-time forecast of Tropical Storm Ernesto after landfall.

Used by Researchers, by Regional, State & Local Managers, by Power Companies, by Agriculture Extension.

The most significant difference with operational models was improved physics.

This is a common storm track for the Mid-Atlantic States.

MACOORA

Southern California

SE Data Exchange Illustration

Challenges• Enhancing the coastal observation system, requires adequate funding

• Balancing expectations – users are becoming disillusioned

• Developing the standards and tools to achieve a national data management system is non-trivial and time consuming.

• Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of federal government and regional associations, particularly for enhancing and maintaining operational systems and regional scale models.

• Lack of oceanographic forecasting capacity similar to weather forecasting that routinely uses observations to develop forecasts and predictions.

• Liability concerns for non-governmental agencies disseminating predictions and forecasts.

• Communication is an unnatural act – always difficult, always time consuming but critical

In summary ….

• Regional approach is demonstrating success– Building a network of engaged users– Regions are overcoming political and institutional barriers to

develop regional priorities – Data partnerships are making data from a variety of sources,

accessible and interoperable.

• But, still more to do … – Key part of IOOS, enhancing the observation network, is lagging

(in fact, some assets are being removed). Without increased observations, can not produce the high resolutions products needed.