Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association

SECOORA Observations

The SECOORA Near Real-time Observations Maps are created hourly from SECOORA member data and ancillary regional datasets. Data include In-situ sea surface temperature, water level, and winds; radar-sensed surface currents; drifter trajectories; and satellite-sensed sea surface temperature, winds, and color.

SECOORA Asset Inventory

The SECOORA Asset Inventory is an overview map application of known observation stations monitoring the coastal ocean of the Southeast US. The map and dataset were created as an improvement to the previous SECOORA Asset Inventory completed in Fall 2005. The data were further supplemented and organized into a single dataset containing 543 stations which can be explored and downloaded as a spreadsheet or shapefile.

 

SECOORA is one of eleven Regional Associations comprising the coastal component of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS

Board Conference Call Scheduled

Mark your calendar for a SECOORA Board Member conference call Monday, March 29th at 10 am.

SECOORA's February 2010 Quarterly Newsletter Released

The latest Coastal and Ocean Observing News for the Southeast from SECOORA is now available. This newsletter includes examples of ongoing work in the region, issues of significance for coastal and ocean observing, coming events, and announcements concerning budgets, staff, workshops, publications, and many other items of interest. Click to view newsletter.

FOCUS ON FISHERIES

A review of the summary report from the Fisheries Workshop held August 20-21, 2009 indicates three areas where SECOORA can make progress in meeting the needs of the fisheries management community. These priorities include (1) providing alerts to fisheries managers and scientists when temperatures exceed self-selected parameters, (2) developing a searchable GIS-based database of biological, habitat and physical ocean data, and (3) developing a product that maps the locations of thermoclines. The DMAC and DMCC committees will be discussing these priorities and developing a workplan to focus efforts on addressing these priorities as well as other work during the next few weeks. View the report.

NEW WERA INSTALLATION INSTALLED ON JEKYLL ISLAND, GA

A third WERA installation along the GA/SC coast was installed on Jekyll Island, GA with primary funding from the Georgia Research Alliance, the original equipment money allocated by SEACOOS, plus a significant contribution from SkIO. This third installation will increase overlapping shelf coverage for surface current measurements to include the entire Georgia shelf and shelf edge, to the Florida border, and will facilitate collaborative work across our southern border into Florida. It will add critical overlapping redundancy with existing installations, providing essential two-installation operation during periods when one installation of the three may go down (lightening strikes, power outages, etc).

The new site will approximately double the shelf area over which wave heights and directional wave spectra can be estimated, and will significantly increase the along-shelf extent of shelf-edge Gulf Stream surface current observations. This will facilitate a developing study of shelf edge tide-correlated eddies, which are seen to spin up at the M2 tidal frequency at the shelf edge, and which may be an important process affecting momentum and nutrient budgets at the shelf edge. For more information contact Trent Moore (Trent.Moore@skio.usg.edu) or Dana Savidge (dana.savidge@skio.usg.edu) at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography.

Photos of the WERA 12-antenna receive (Rx) site. Seven antennas are mounted on a public boardwalk and five are in the dune woods/ scrub. Photos: Trent Moore, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography

2010 SECOORA Board and Members Meeting Schedule Available

SECOORA Board and Member meetings are held four times a year. The schedule for 2010 follows:
(1) February 10 8AM-12:00PM Board conference call
(2) May 11 Board meeting; May 12-13 Members meeting
(3) June 28 Board conference call
(4) Sept. 29-30 or Oct. 4-5 in-person Board meeting

Organizational Chart

An organization chart visualizes the relationships of the SECOORA Board of Directors, Stakeholders' Advisory Council, Executive Director, Staff, and various standing and program committees, as established by the Board of Directors in accordance with the SECOORA by-laws. The chart is available for browsing online or may be downloaded in a variety of formats.

SECOORA Members

View the current List of SECOORA Members. A letter from the Treasurer, Cliff Merz, and invoice may be downloaded here for further information.  Please contact Susannah Sheldon at Susannah@secoora.org with any questions.

Business Plan

A Business Plan specifying the framework for the development of the Regional Association was reviewed at the 2007 Annual Membership Meeting. The plan includes a business concept and mission, an operations plan, a marketing plan, a research and development plan, a products and services plan, a governance plan, and an RCOOS design plan.

By-laws

The SECOORA By-Laws were approved the SECOORA Members on May 13, 2009.

SECOORA Newsletter

SECOORA distributes a quarterly newsletter via email that focuses on regional, sub regional, and national ocean observation topics, events, and success stories. Please send your comments or suggested new items to SECOORA Communications.

Consider Joining SECOORA

Are you interested in ocean observations, ecosystem management, marine operations, or coastal hazards? Then you should know about SECOORA, the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association. SECOORA is the regional solution to integrating coastal and ocean observing in the Southeast United States. Commitment to ocean observing technologies in our region is critical. Your input, guidance, support, and membership will insure that SECOORA continues to develop the products and services that you need. Join SECOORA and be a part of the Southeast's future. Contact Executive Director Debra Hernandez (debra@secoora.org) for more information.