West Coast and Pacific Islands-based ocean observing systems are set to receive a combined $27.7 million in federal funding to bolster and expand the reach and capability of U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) regional associations, it was announced Sept. 4.
The Department of Commerce and NOAA said 12 grants are being awarded totaling $101.5 million with funds from the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act to support IOOS, which helps in the collection of coastal and Great Lakes data and creates infrastructure and tools toward that effort.
“With this $101.5 million investment, NOAA’s IOOS will be able to improve and deliver critical information and tools to help coastal communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement.
Recipients include $7.7 million to the Alaska Ocean Observing System, which plans to use $5 million toward community-driven projects, such as deploying new buoys and moorings to help tribes and affected communities and closely watch harmful algal blooms and fisheries. AOOS also plans to use $2.7 million to close gaps in the Alaska Water Level Watch network and broaden the use of a tool that takes elevation data from a number of sources into one reference system, according to the announcement.
In California, $5 million each is going to the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) and the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS).
CeNCOOS is expected to enhance its water sampling support to better understand the effects of climate, as well as animal tag data processing and other efforts.
SCCOOS plans to use the money to strengthen efforts on monitoring and detecting harmful algal bloom along the California coast, improve the California Underwater Glider Network and enhance engagement, training and workforce development with Indigenous communities and other activities.
In the Pacific Northwest, the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems intends to use its $5 million to invest in better detection of algal blooms, hypoxia and marine heat waves and co-develop data tools and engage more PNW communities.
The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System’s $5 million grant is expected to go toward coastal resilience in the region including Hawaii and the co-design of data visualization and decision-making tools with community partners.