About NCDDC

Established in 1961, the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) was originally an interagency facility administered by the U.S. Naval Hydrographic (later Oceanographic) Office. The NODC was transferred to NOAA in 1970 when NOAA was created by Executive Order of the President of the United States. In the words of its charter, the NODC serves to "acquire, process, preserve, and disseminate oceanographic data." Its primary mission is to ensure that global oceanographic data sets collected at great cost are maintained in a permanent archive that is easily accessible to the world science community and to other users.

In 2000, NOAA established the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC) as the coastal division of the NODC at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi to provide a national capability for the "archive of, and access to the long-term coastal data record." Since its inception, NCDDC has been tasked to work closely with coastal data providers to ensure applicable data standards are employed on all data and associated metadata delivered through NCDDC as well to maintain a catalog of available coastal data and provide access to that data. NCDDC was chartered to broadly work with coastal data providers including Federal, State, local agencies, academic institutions, non-profit organizations and the private sector to create a "unified", long-term collection of coastal data. Most significantly, NCDDC is tasked to have strong science-based capacity and to produce "retrospective analyses and trend information to help form the basis of environmental predictions and public policy."*

The mission statement of NODC is: "To provide scientific stewardship of marine data and information."

*Quotes from the NOAA documents of August 16, 2000 for the "Establishment of the National Coastal Data Development Center"

Contact Information

Mailing Address
• NOAA National Coastal Data Development Center
• Building 1021, Suite 103
• Stennis Space Center, MS 39529

Telephone Numbers
• Main Line: 228-688-2936
• Toll Free: 866-732-2382
• Fax: 228-688-2010 or 2968

Electronic Mail
• NCDDC@NOAA.GOV

Organization

NCDDC is a major component of the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC). NCDDC has a staff comprised of 14 Federal employees and ~22 on-site contract scientists and technicians. In addition, scientists from United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) are co-located within NCDDC spaces. NCDDC, NODC, and the NOAA Central Library are integrated to provide access to the world's most comprehensive sources of marine environmental data and information. NCDDC has two major divisions, Information Technology Operations and Science Programs. ... see details

Regional Offices

NCDDC Regional Offices provide regional focus and expertise for NCDDC products and services. They can provide regional assistance to researchers in acquiring or submitting data via NCDDC. ... see details

Publications

NCDDC has a produced a variety of publications on an array of topics. To see a list of these publications, click on the following link. ... see details

Visitor Information

NCDDC is located at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, approximately 48 miles west of Biloxi and 45 miles east of New Orleans. Stennis Space Center is an access controlled facility so visitors to NCDDC are advised to make arrangements in advance of their arrival. ... see details