Central and Northern California – CeNCOOS

The Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) is the U.S. IOOS Regional Association for the California/Oregon border south to Point Conception.  The fundamental CeNCOOS approach is to develop long-term monitoring of environmental conditions such as water quality, productivity, and connectivity in support of marine protected area management in central and northern California.

Contact Information:  Dave Anderson, Program Director

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CeNCOOS

About the Central and Northern California Region

CeNCOOS enables sustained and coordinated measurements, model nowcasts and forecasts, and integrated products to inform decisions about our regional ocean.  CeNCOOS was established in 2004 in response to a growing national priority to develop and maintain a network of observing systems designed to best meet both regional and national needs for understanding processes, predicting events, and developing response strategies in the maritime and coastal domains. CeNCOOS is a consortium of member organizations with a coordinating central program office.

Activities CeNCOOS undertakes are as follows:

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  Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) forecast visualization.

  Scientific and technical expertise/leadership to identify and address ocean observing and modeling needs;
• HF radar: ocean surface circulation measurements;
• Shore stations: measuring water quality, hydrography, harmful algal blooms;
• Numerical models;
• Data/information products;
• Atmospheric and Ocean Circulation forecasting;
• Ships/gliders/moorings: monitoring offshore subsurface variables for applications in climate, productivity, circulation, physical processes, and model assimilation;
• Ocean Acidification monitoring;
• Seafloor/habitat mapping – data delivery; and
• Data serving, including metadata and QC as appropriate.