More than $2.4 billion in annual benefits to U.S. economy
The NOAA National Spatial Reference System—the official U.S. government source for precise latitude, longitude, and elevation measurements—provides more than $2.4 billion in potential annual benefits to the U.S. economy.
More than 1,000 nautical charts
NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey maintains the nation’s nautical charts and publications for U.S. coasts and the Great Lakes, covering 95,000 miles of shoreline and 3.4 million square nautical miles of waters.
More than 65,000 aerial images collected
The National Geodetic Survey collected more than 65,000 images following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017.
Saving money, increasing efficiency and safety for marine transportation
NOAA’s Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System enables mariners to safely use every inch of available channel depth, thereby increasing the amount of cargo moved per transit. PORTS has been shown to reduce maritime accidents, such as groundings, by 50% or more.
Measuring surface currents up to 200 kilometers offshore
Located near the water’s edge, high frequency radars can measure surface currents over a large region of the coastal ocean, from a few kilometers offshore up to 200 km, and can operate under any weather conditions.
Whether it's the nation's nautical charts, environmental monitoring and assessment, or providing the nation’s geodetic framework, NOAA and our partners are committed to integrating science and services to provide actionable information. The goal is to increase ocean and coastal 'intelligence' and thereby improve the ability to navigate safely and make informed choices. Good decisions today protect lives and property tomorrow.
