OCEAN OBSERVING
IN CALIFORNIA’S 20th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
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Water Quality
• Waves
Water Quality
• Surface
Surface
Currents
Currents
• Algal
Waves
Blooms
• Weather
Algal Blooms
Conditions
• Winds
Weather Conditions
• SeaWinds
Surface Temperature
• Sea Surface Temperature
The CeNCOOS program is headquartered at MBARI in Moss
Landing. CeNCOOS is uniquely positioned within a robust ocean
science community to be a leader in regional and national ocean
observing activities.
Oct 12th AVNIR satellite chlorophyll image of Monterey
Bay (dark green = most intense bloom areas). The image
was provided by J. Ryan, MBARI.
HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS
Algal blooms occur when nutrient levels increase and environmental
conditions promote the rapid growth of single celled algae,
phytoplankton. Under certain conditions and in large amounts, some
phytoplankton produce toxins that can cause health affects in
wildlife and humans. CeNCOOS contributes data and expertise to
CalHABMAP, a statewide HAB monitoring and alert program.
CeNCOOS-supported HAB monitoring by UC Santa Cruz personnel
at the Santa Cruz wharf is critical to the development and testing of
predictive HAB models.
NEW MONTEREY WHARF STATION INSTALLED TO MONITOR
WATER QUALITY
In June 2012, a partnership between Monterey Abalone Co. and
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories installed a CeNCOOS-procured
YSI sensor package to monitor Monterey Bay water conditions in
real time. The sensors measure and transmit data for a variety of
parameters including temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and other
important indicators of coastal conditions. Data is hosted at the
CeNCOOS website. The new station joins 13 other automated
shore stations within the CeNCOOS network to provide near-real
time information about the coastal ocean environment.
CENCOOS PARTICIPATES IN STATE OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
PILOT PROJECT
CeNCOOS is participating in the California State Water Resources
Control Board ocean acidification pilot project which began in
Summer 2012. Standardized pH sensors were deployed and water
samples are being collected at the Moss Landing Marine
Laboratories seawater intake, the Humboldt Bay Chevron Dock and
the Santa Cruz wharf stations for analysis. The results will help
create best practices for collecting and analyzing ocean acidification
data.
CeNCOOS data help support the California Current Acidification
Network (C-CAN), a West Coast effort to monitor ocean acidification.
Currently, eight CeNCOOS-supported assets contribute to C-CAN.
Image courtesy Jason Adelaars