ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD SERVICES 

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES 

Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services 

National Ocean Service 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

Department of Commerce 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Table of Contents 2 

I. Introduction 4 

 A. Background 4 

 

 B. Field Structure – IN Situ Measurement Platforms 5 

 C. Field Implementation, Operation, Maintenance, and Repair 6 

II. Water Levels Objectives 6 

 A. Installation and Removal of Water Level Stations 6 

 B. Perform Annual Maintenance at NWLON and Short-Term Water 

 Level Stations 8 

C. Upgrade the Existing Data Collection Platform (DCP) System at 

Existing Water Level Stations 9 

D. Provide Emergency/Unscheduled Maintenance at NWLON and 

Short-Term Water Level Stations 10 

E. Perform Major Maintenance at NWLON and Short Term Water 

Level Stations 11 

III. Currents Objectives 11 

A. Field Support for Circulation Studies and Tidal Current 

Measurements for Short-Term Stations 11 

B. Emergency Response to Recover a Floating and Drifting Current 

Meter Mooring 12 

C. Vessel Mounted (Towed) Current Meter Operations 13 

IV. PORTS® Objectives 13 

A. Install New PORTS® Sites and New Sensors at Existing PORTS® 

Sites 13 

 B. Perform Routine Maintenance at Existing PORTS® Sites 15 
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 C. Upgrade the Data Collection Platform (DCP) Systems at Existing 

 PORTS® Sites 18 

 D. Perform Emergency/Unscheduled Maintenance at PORTS® Sites 19 

 E. Perform Major Maintenance at PORTS® Sites 20 

V. Quick Response Objective 20 

VI. Order of Precedence 21 

VII. References 21 

VIII. Acronyms 22 

Appendix A – Government Furnished Equipment (water level stations) 24 

Appendix B – Diagrams of typical coastal and Great Lakes NWLON stations 25 

Appendix C – Government Furnished Equipment (current meter deployments) 27 

Appendix D – General information for sub-surface, bottom platform, and 

 Side looking deployments 28 

Appendix E – Sample sub-surface mooring 34 

Appendix F – Sample bottom platforms 35 

Appendix G – General information for towed ADCP operations 39 

Appendix H – Sample towed system pictures 41 
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ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD SERVICES

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

I. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this action is to obtain field support services for the Center for 

Operational Oceanographic Products and Services. 

The National Ocean Service (NOS), Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and 

Services (CO-OPS), operates a number of short and long term monitoring systems. COOPS provides the infrastructure, science, and technical expertise to monitor, assess, and 

disseminate coastal oceanographic and Great Lakes products and services necessary to 

support NOAA’s dual mission of environmental stewardship and environmental 

assessment and prediction. CO-OPS strengthens core capabilities through partnership 

links with outside groups including private organizations. 

A. BACKGROUND 

NOS is a Federal agency devoted to exploring, understanding, conserving, and restoring 

the Nation's coasts and oceans. NOS promotes safe navigation, supports coastal 

communities, sustains coastal habitats, and mitigates coastal hazards. NOS balances 

environmental protection with economic prosperity and leads the effort to ensure that our 

Nation's coastal areas remain safe, healthy and productive. NOS is an agency of the US 

Department of Commerce's (DoC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA). 

CO-OPS establishes standards for the acquisition and processing of water level and 

current data; collects and documents user requirements that serve as the foundation for all 

resulting program activities; designs new and/or improved oceanographic observing 

systems; develops software to improve data processing capabilities; maintains and 

operates oceanographic observing systems; performs operational data analysis/quality 

control; produces/disseminates oceanographic products; and archives the resulting 

oceanographic data. 

Today’s monitoring infrastructure allows NOAA’s Physical Oceanographic Real-Time 

System (PORTS®) Program and the National Water Level Observation Network 

(NWLON) to function as operational systems. In addition to PORTS® and NWLON, the 

monitoring infrastructure also supports the National Current Observation Program 

(NCOP). NCOP provides current measurements to maintain the adequacy of NOAA’s 

Tidal Current Prediction Tables. Also, NCOP conducts user requested circulation 

surveys and special projects. 
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CO-OPS installs and operates short-term water level stations in support of a variety of 

programs including hydrographic surveys, marine boundary determination, dredging, 

climate change, and long-term sea level rise studies. CO-OPS provides a set of water 

level and coastal current products. These include data and products required by the 

National Weather Service to meet storm surge and tsunami warning responsibilities. 

 

B. FIELD STRUCTURE - IN SITU MEASUREMENT PLATFORMS 

The real-time monitoring infrastructure includes the National Water Levels and PORTS®

Programs. In addition to the operational platforms distributed around the country and 

world, there are generally a number of short-term monitoring stations (30 days to several 

years) deployed for special projects such as hydrographic surveys, photogrammetry, 

United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) dredging activities, marsh restoration, 

and tidal current prediction adequacy/verification. 

 

An NWLON station is a stand alone system that collects, stores, and transmits water 

level, meteorological, and other environmental data. The primary requirement of a 

station is to accurately measure water level information with low power consumption, 

high reliability, and defined accuracy. The typical NWLON station includes an air 

acoustic water level sensor with protective well, single or dual orifice Paroscientific 

pressure sensors, or a shaft angle encoder in a sump (Great Lakes); a redundant pressurebased water level sensor; and a data collection platform with Geostationary Operational 

Environmental Satellite (GOES) transmitter, rechargeable battery, and solar panel. Many 

NWLON stations also include sensors that measure air and water temperature, wind 

speed and direction, and barometric pressure. 

While the NCOP supports multiple NOAA missions and applications, its primary 

function is to support safe and efficient marine navigation. The NCOP is a national 

reference system (a Federal backbone for an end-to-end system of current observations, 

data management, data analyses, and dissemination of products to users). The 

observational component of the program is the execution of systematic short term 

measurements at a number of locations each year. 

PORTS® is a decision support tool that improves the safety and efficiency of maritime 

commerce and coastal resource management through the integration of real-time 

environmental observations, forecasts, and other geospatial information. PORTS®

includes sensors, hardware, and associated communications systems allowing the 

centralized, real-time, data acquisition and dissemination of water levels, currents, and 

other oceanographic and meteorological data. 

PORTS® is a partnering effort based on extensive collaboration among NOS and local 

maritime communities to identify and satisfy user needs. PORTS® comes in different 

sizes and configurations, each designed to meet local user requirements. The modular 

design of each PORTS® installation allows the straight forward integration of additional 

user specified sensors. 
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C. FIELD IMPLEMENTATION, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR 

CO-OPS oversees the implementation, operation, maintenance, and repair of all NOS 

real-time environmental monitoring systems as well as short-term deployments. CO-OPS 

installs, documents, operates, and maintains the systems; conducts field reconnaissance; 

and provides training in the installation, operation, and maintenance of CO-OPS 

monitoring systems. CO-OPS acquires data from remote systems/sensors via GOES 

satellite, telephone lines, line of sight (LOS) radios, and wireless IP modems. 

CO-OPS has field offices in Chesapeake, Virginia, and Seattle, Washington that operate 

and maintain the real-time monitoring systems. The offices provide training in support of 

operational partnerships and technology transfer. In addition, the Seattle office maintains 

special expertise required to support the gauging systems of the Tsunami Warning 

System. 

As the NOS real-time monitoring infrastructure continues to grow, the outsourcing role 

will also grow. The installation and maintenance of new PORTS® systems are performed 

in part through private sector contractors. 

For all contracted task orders, CO-OPS reserves the right to inspect the work being 

performed by the contractor, both in process and after completion 

II. WATER LEVELS OBJECTIVES 

A. INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL OF WATER LEVEL STATIONS 

General Overview

The procedures for performing a new water level station installation are described in the 

“NGWLMS Site Design, Preparation, and Installation Manual, January 1991". The 

project requirements, specific locations for the installations/deployments, 

installation/deployment details, and specific systems and sensors that are Government 

Furnished Equipment (GFE) are included in the specific task orders. The contractor shall 

provide all necessary vehicles, vessels, tools, labor, and materials for the 

installation/deployment. All work shall be conducted in accordance with standard 

CO-OPS’ practices, unless otherwise specified. Where required. CO-OPS will provide 

infrastructure designs to the contractor for new or upgraded stations. CO-OPS recognizes 

the particular situations will warrant deviations from standard guidelines and will 

consider alternatives prior to implementation. A sample list of GFE for water level station 

tasks is included in Appendix A. Diagrams of typical coastal and Great Lakes NWLON 

stations are included as Appendix B. 
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Generic Tasks

• Provide site reconnaissance to obtain measurements and information necessary 

for the preparation of site view drawings. 

• Complete the Site Reconnaissance Field Notes in accordance with the guidance 

provided in CO-OPS Water Level and Meteorological Site Reconnaissance 

Procedures. 

• Prepare site layout drawings showing recovered and proposed bench mark 

locations, and proposed sensor and DCP locations. 

• Prepare a materials list, and installation/deployment plan. CO-OPS will approve. 

• Prepare communication plan (e.g., Line-of-Site (LOS) radio, phone, dedicated 

line). CO-OPS will approve. 

• Arrange for the installation of utilities. CO-OPS will place the order and pay for 

reoccurring electric, phone, and/or cellular costs. 

• Identify responsible parties and arrange for permits/licenses (standard NOS 

license agreement), if required. CO-OPS will execute permits/licenses. 

• Arrange for delivery and security of GFE. CO-OPS will pack and ship equipment 

going to the contractor. The contractor shall be responsible for packing of 

equipment being returned to CO-OPS and CO-OPS will fund the associated 

shipping. 

• Fabricate or procure all non GFE components. This shall include, but not be 

limited to, all cables and connectors; instrument enclosures; antennas; solar 

panels; batteries; desiccant; stands and mounts; meteorological towers, poles, and 

standoffs; bench mark rods, covers, and disks; and nitrogen tanks and regulators. 

• Conduct pre-installation/pre-deployment bench test of fully assembled and 

configured system to verify operation of all systems/sensors prior to actual 

installation/deployment in the field. 

• Install/deploy systems/sensors. 

• Install the bench mark network. 

• Conduct the Second Order Class I leveling (Third Order in Alaska, Hawaii, 

Pacific islands) between the bench marks and the sensor(s) to establish initial 

elevation relationships between the sensor(s) and bench marks for sensor stability 

control. 

• Conduct static GPS observations on a suitable bench mark that is part of the site’s 

leveling network and concurrently at a NAVD 88 bench mark. The contractor is 

not responsible for the processing of the GPS data. 

• Removal of station at end of project or prior to relocation. Removal includes (1) 

running closing levels to all benchmarks and the water level sensor; the leveling 

shall be performed by connecting to all marks and the sensor leveling point with 

Second Order Class I, precise leveling techniques, performed in accordance with 

NGS standards for geodetic leveling, and CO-OPS “Users Guide for the 

Installation of Benchmarks and Leveling Requirements for Water Level 

Recording Stations, NOAA/NOS October 1987;” (2) removal of the water level 

measurement system and restoration of the premises, reasonable wear and tear 

accepted; and (3) completion of the NGWLMS Site Report and other 

documentation as required. All sensors, data collection platforms, and enclosures 
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shall be returned (shipped) to CO-OPS. Support equipment such as protective 

wells, clamps, and towers in good condition shall be cleaned and returned to the 

contractor’s equipment deport for future installations. 

• Prepare documentation and provide metadata for the site, systems, and sensors 

within 15 working days of completion. 

Objective Completion

An installation is successful when all task order requirements have been satisfied and 

accepted by CO-OPS. Once CO-OPS has acquired 30 days of data, length of time series 

required for analysis, CO-OPS will determine if any follow on contractor work is 

required via an emergency maintenance task order. 

 

B. PERFORM ANNUAL MAINTENANCE AT NWLON AND SHORT-TERM 

WATER LEVEL STATIONS 

General Overview

The procedures for performing the annual maintenance are described in the “Appendix F 

of the NGWLMS Site Design, Preparation, and Installation Manual, January 1991"; and 

according to the annual project instructions. Appendix F provides the general guidelines 

for performing annual inspections, and the project instructions provide specific details 

required for all inspections in the current year and also at each site. “Project Instructions: 

Installation and Maintenance of Coastal Water Level Stations for Calendar Year 2004, 

January 2004" are included under References as a sample. 

Requirements included in the annual project instructions have precedence over 

requirements provided in task orders or the SOO. The requirements will be consistent 

with the scope of requirements provided in the SOO and task orders. 

The contractor shall conduct scheduled annual service and preventive maintenance 

activities to maintain the systems/sensors in good working order. CO-OPS will provide 

the necessary spare components to support the annual maintenance visits at each site. The 

contractor shall provide all personnel and miscellaneous hardware meeting CO-OPS 

specifications such as conduits, wires, voltage meters and electronic test equipment, 

welding supplies and equipment, leveling equipment, diving equipment, earth digging 

and other machinery required, as necessary, to perform the annual maintenance. This list 

is not complete and other equipment and support may be needed to complete the annual 

maintenance. 

This objective also includes the potential reinforcing (hardening) of tide house structures 

subject to harsh environments. 

Generic Tasks

• Run levels to verify the stability of the water level sensor. The leveling shall be 

performed by connecting to a minimum of five bench marks and the sensor 

leveling point with Second Order Class I, precise leveling techniques, performed 
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in accordance with NGS standards for geodetic leveling, and CO-OPS “User’s 

Guide for the Installation of Benchmarks and Leveling Requirements for Water 

Level Recording Stations, NOAA/NOS October 1987.” 

• Conduct static GPS observations on a suitable bench mark that is part of the site’s 

leveling network and concurrently at a NAVD 88 bench mark (exact time interval 

frequency, one to five years, between GPS operations at a particular station is to 

be determined). The contractor is not responsible for processing the GPS data. 

See “User’s Guide for GPS Observations, January 2003." 

• For those stations that have single or dual orifice Paroscientific pressure sensors 

installed as primary sensors, measure the orifice(s) above the primary bench 

mark. 

• Remove the acoustic water level sensor and its calibration tube and replace with a 

GFE matched pair. The contractor shall return the sensor and calibration tube for 

recalibration to CO-OPS. 

• For those stations subject to harsh environments, reinforce the installations. 

• Provide diver services to inspect and clean all underwater components such as the 

NGWLMS protective well, clamps, brackets, and other support structures such as 

timber beams and pilings. All diving activities shall meet the OSHA regulations. 

• If above or below water inspection results in the discovery of the need for major 

maintenance, construction, or station re-installation, the task is no longer annual 

maintenance and should be immediately reported to CO-OPS. Additional work 

would be accomplished through a separate task order. 

• Remove the wind sensor nose cone, if installed, and replace with a GFE nose 

cone. The contractor shall return the nose cone for recalibration to CO-OPS. 

• Remove the conductivity sensor, if installed, and replace with a GFE sensor. The 

contractor shall return the conductivity sensor for recalibration to CO-OPS. 

• Any specific requirements outlined in Section 2.0 Individual Station 

Requirements, of the Project Instructions. 

• Following each station visit, the contractor shall complete and submit to CO-OPS 

a Next Generation Water Level Measurement System (NGWLMS) Site Report 

describing the maintenance and repair action performed within 15 working days 

of completion. 

Objective Completion

Station maintenance is successful when all documentation has been accepted by COOPS. 

C. UPGRADE THE DATA COLLECTION PLATFORM (DCP) SYSTEM AT 

EXISTING WATER LEVEL STATIONS 

General Overview

Part of the CO-OPS long-term plan of modernization includes upgrading the existing 

primary DCP (Sutron 9000), to the new primary DCP (Sutron XPERT 9200), and the 

existing backup DCP (Sutron 8200) to the new backup DCP (XPERT DARK 9210). 
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Information about the Sutron XPERT system is located at 

http://www.sutron.com/PDFs/NOSG3WaterLevelStation.pdf

The project requirements, specific locations for the upgrades, upgrade details, and 

specific systems, that are Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), are contained in the 

task order. The contractor shall provide all necessary vehicles, vessels, tools, labor, and 

materials for the upgrade. All work shall be conducted in accordance with standard COOPS’ practices, unless otherwise specified. 

Generic Tasks

• The existing primary DCP Sutron 9000 shall be upgraded to the new DCP Sutron 

XPERT system and the existing back up DCP Sutron 8200 shall be upgraded to 

new redundant DCP Sutron XPERT DARK at locations specified in the specific 

task orders. 

• The contractor shall complete the NGWLMS Site Report and other 

documentation as required, after the upgrade at each water level station and 

provide that to CO-OPS within 15 days of completion. 

• The contractor shall return the replaced DCPs (Sutron 9000s and 8200s) to COOPS. 

Objective Completion

A station DCP upgrade is successful when all documentation has been accepted by COOPS. Completion includes the return of old hardware to CO-OPS. 

D. PROVIDE EMERGENCY/UNSCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AT NWLON 

AND SHORT-TERM WATER LEVEL STATIONS 

General Overview

The contractor shall conduct emergency or unscheduled maintenance to systems/sensors 

to correct problems or to repair failures as directed by CO-OPS. For specific emergency 

visits, CO-OPS shall provide the specific parts to replace the inoperative components. 

The contractor shall provide all necessary vehicles, vessels, tools, labor, and materials for 

the repair. All work shall be conducted in accordance with standard industry practices, 

unless otherwise specified. 

Generic Tasks

• This effort shall consist of a station visit to identify and correct operational 

problems with the station. The contractor is expected to respond and correct the 

problem within 72 hours after notification by CO-OPS of a station problem. 

• The contractor may be required to perform unscheduled servicing to install 

improved sensors, software updates, or utilities as required. 

Objective Completion

Emergency maintenance is successful when all task order requirements have been 

satisfied. 
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E. PERFORM MAJOR MAINTENANCE AT NWLON AND SHORT TERM 

WATER LEVEL STATIONS 

Generic Overview

The contractor shall recommend, and conduct, once approved by CO-OPS, major 

maintenance tasks that lie outside the scope of the maintenance tasks specified in 

Sections II.B-D. Major maintenance tasks shall be considered to be significant tasks in 

terms of maintaining or improving the station infrastructure, ensuring the collection of 

high quality data, or emergency repairs caused by storms or accidents. 

Generic Tasks

• Major maintenance tasks shall be identified during the annual maintenance visit, 

to be accomplished at a later date either during the same task order year or the 

following year. GFE will be limited to the list provided in the Statement of 

Objectives, unless specified otherwise. 

• Major maintenance may require an emergency/unscheduled maintenance visit as a 

prerequisite for determining the scope of work. The contractor and CO-OPS will 

mutually determine the scheduling of the approved major maintenance work, 

depending on existing schedules and availability of supplies. 

• Some examples of major maintenance tasks, but not limited to, are as follows: (1) 

repair of damaged protective wells, (2) replacement of several well brackets or 

supporting structures, (3) replacement of the equipment shelter, (4) multiple 

repairs required after storm damage, and (5) relocation of the station for various 

reasons. 

Objective Completion

Major maintenance is successful when all task order requirements have been satisfied and 

all documentation has been accepted by CO-OPS. 

III. CURRENTS OBJECTIVES 

A. FIELD SUPPORT FOR CIRCULATION STUDIES AND TIDAL CURRENT 

MEASUREMENTS FOR SHORT TERM STATIONS 

General Overview

CO-OPS collects, analyzes, and interprets near-shore oceanic and estuarine currents in 

the United States and its possessions. Although these data support multiple requirements, 

the primary focus is in support of the annual publication of NOAA’s Tidal Current 

Prediction Tables (under 33 CFR §146.33) as well as statutory authorization (33 USC 

§883a-b) to disseminate data and tidal current predictions. These data are used for 

navigational, scientific, engineering, legal, and recreational applications.
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In general, current meter deployments are to cover 30-70 days at each station, are self 

contained and do not require periodic maintenance or inspection. Horizontal looking 

current profilers require a land or structured based site, an external power and data 

collection platform and may be installed for periods of no less but greater than 30 days. 

Specific length of deployments and operations are determined upon selection of the 

station. CO-OPS will select all station locations.

Generic Tasks 

The project requirements, specific locations for the installations/deployments, 

installation/deployment details, and specific systems and sensors that are GFE (see 

Appendix C for sample equipment) are contained in the specific task orders. 

• Sub-surface current meter deployments. See Appendix D for additional generic 

information. See Appendix E for sample sub-surface mooring. 

• Bottom platform mooring. See Appendix D for additional generic information. 

See Appendix F for sample bottom platform diagram. 

• Surface buoy-mounted systems. See Appendix D for additional generic 

information. 

• Horizontal looking current profilers mounted to structures such as piers, bridges, 

or dolphins. See Appendix G for additional generic information. 

Objective Completion

Deployment and recovery operations are successful when all task order requirements 

have been satisfied. 

B. EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO RECOVER A FLOATING AND DRIFTING 

CURRENT METER MOORING 

General Overview

All sub-surface mooring and buoy mounted current meters will contain an ARGOS 

tracking beacon in the event that the mooring/buoy surfaces or breaks away outside of the 

time of the selected recovery period. 

Generic Tasks

Emergency response may require additional recovery time and contractor ship 

requirements. Government personnel will be responsible for tracking the platform. The 

contractor shall be responsible for platform recovery. Government personnel may 

accompany the contractor during recovery. 

Objective Completion

Emergency response is successful when all task order requirements have been satisfied. 
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C. VESSEL MOUNTED (TOWED) CURRENT METER OPERATIONS 

General Overview

Vessel mounted current meter operations (towed studies) are used to determine locations 

for short and long term current meter deployments. System components are GFE. 

Generic Tasks

• Towed studies are conducted over an entire tidal cycle (12.4 hours) for a 1-2 day 

period per site. 

• See Appendix H for additional general operational information. See Appendix I 

for sample system pictures. 

Objective Completion

Towed operations are successful when all task order requirements have been satisfied. 

IV. PORTS® OBJECTIVES 

A. INSTALL NEW PORTS® SITES AND NEW SENSORS AT EXISTING PORTS® 

SITES 

General Overview

PORTS® is a program that supports safe and cost-efficient navigation by providing ship 

masters and pilots with accurate real-time information required to avoid groundings and 

collisions. It is a decision support tool used to measure and disseminate observations and 

predictions of water levels, currents (from bottom platforms, side looking ADCPs, and 

surface buoy-mounted ADCPs), bridge clearance (air gap), and meteorological 

parameters (e.g., wind speed and direction, air and water temperature, and barometric 

pressure). 

There are many other sensors presently recognized by CO-OPS as having significant 

benefits to the maritime community which have not yet been incorporated into the 

standard suite of PORTS® instrumentation. Some of these are visibility, wave height and 

period, and water quality. These and other sensors may be added to the operational suite 

of PORTS® sensors after testing and acceptance. 

The contractor shall provide all necessary vehicles, vessels, tools, labor, and materials for 

the installation/deployment. All work shall be conducted in accordance with standard 

CO-OPS practices, unless otherwise specified. CO-OPS recognizes that particular 

situations will warrant deviations from standard guidelines and will consider alternatives 

prior to implementation. 
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Generic Tasks

The project requirements, specific locations for the installations/deployments, 

installation/deployment details, and specific systems and sensors that are Government 

Furnished Equipment (GFE) are contained in the specific task orders. 

• Provide site reconnaissance to obtain measurements and information necessary 

for the preparation of site view drawings. 

• Prepare site drawings, materials list, and installation/deployment plan. CO-OPS 

will approve. 

• Prepare communication plan (e.g., LOS radio, phone, dedicated line). CO-OPS 

will approve. 

• Arrange for the installation of utilities. CO-OPS will place the order and pay for 

reoccurring electric, phone, and/or cellular costs. 

• Identify responsible parties and arrange for permits/licenses (standard NOS 

license agreement), if required. CO-OPS will execute permits/licenses. 

• Arrange for delivery and security of GFE. CO-OPS will pack and ship. 

• Fabricate or procure all non GFE components. This shall include, but not be 

limited to, all cables, conduit, and connectors; instrument enclosures; antennas; 

solar panels; batteries and A/C chargers; desiccant; stands and mounts; 

underwater platforms and weights; meteorological towers, poles, and standoffs; 

bench mark rods, covers, and disks; and nitrogen tanks and regulators. 

• Conduct pre-installation/pre-deployment bench test of fully assembled and 

configured system to verify operation of all systems/sensors prior to actual 

installation/deployment in the field. 

• Install/deploy systems/sensors. The contractor shall provide all necessary 

vehicles, vessels, tools, labor, and materials for the installation/deployment. All 

work shall be conducted in accordance with NOS/CO-OPS practices, unless 

otherwise specified. CO-OPS recognizes that particular situations will warrant 

deviations from standard guidelines and will consider alternatives prior to 

implementation. 

• Install the bench mark network, if applicable. 

• Conduct the Second Order Class I leveling between the bench marks and the 

sensor(s) to establish initial elevation relationships between the sensor(s) and 

bench marks for sensor stability control. 

• Conduct static GPS observations on a suitable bench mark that is part of the water 

level measuring station’s leveling network and concurrently at a NAVD 88 bench 

mark. The contractor is not responsible for the processing of the GPS data. See 

“User’s Guide for GPS Observations, January 2003.” 

• Prepare documentation and provide metadata for the site, systems, and sensors 

within 15 working days of completion. 

Objective Completion

A PORTS® installation is successful when all task order requirements have been satisfied 

and accepted by CO-OPS. Once CO-OPS has acquired 30 days of data, length of time 

series required for analysis, CO-OPS will determine if any follow on contractor work is 

required via an emergency maintenance task order. 
15

B. PERFORM ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT EXISTING PORTS® SITES 

General Overview

The contractor shall conduct scheduled service and preventive maintenance activities to 

maintain the systems/sensors in good working order. 

CO-OPS will provide the necessary spare system components to support the maintenance 

visits at each site. The contractor shall provide all personnel and miscellaneous hardware 

meeting CO-OPS specifications such as conduits, wires, voltage meters and electronic 

test equipment, welding supplies and equipment, leveling equipment, diving equipment, 

earth digging and other machinery required, as necessary, to perform the annual 

maintenance. This list is not complete and other equipment and support may be needed 

to complete the annual maintenance. 

This objective also includes the potential reinforcing (hardening) of PORTS® related 

structures such as tide houses.

Generic Tasks

• One-Month Interval – Clean conductivity sensor (if installed) of marine growth. 

• Two-Month Interval - Inspect all the above water components of systems/sensors 

(e.g., instrument enclosures; locks; antennas; solar panels; batteries; desiccant; 

stands and mounts; meteorological towers, poles, and standoffs; conduit, cables, 

and connectors; and nitrogen gas cylinder supply). Clean, repair, or replace, as 

necessary. Particular attention shall be made to inspect the wind sensor bearings. 

• Six-Month Interval - Employ diver services to inspect all underwater components 

of current meters. Clean the ADCP heads. 

• 12-Month Intervals - Conduct one-month, two-month, and six-month service 

interval maintenance. In addition, divers shall remove and replace the 

transponders on the current meter platforms with GFE spare transponders. The 

contractor shall clean the transponders, replace internal batteries, test, and make 

ready for reissue. The divers shall also inspect and clean marine growth from the 

water level measurement system’s protective pipe and intake. The conductivity 

sensor shall be removed and replaced with GFE spare sensor. The contractor 

shall refurbish the conductivity sensor, repaint, and make ready for reissue. The 

acoustic water level sensor and its calibration tube shall be removed and replaced 

with a GFE spare matched pair. The contractor shall return the acoustic sensor to 

CO-OPS for recalibration. For those stations that have single or dual orifice 

Paroscientific pressure sensors installed as primary sensors, measure the orifice(s) 

elevation above the primary bench mark. Levels shall be run between the bench 

marks and the sensor(s) to ensure stability of the sensor(s). The wind sensor nose 

cones shall be replaced. The contractor shall return the nose cones to CO-OPS for 

recalibration. 

• 24-Month Interval - In addition to the 12-month servicing, the ADCP shall be 

replaced with a GFE spare. Replace gel cell batteries in ADCP top side 
16

electronics and other DCP sites. The contractor shall properly dispose of old 

batteries. The wind sensor bearings shall be replaced. 

• 48-Month Interval - In addition to the 12-month servicing, the entire ADCP, 

platform, transponder, armored underwater cable, and supporting hardware shall 

be replaced. The contractor shall remove and properly dispose old armored cable. 

The replacement ADCP and transponder will be GFE spare. 

• Spare electronic systems, replaceable internal components to GFE, and sensors. 

The contractor shall return all removed GFE to CO-OPS or its designated depot or 

repair facility. A new or refurbished replacement will be provided. It is the 

contractor’s responsibility to bench test all systems/sensors prior to use in the 

field. 

Generic Tasks for Annual Maintenance at PORTS® Water Level Measurement Stations

The procedures for performing the annual maintenance at PORTS® water level 

measurement stations are described in “Appendix F of the NGWLMS Site Design, 

Preparation, and Installation Manual, January 1991”; and according to the annual project 

instructions. “Project Instructions: Installation and Maintenance of Coastal Water Level 

Stations for Calendar Year 2004, January 2004” are included under References as a 

sample. Requirements provided in the annual project instructions have precedence over 

requirements provided in task orders or the SOO. 

• Run levels to verify the stability of the water level sensor. The leveling shall be 

performed by connecting to a minimum of five bench marks and the sensor 

leveling point with Second Order Class I, precise leveling techniques, performed 

in accordance with NGS standards for geodetic leveling, and CO-OPS “User’s 

Guide for the Installation of Benchmarks and Leveling Requirements for Water 

Level Recording Stations, NOAA/NOS October 1987.” 

• Conduct static GPS observations on a suitable bench mark that is part of the site’s 

leveling network and concurrently at a NAVD 88 bench mark (exact time 

interval, one to three years, between GPS operations at a particular station is to be 

determined). The contractor is not responsible for processing the GPS data. See 

“User’s Guide for GPS Observations, January 2003.” 

• For those stations that have single or dual orifice Paroscientific pressure sensors 

installed as primary sensors, measure the orifice(s) above the primary bench 

mark. 

• Remove the Acoustic water level sensor and its calibration tube and replace with 

a GFE matched pair. The contractor shall return the sensor and calibration tube 

for recalibration by CO-OPS. 

• For those stations subject to harsh environments, reinforce the installations. 

• Provide diver services to inspect and clean underwater components such as the 

NGWLMS protective well, clamps, brackets, and other support structures such as 

timber beams and pilings. All diving activities shall meet the OSHA regulations. 

• If above or below water inspection results in the discovery of the need for major 

maintenance, construction, or station re-installation, the task is no longer annual 

maintenance and should be immediately reported to CO-OPS. Additional work 

would be accomplished through a separate task order. 
17

• Remove the wind sensor nose cone, if installed, and replace with a GFE nose 

cone. The contractor shall return the sensor for recalibration by CO-OPS. 

• Remove the conductivity sensor, if installed, and replace with a GFE sensor. 

• Perform any specific requirements outlined in Section 2.0 Individual Station 

Requirements, of the Project Instructions. 

• Following each station visit, the contractor shall complete and submit to CO-OPS 

a Next Generation Water Level Measurement System (NGWLMS) Site Report 

describing the maintenance and repair action performed within 15 working days 

of completion. 

Generic Tasks for Maintenance at PORTS® Real-time Current Measurement Stations

The procedures for operating and maintaining real-time current measurement stations are 

described in the CO-OPS Standard Operating Procedure “Current Meter Installation, 

Operations, and Maintenance (Draft), dated December 1999”. 

For real time current measurements in navigation channels, CO-OPS generally uses RD 

Instruments Workhorse acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) mounted in bottom 

platforms. These instruments must be cabled to a data collection platform located on the 

shore. 

For real time current measurements near piers and other structures CO-OPS generally 

uses the Sontek Side Looking Acoustic Doppler Profiler (SL-ADP) or the RDI 

Workhorse H-ADCP that can be mounted to vertical surfaces to measure the currents at a 

single depth. These instruments must be cabled to a data collection platform on the pier. 

These sensors are usually installed 15 feet below MLLW (or 1⁄2 of the distance between 

the bottom and MLLW for water depths less than 30 feet). A critical component of these 

installations is that the instrument’s tilt and roll can not exceed 1 degree in either axis, as 

measured by the SL-ADP. 

Some deployments may use acoustic releases for recovery of the instrumentation from 

the sea bottom. CO-OPS uses either the ORE Coastal Acoustic Release Transponder 

(CART), Benthos 867-A or Benthos 875-PUB shallow water acoustic transponding 

releases. Both manufacturers’ releases can be communicated with using the Benthos DS8000 Acoustic Deck Unit for recovery and location of the units. The CART releases are 

used in tandem on a mooring line; the Benthos 867-A is used as a single release with 

bottom mounted systems. 

• The contractor shall provide instrument set up, deployment, and recovery 

operations. The contractor shall provide qualified personnel and ship support for 

deployment and recovery operations. 

• The contract vessel shall have sufficient line or wire and a capstan/winch capable 

of 2000 lbs of working load. The vessel will be required to load/offload all 

equipment at the designated shore based site and have a lifting capacity of up to 

2000 lbs for loading/offloading, deployments and recovery work. Other 

requirements include adequate deck space to accommodate the platform and cable 
18

reel spool, and navigational instrumentation including a DGPS and depth sounder. 

Captain and crew of the vessel must hold all required USCG licenses and meet 

safety standards per USCG regulations. 

• Final preparations, sensor checkouts and assembly prior to deployment shall be 

performed before deployment. All instrument specific parameters will be 

determined and provided by CO-OPS. The contractor shall collect all associated 

metadata during sensor setup, deployment, recovery, and data retrieval. Forms 

and minimum specifications for the metadata will be supplied by CO-OPS. Log 

sheets shall be thoroughly filled out for the deployments and recoveries. The log 

sheets shall include ADCP serial number, deployment and recovery date, exact 

time with zone description, GPS position, station depth (from ship’s sounding), 

field personnel names, and ship name. 

• The contractor shall maintain a facility for receiving and storage of spare 

equipment (e.g. bottom platforms, cable spools, etc.). All electronic equipment, 

tools and hardware shall be stored in a secure, environmentally controlled site to 

prevent degradation and theft of the equipment. The storage of shipping 

containers should be appropriate to their construction. 

• Upon recovery, the contractor shall be responsible for refurbishing and storing 

platform components, and/or securely packaging and shipping equipment to the 

CO-OPS designated facility. 

• Depending on the type of bottom platform being used, the deployment, inspection 

or recovery of the ADCP shall be accomplished by either; 1) sending divers down 

to install/remove the ADCP or to detach/attach a line to the platform, or 2) 

activating an acoustic signal which releases the platform from the lowering line 

(for deployment) or releases a flotation pod and instrument pack from the 

platform (which floats to the surface for retrieval). 

• The contractor shall adhere to the “draft NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 

Ship Charter Policy.” The contractor-supplied ship must meet all applicable 

required Coast Guard safety regulations before any work commences. 

Objective Completion

PORTS® maintenance is successful when all task order requirements have been satisfied 

and accepted by CO-OPS. 

C. UPGRADE THE DATA COLLECTION PLATFORM (DCP) SYSTEMS AT 

EXISTING PORTS® SITES 

General Overview

Part of the CO-OPS long-term plan of modernization includes upgrading the existing 

primary DCP (Sutron 9000), to the new primary DCP (Sutron XPERT 9200), and the 

existing backup DCP (Sutron 8200) to the new backup DCP (XPERT DARK 9210). 

Information about the Sutron XPERT system is located at 

http://www.sutron.com/PDFs/NOSG3WaterLevelStation.pdf
19

The project requirements, specific locations for the upgrades, upgrade details, and 

specific systems, that are Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), are contained in the 

task order. The contractor shall provide all necessary vehicles, vessels, tools, labor, and 

materials for the upgrade. All work shall be conducted in accordance with standard 

industry practices, unless otherwise specified. 

Generic Tasks

• The existing primary DCP Sutron 9000 shall be upgraded to the new DCP Sutron 

XPERT system and the existing back up DCP Sutron 8200 shall be upgraded to 

new redundant DCP Sutron XPERT DARK at locations specified in the specific 

task orders. 

• The contractor shall complete the NGWLMS Site Report and other 

documentation as required, after the upgrade at each water level station and 

provide that to CO-OPS within 15 days of completion. 

• The contractor shall return (ship) the replaced DCPs (Sutron 9000s and 8200s) to 

CO-OPS. 

Objective Completion

A station DCP upgrade is successful when all documentation has been accepted by COOPS. Completion includes the return of old hardware to CO-OPS. 

D. PERFORM EMERGENCY/UNSCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AT PORTS®

SITES 

General Overview

The contractor shall conduct emergency or unscheduled maintenance to systems/sensors 

in order to correct problems or to repair failures as directed by CO-OPS. For specific 

emergency visits, CO-OPS will provide the specific parts to replace the inoperative 

components. The contractor shall provide all necessary vehicles, vessels, tools, labor, 

and materials for the repair. All work shall be conducted in accordance with standard 

CO-OPS practices, unless otherwise specified. 

Generic Tasks

• The contractor shall be available via cell phone with voice mail messaging and 

email with four hours response time to remotely access systems and attempt to 

restore functions, reboot, or reload software. If remote repair attempts fail, the 

contractor shall notify the Technical Representative (TR), Task Manager, to 

receive emergency/unscheduled repair instructions. 

• The contractor may be required to perform unscheduled servicing to install 

improved sensors, software updates, or utilities as required. Unscheduled 

servicing will be conducted after obtaining emergency/unscheduled maintenance 

instructions from CO-OPS. 
20

Objective Completion

PORTS® emergency/unscheduled maintenance is successful when all task order 

requirements have been satisfied and accepted by CO-OPS. 

E. PERFORM MAJOR MAINTENANCE AT PORTS® SITES 

Generic Overview

The contractor shall recommend, and conduct, once approved by CO-OPS, major 

maintenance tasks that lie outside the scope of the maintenance tasks specified in 

Sections IV.B-D. Major maintenance tasks shall be considered to be significant tasks in 

terms of maintaining or improving the station infrastructure, ensuring the collection of 

high quality data, or emergency repairs caused by storms or accidents. 

Generic Tasks

• Major maintenance tasks shall be identified during the maintenance visits, to be 

accomplished at a later date either during the same task order year or the 

following year. GFE will be limited to the list provided in the Statement of 

Objectives, unless specified otherwise. 

• Major maintenance may require an emergency/unscheduled maintenance visit as a 

prerequisite for determining the scope of work. The contractor and CO-OPS will 

mutually determine the scheduling of the approved major maintenance work, 

depending on existing schedules and availability of supplies. 

• Some examples of major maintenance tasks, but not limited to, are as follows: (1) 

repair of damaged water level protective wells, (2) replacement of several well 

brackets or supporting structures, (3) replacement of the equipment shelter, (4) 

multiple repairs required after storm damage, and (5) relocation of the station for 

various reasons. 

Objective Completion

Major maintenance is successful when all task order requirements have been satisfied and 

all documentation has been accepted by CO-OPS. 

V. QUICK RESPONSE OBJECTIVE 

General Overview

At certain times, CO-OPS receives requests to provide information on water levels, 

currents, meteorological and oceanographic parameters (consistent with the typical 

parameters that CO-OPS measures normally) in response to an environmental incident or 

a national disaster. Examples of incidents for which CO-OPS has received support 

requests include the recent oil spill in the Delaware River cased by the MV Anthos 1, the 

crash of Egypt Air Flight 990 off Martha’s Vineyard in November 1999, and the sinking 

of the MV Bow Mariner off Virginia’s Eastern Shore in February 2004. During such 

incidents, there may only be a day or two between the time of CO-OPS being notified 

that information is requested and when the instruments are needed on site and in the 
21

water. CO-OPS has been building a capability to respond to these incidents by 

developing a vessel mounted (towed) current meter system that can be installed on a boat 

of opportunity and a relatively small, compact surface buoy that can be quickly 

transported and deployed in protected waters using a vessel with minimal deck space and 

lifting capacity. The towed current meter system is the same system as described in 

Section III under CURRENTS OBJECTIVES. All system components are GFE. 

Every incident is different and will involve different requirements, the contractor 

responsibilities shall be to assist in logistics planning, execution, and field support. COOPS personnel will be onsite and will be responsible for collecting and dissemination of 

all data and liaison with on-scene incident commanders. Since CO-OPS is still in the 

process of developing the quick response systems, not all of the standard operating 

procedures (SOPs) have been written. CO-OPS will distribute these standardized 

procedures to the contractor as they are developed. Until then, CO-OPS will not require 

that the contractor be responsible for the hardware checkout and maintenance. 

Generic Tasks 

• Logistics planning and installation of GFE equipment on vessel of opportunity at 

incident location. Logistics may or may not include providing a vessel. 

• On-site sensor and system checkout of GFE equipment prior to deployment. 

• Sensor maintenance during the time that it is deployed for the incident. 

Objective Completion

A quick response is successful when all task order requirements have been satisfied and 

accepted by CO-OPS. 

VI. ORDER OF PRECEDENCE 

All requirements, specifications, and procedures as specified in the specific task orders 

shall have the highest order of precedence, followed by those in these generic objectives. 

If there is ever an inconsistency or conflict among detailed task orders, generic 

objectives, or references, the specific task orders shall be followed. 

VII. REFERENCES 

• Draft NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) Ship Charter Policy 

• Next Generation Water Level Measurement System (NGWLMS) Site Design, 

Preparation, and Installation Manual, NOAA/NOS, January 1991 

• Project Instructions: Installation, Operation, and Maintenance of Coastal Water 

Level Stations for Calendar year 2004, January 2004 

• User’s Guide for Installation of Bench Marks and Leveling Requirements for 

Water Level Stations, NOAA/NOS, October 1987 

• CO-OPS Water Level and Meteorological Site Reconnaissance Procedures 
22

• Site Reconnaissance Field Notes 

• Water Level Station Site Report, CO-OPS Form FODSR12-00f 

• User’s Guide for GPS Observations, January 2003 

• Current Meter Installation, Operations, and Maintenance (Draft), dated December 

1999 

Some of these references are available on the web at http://coops.nos.noaa.gov/pub.html. All other references can be obtained by contacting: 

 Joseph M. Welch 

 Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services 

 National Ocean Service 

 SSMC4, Station 6544 

 1305 East West Highway 

 Silver Spring, MD 20910-3281 

 (301) 713-2897 x129 or marty.welch@noaa.gov

VIII. ACRONYMS 

ADCP Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler 

CART Coastal Acoustic Release Transponder 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations 

CO-OPS Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services 

CORMS Continuous Operational Real Time Monitoring System 

DCP Data Collection Platform 

DGPS Differential Global Positioning System 

DoC Department of Commerce 

GFE Government Furnished Equipment 

GPS Global Positioning System 

GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 

HCP Horizontal Current Profiler 

LOS Line of Sight 

NAO NOAA Administrative Order 

NAVD North American Vertical Datum 

NCOP National Current Observation Program 

NGS National Geodetic Survey 

NGWLMS Next Generation Water Level Measurement System 

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

NOS National Ocean Service 

NWLON National Water Level Observation Network 

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

PORTS® Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System 

QA Quality Assurance 

QC Quality Control 
23

SUBS Streamlined Underwater Buoyancy System 

TR Technical Representative 

TRBM Trawl Resistant Bottom Mount 

US United States 

USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers 

USC United States Code 

USCG United States Coast Guard 
24

Appendix A – Government Furnished Equipment (water level stations)

 

• Relevant historical information for the site 

 - Tidal datums 

 - Historic bench mark descriptions 

 - Historic current/hydro survey data 

 - GOES transmission information (azimuth and elevation) 

• Contact information for property owners, harbor masters, etc., if any 

• Sample systems and sensors 

- Tide station equipment shelter (heated, if possible), if a suitable location 

to house the water level collection equipment is not found during the 

reconnaissance; 

 - A primary Data Collection Platform (DCP); 

 - A single or multiple suite of sensors to be installed as primary sensor(s); 

 - A redundant DCP; 

 - A redundant pressure sensor; 

- A suite of ancillary sensors, one each of barometer, wind sensor, water 

temperature sensor, and air temperature sensor; 

- The Government will supply spare components as required to support the 

annual maintenance of the NWLON stations; 

 - The Government will supply spare components as required to support the 

emergency maintenance of the NWLON stations; and 

- Government will supply the Sutron XPERT DCP as primary DCP and 

Sutron Xpert Dark DCP as backup for the NWLON stations subject to 

DCP upgrade. 
25

Appendix B - Diagrams of typical coastal and Great Lakes NWLON stations 
26
27

Appendix C - Government Furnished Equipment (current meter deployments)

 Current Measurements – Note: not all equipment will be required for every Task Order 

involving current measurements. 

1. RD Instruments Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers; 

2. Sontek, Inc. Side Looker Acoustic Doppler Profilers (SL-ADP); 

3. Weather-proof enclosure and data collection electronics for the SL-ADP 

including batteries, charging system and data storage cards; 

4. Sontek cables for SL-ADP; 

5. RD Instruments batteries, cables memory cards; 

6. Streamlined Underwater Buoyancy System (SUBS) A2 and B3 buoys; 

7. ORE Coastal Acoustic Release Transponder (CART) systems; 

8. Benthos 867-A shallow water acoustic release systems; 

9. Benthos DS_8000 Acoustic Deck Unit; 

10. ARGOS tracking beacons; 

11. Mooring cable, chains and hardware; 

12. Additional floatation; 

13. Seabird Inc. Model SBE16 self contained Conductivity, Temperature and 

Pressure sampler, cable and batteries. 

14. Trawl Resistant Bottom Mount (TRBM) floatation pod and aluminum 

bases and replacement spectra line; 

15. UAT-367 Transponders and batteries; and 

16. Deployment Release, Peck and Hale quick release and deployment bridal 

 for TRBM. 

17. YSI Vfin Towed ADCP Body 

18. Aluminum ADCP towing clamp and pole mount for towed ADCP 

 operation. 
28

Appendix D – General Information for sub-surface, bottom platform and side 

looking deployments 

 1. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Specifications 

a. For non real time tidal current deployments, CO-OPS will be using 

RD Instruments Workhorse acoustic Doppler current profilers 

(ADCPs). These instruments are self contained, internally 

recording, and can be deployed in numerous platforms or 

moorings. CO-OPS will use 300, 600, or 1200 kHz systems 

depending on the water depth of the instrument. The 300 kHz 

ADCP is limited to profiling 165 meters in the long range mode, 

the 600 kHz model has a range to 70 meters, and the 1200 kHz 

instrument has a range of 20 meters. All ADCPs will be fitted with 

optional pressure sensors, depth rated to accommodate the 

maximum range. 

b. For tidal current measurements near piers and other structures COOPS uses the Sontek Side Looking Acoustic Doppler Profiler (SLADP) or the RDI Workhorse H-ADCP that can be mounted to 

vertical surfaces to measure the currents at a single depth. These 

instruments do not have internal batteries or data storage capacity 

and must be cabled to a data collection platform on the pier. These 

sensors are usually installed 15 feet below MLLW (or 1⁄2 of the 

distance between the bottom and MLLW for water depths less than 

30 feet). A critical component of these installations is that the 

instrument’s tilt and roll can not exceed 1 degree in either axis, as 

measured by the SL-ADP. 

2. Acoustic Release Specifications (applicable to bottom mounted ADCPs 

only) 

All stand-alone deployments use acoustic releases for recovery of the 

instrumentation. CO-OPS uses either the ORE Coastal Acoustic Release 

Transponder (CART), Benthos 867-A or Benthos 875-PUB shallow water 

acoustic transponding releases. Both manufacturers’ releases can be 

communicated with using the Benthos DS-8000 Acoustic Deck Unit for 

recovery and location of the units. The CART releases are used in tandem 

on a mooring line; the Benthos 867-A is used as a single release with 

bottom mounted systems. New batteries will be installed by CO-OPS 

prior to the field season. 
29

3. Bottom Mounted Platform Specifications 

 

CO-OPS uses 2 types of bottom mounted platforms for the non real time 

ADCP deployments. 

a. The Flotation Technologies’ model AL-200 is used for Trawlresistant Bottom Mount (TRBM) deployments. These are for 

relatively shallow deployments of approximately 50 meters or less, 

or where trawling or other hazards are likely. These can be 

deployed with a single Benthos 867-A shallow water acoustic 

transponding release. The floatation pod contains both the acoustic 

release and the ADCP. The TRBM requires a deck space of 

approximately six feet by six feet for storage and on a ship. 

TRBM deployments require the platform to be lowered to the 

bottom and then released with the GFE acoustic release. An 

underwater acoustic transponder is attached to the platform prior to 

deployment and is used for verification of location at recovery. 

See Appendix F1 for a diagram of the TRBM 

 b. The ES-2 bottom mount platform is functionally similar to the 

TRBM except that it is approximately 18 inches taller and uses the 

Benthos 875-PUB pop buoy for the acoustic release. This release 

deploys a pop up buoy that is attached to the platform. The pop up 

buoy does not contain the ADCP which must be recovered with the 

platform. The ES-2 platform requires the same amount of deck 

space as the TRBM and is deployed in the same manner. See 

Appendix F2 for an example of the ES-2 platform. 

4. Subsurface Mooring Specifications 

For deep water stations where fishing is not a concern, CO-OPS may 

require the Streamlined Underwater Buoyancy System (SUBS) A2 buoy 

system from Open Seas Instrumentation Inc. to be used. The SUBS 

moorings consist of a plastic streamlined buoy that contains floatation and 

the ADCP, a length of cable or chain with additional floatation, dual 

acoustic releases and an anchor that may weigh up to 1000 lbs. The 

mooring cable lengths are variable being determined by the water depth in 

which the moorings are deployed. Depending on the station depth, the 

maximum mooring length could be up to 200 meters. For the shallowest 

stations the moorings would be no more than 10 meters in total length. 

The amount of floatation will be calculated based on station depth, 

expected current strength, and mooring weight. Floatation will consist of a 

second SUBS unit (model B3) and/or floatation balls. ARGOS tracking 

beacons (GFE) shall be incorporated on all ADCP-SUBS moorings in 

order to track the unit if it surfaces at some time other than the recovery. 
30

CO-OPS will perform tracking of the beacon. See Appendix E for an 

example of the SUBS mooring design. 

5. Contractor Current Meter Deployment and Recovery General 

Requirements

a. The contractor shall provide on-site instrument set up, deployment, 

and recovery operations. The contractor shall provide qualified 

personnel and ship support for deployment and recovery 

operations. This shall include providing a ship capable of the 

required work, a shore based site for logistics that includes 

facilities for the receiving, storage and shipment of all equipment, 

and at least one electronic technician familiar with RDI ADCPs 

and oceanographic acoustic releases. All GFE will be shipped by 

CO-OPS to the contractor-specified logistics site. Final 

preparations, sensor checkouts and assembly prior to deployment 

will be inspected by CO-OPS. All instrument specific parameters 

will be determined and provided by CO-OPS. 

b. All instrument deployments and recoveries shall occur during 

daylight hours and as close to predicted “slack” water periods 

(minimum current) as possible. A slack is preferable, particularly 

on the recovery, since the ship needs to be able to hold station 

while the equipment is brought on board. No anchoring will be 

required for either system deployments or recoveries. CO-OPS 

will provide tidal current predictions for the deployment and 

recovery time periods, once those dates are determined. 

c. The contractor will collect all associated metadata during sensor 

setup, deployment, recovery, and data retrieval. Forms and 

minimum specifications for the metadata will be supplied by COOPS. Log sheets will be thoroughly filled out for the deployments 

and recoveries. The log sheets will include ADCP serial number, 

deployment and recovery date, exact time with zone description, 

GPS position, station depth (from ship’s sounding), field personnel 

names, and ship name. The stations will not require any periodic 

inspections. The instruments must be in the water for at least 35 

days and not more than 75 days. Side looking ADCPs may be 

deployed for longer periods based on the requirements of the 

specific task order. The contractor shall be responsible for clean 

up and maintenance of the mooring gear prior to its redeployment. 

d. The contractor shall maintain a storage facility to hold all unused 

equipment during the project period. Upon completion of the final 

recovery, the contractor shall be responsible for securely 
31

packaging and shipping of all equipment to the CO-OPS 

designated facility. All shipping costs will be paid by CO-OPS. 

All electronic equipment, tools and hardware shall be stored in a 

secure, environmentally controlled site to prevent degradation and 

theft of the equipment. The storage of shipping containers should 

be appropriate to their construction. 

6. Contractor Deployment and Recovery of Bottom Mounted ADCP 

Platforms 

a. TRBM and ES-2 deployments will include lowering the platform 

to the bottom. This requires the contract ship to have sufficient 

line or wire and a capstan/winch capable of 2000 lbs of working 

load. The platform is lifted from the deck using a deployment 

bridle with an acoustic release. The bridle/release is of 5-10 feet 

height. The platform is lowered into the water until the 

deployment line/wire is slackened. The wire/line is then taken up 

until taut and the deployment GFE acoustic release is triggered. 

See Appendix F3. 

b. Recovery of the bottom platforms at the end of deployment is 

accomplished by sending an acoustic signal which releases the 

flotation pod and instrument pack for the TRBM or just the 

flotation pod for the ES-2. The pod floats to the surface for 

retrieval. With both platform types the pod is tethered to the base 

using Spectra line (up to 3/8 inch diameter, line is GFE). The 

Spectra line is used to recover the base. The pod will be brought 

on board and the Spectra line secured prior to removal/cutting from 

the base unit. The slack is then taken from the Spectra line. Once 

the slack is out, the line should be taken to power on a winch or 

capstan. When the base is at the surface an additional line(s) will 

be tied for safety. If necessary the base can then be rinsed, and/or 

brought on board. 

 

7. Contractor Deployment and Recovery of ADCP-SUBS 

a. ADCP-SUBS moorings are deployed by first placing the buoy in 

the water and allowing the rest of the mooring to pay out, with the 

exception of the anchor. Once on station, the anchor can be 

deployed by jettisoning it directly from the stern of the ship. An 

alternative deployment method may be the use of a quick release 

shackle to deploy the anchor after the mooring has been streamed 

out and the anchor has been placed at the water’s edge. It should 

be noted that in any deployment method, the ADCP buoy and 

floatation shall be deployed first with the anchor deployed last and 
32

only when it is clear that the mooring string is streaming straight 

and with out any potential kinks or tangles. 

b. The ensuing recoveries shall occur by commanding an acoustic 

release mounted above the anchor on the mooring. The ADCPSUBS will then surface leaving the anchor behind. The unit may 

be recovered with a small ship if such conditions favor a small 

ship. The main recovery ship shall hoist the recovered mooring on 

to its deck, making sure that the ADCP, the acoustic releases and 

the floatation are protected from damage. 

8. Contractor installation and recovery of the Side Looker ADCPs 

a. CO-OPS will provide the contractor with the Side Looker ADCP 

(SL-ADCP), the appropriate SL-ADCP mounting structure, 

cabling and surface data collection electronics. The contractor will 

be responsible for installing the SL-ADCP mount, the cabling and 

the surface electronics. Incidental mounting supplies, (i.e. 

mounting straps, misc. nuts and bolts, etc.) will be the 

responsibility of the contractor. Additional specifications for the 

installation of a SL-ADP are included in the pertinent task orders. 

CO-OPS will be responsible for obtaining all required permissions 

for mounting the SL-ADP and its associated equipment from the 

pier owners and other required entities. See Appendix F4. 

b. At the conclusion of the task order project the contractor will be 

responsible for the removal of the SL-ADP, data collection 

electronics, and all mounting hardware. 

 

9. Ship Requirements 

The contractor shall adhere to the “draft NOAA Administrative Order 

(NAO) Ship Charter Policy” (see appendix I). The contractor-supplied 

ship must meet all applicable required Coast Guard safety regulations 

before any work commences. All contract vessels will be inspected for 

compliance and approved by CO-OPS or a CO-OPS designated 

representative prior to equipment loading and instrument deployment. 

The vessel will be required to load/offload all equipment at the designated 

shore based site and have a lifting capacity of up to 2000 lbs for 

loading/offloading, deployments and recovery work. Other requirements 

include adequate deck space to accommodate the appropriate number of 

platforms or mooring systems to be deployed or recovered, navigational 

instrumentation including a DGPS and depth sounder, bunk quarters for 

NOAA and contractor personnel when overnight stay may be required. 
33

Captain and crew of the vessel must hold all required USCG licenses and 

meet safety standards per USCG regulations. 
34

Appendix E – Sample sub-surface ADCP Mooring 
35

Appendix F – Sample platforms 

F1 – Trawl Resistant Bottom Mount (TRBM) ADCP platform 
36

Appendix F2 – ES2 bottom mounted ADCP platform 
37

Appendix F3 – Deployment and recovery procedures for TRBM 
38

Appendix F4 – Side looker acoustic Doppler profiler 
39

Appendix G – General information for towed ADCP operations 

Depending on the application, CO-OPS has two ways to collect towed ADCP data. 

Both systems collect data in real time using RDI data collection software designed for 

towed ADCP operation (Winriver). DGPS data is incorporated into the collected data 

stream to provide accurate positioning information. Currently, CO-OPS has been using a 

Trimble DGPS that can be temporarily mounted on any vessel to collect this data. The 

two towing systems are described in more detail below. See Appendix H for pictures of 

the two systems. 

1. Towed ADCP Specifications 

a. The YSI VFIN can be used with RDI Workhorse ADCPs in the 

 shorter Monitor housing. The VFIN can accommodate either the 

300, 600, or 1200 kHz systems depending on the water depth of 

the planned track lines. This system is towed off the side of the 

vessel with a towline and a separate power/data cable. 

b. CO-OPS also has a pole mounted ADCP system that is installed by 

clamping it to the side of the vessel. The RDI Workhorse in the 

longer Sentinel housing is clamped on to a pole which is attached 

to a pivoting arm. This arm is inserting into a slot on a C-clamp 

type of mount that is securely fitted to the side of the vessel. When 

not actively collecting data, the ADCP pole can be rotated out of 

the water and tied off. 

5. Contractor Towed ADCP General Requirements 

a. The contractor shall provide logistic support, on-site equipment set 

up, deployment, and recovery operations. The contractor shall 

provide qualified personnel and ship support for towed ADCP 

operations. This shall include providing a ship capable of the 

required work, a shore based site for logistics that includes 

facilities for the receiving, storage and shipment of all equipment. 

All GFE will be shipped by CO-OPS to the contractor-specified 

logistics site. The contractor will be responsible for installing the 

towed ADCP system on the ship but CO-OPS personnel will 

operate the system and collect all data. Final preparations, sensor 

checkouts and assembly prior to deployment will be inspected by 

CO-OPS. 

b. Since CO-OPS has two systems for collecting towed ADCP data, 

CO-OPS personnel and the contractor will work together to 

determine which system should be used for the specific operations. 

Specific details will be contained in the Task Orders. These details 
40

will include information on the area of operations, the data 

collection time periods and precise information on the track lines 

to be run. 

c. The contractor shall maintain a storage facility to hold all unused 

equipment during the project period. Upon completion of the final 

data collection cruise, the contractor shall be responsible for 

securely packaging and shipping of all equipment to the CO-OPS 

designated facility. All shipping costs will be paid by CO-OPS. 

All electronic equipment, tools and hardware shall be stored in a 

secure, environmentally controlled site to prevent degradation and 

theft of the equipment. The storage of shipping containers should 

be appropriate to their construction. 
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Appendix H – Sample towed system pictures 

YSI Vfin towed ADCP body 

Pole Mounted Towed ADCP mount 
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