National Ocean Service 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

Annual Science Report: Year 2020 
This report includes summaries of selected scientific projects undertaken by the program offices of 

NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) during Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20). All of these projects were 

submitted by each program office for consideration in the annual NOAA Science Report (2020), within 

which many are also featured. Each project summary includes a short description of the research conducted by 

NOS staff, major accomplishment(s), and links to published materials and online project information.

Assembled by the National Ocean Service Coastal Science Board 

Mary Culver (Chair), Office for Coastal Management

Anthony R. Marshak (Coordinator), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Felipe Arzayus, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Gregory Dusek, Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services

Stephen Gittings, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Steve Hilla, National Geodetic Survey

Hassan Moustahfid, U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System

Amy V. Uhrin, Office of Response and Restoration

Neil Weston, Office of Coast Survey

About the NOS Coastal Science Board: The NOS Coastal Science Board serves as the forward-thinking 

science advisory group to the National Ocean Service. The Board provides a forum to strengthen internal 

connections between program offices, resulting in better service to NOS constituents and greater support of 

NOAA’s mission. Additionally, the Board provides assistance to all NOS Program Offices in establishing and 

addressing priorities for coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes science, as well as in identifying current and future 

science and research requirements in support of NOS Program Offices, associated stakeholders, and statutory 

mandates. The Board reports to the director of the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), who 

serves as the NOS representative to the NOAA Science Council. The Board also provides annual updates of its 

progress to NOS program office leadership.

About the Agency: The National Ocean Service (NOS) is the nation’s premier science agency for oceans and 

coasts. NOS delivers the applied science, modeling, tools, and services needed to understand, predict, and 

respond to the challenges we face along America’s 95,000 miles of shoreline and 3.5 million square nautical 

miles of coastal, Great Lakes, and deep-ocean waters. Additionally, NOS oversees the definition, maintenance, 

and access to the National Spatial Reference System for all federal geospatial activities. This enables NOS to 

better manage the sea/shore boundary for coastal resilience and planning. 

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Table of Contents

Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services  

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science  

National Geodetic Survey  1

Office of Coast Survey

Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Office of Response and Restoration

Office for Coastal Management

U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System  4

References  

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Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services 

NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) is the authoritative source for 

accurate, reliable, and timely tides, water levels, currents and other oceanographic information. CO-OPS data, 

products and services support safe and efficient navigation, sound ecosystem stewardship, coastal hazards 

preparedness and response, and the understanding of climate change. Included below are two highlighted 

scientific projects by CO-OPS researchers and their partners.

NOAA Development of a Webcam Coastal Observing Network

NOAA NOS launched a 

pilot observation network to 

collect imagery from a 

series of web-enabled 

cameras mounted along the 

southeast coast of the 

United States. The collected 

imagery provides a new

way to collect data on rip 

currents, high tide flooding, 

and other coastal hazards. 

Images are also used to 

identify marine mammals 

along the coast, as well as to track human uses of natural resources — including beach use during the 

COVID-19 pandemic. Images are acquired and processed in a standardized way so they may be incorporated 

into a wide range of downstream scientific applications and products. The pilot program is a public-private 

partnership that includes NOAA, the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association, the U.S. 

Geological Survey, Surfline Inc., the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and University of South 

Carolina.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Published peer reviewed journal article detailing the development and goals of the 

network; development of a software tool to enable remote webcam imagery rectification using Lidar data (journal 

article submitted); and use of the network to help assess beach use during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Peer reviewed journal article: Dusek et al. 2019 Frontiers in Marine Science 

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00353/full

Pilot site for webcam network:

https://secoora.org/webcat/

News article detailing camera calibration tool:

https://secoora.org/new-open-source-tool-to-remotely-calibrate-web-camera-data/

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The Buxton, NC (left) and Miami Beach, FL (right) webcams installed as part of the 

pilot webcam observation network. Image Credit: Sur
Development and Demonstration of Wave Measurements 

from Radar Tide Gauge

NOAA CO-OPS is currently 

transitioning the primary water 

level sensor at most National 

Water Level Observation 

Network (NWLON) stations 

from an acoustic ranging 

system to microwave radars. 

With no stilling well and higher 

resolution of the open sea 

surface, microwave radars have 

the potential to provide realtime wave measurements at 

NWLON sites. Radar sensors at 

tide stations may offer a low

cost, convenient way to 

increase nearshore wave 

observational coverage 

throughout the U.S. to support 

navigational safety and ocean 

research applications.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Completed detailed laboratory and field testing and associated analysis to 

demonstrate microwave radar water level sensors’ capability to simultaneously measure average sea 

level and waves

Peer reviewed journal article: Fiorentino et al. 2019 Frontiers in Marine Science

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00586/full

NOAA Ocean Podcast Coverage:

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast/oct14/mw128-taking-measure.html

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Microwave radar tide gauge used for sea level and wave measurements at an 

NWLON station. Image Credit: Laura Fiorentino, NOAA CO-OPS. 
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science 

(NCCOS) is the focal point for NOAA’s coastal 

ocean science efforts. NCCOS helps NOAA to meet 

its coastal stewardship and management 

responsibilities, and provides coastal managers with 

the scientific information necessary to decide how 

best to protect environmental resources and public 

health, preserve valued habitats, and improve the 

way that communities interact with coastal 

ecosystems. NCCOS major focus areas include 

coastal change: vulnerability, mitigation, and 

restoration; marine spatial ecology; social science, 

and stressor impacts and mitigation. NCCOS 

additionally funds external research through its 

Competitive Research Program. Included below are 

ten highlighted projects by NCCOS, NCCOSsupported researchers, and their partners.

Kachemak Bay Ecological Assessment: Supporting 

Alaska Coastal Resource Management

NOAA NCCOS has conducted a Kachemak 

Bay, Alaska ecological assessment project to 

knit together a broad range of spatial habitat 

and environmental data into new information 

tools for Alaska coastal resource management 

and planning. Kachemak Bay is a productive, 

subarctic estuary in southcentral Alaska that 

contains all the coastal habitats found in the 

Gulf of Alaska, with fish, shellfish, marine 

mammal, and bird populations that support

recreational and commercial harvests. 

Kachemak Bay has seen an increase in 

ecotourism activities and tourism is a 

significant economic driver for the region. 

NOAA, along with federal, state, tribal, 

industry, and non-governmental organization partners, has produced a pilot “State of Kachemak Bay” report, 

developed online tools to improve public data access and visualization of spatial data, and is producing an 

ecological status report in 2021 to highlight regional coastal changes over the past two decades. The project’s 

goal is to provide information tools that help Alaska communities deal with challenges from changing fish and 

shellfish populations, climate change, harmful algal blooms, and to explore opportunities in shellfish and kelp 

mariculture. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): As part of the assessment, the FY20 pilot “State of Kachemak Bay” report 

summarizes information on marine conditions and resources for state, Alaska Native and public coastal 

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Kachemak Bay is a "natural laboratory" of Alaska coastal habitats, 

with sandy clam beds, seagrass meadows, and rocky, deep fjords 

lined with kelp forests. Image credit: Kris Holderied, NOAA 
stakeholders. In addition, an updated online data visualization tool (BioMapper) improves access to 

spatial information on coastal habitats, environmental conditions and resources. 

State of Kachemak Bay Report: 

https://cdn.coastalscience.noaa.gov/projects-attachments/396/StateofKachemakBay_2019Highlights.pdf

State of Kachemak Bay Report News Item:

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/state-of-kachemak-bay-report-highlights-long-term-monitoring-data/

Project URL: 

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/ecological-assessment-for-kachemak-bay-alaska-science-tools-to-informmanagement/

Testing Alternative Oyster Restoration Strategies 

using Novel Chemical Marking Tools 

NOAA NCCOS 

is leading 

research that 

uses novel 

chemical tagging

tools to test 

alternative oyster 

setting methods. 

Oyster setting is 

the process in 

which larvae 

attach to a setting material such as shell. In partnership with the U.S. Naval Academy and the Maryland 

Department of Natural Resources, research divers used fluorescently-marked larvae to test releasing oyster 

(Crassostrea virginica) larvae directly onto planted oyster shells in the Chesapeake Bay. Oyster larvae are 

marked by placing them in a calcein (fluorescent dye) bath prior to release, after which the dye acts as a tag 

once absorbed by the oyster shell. NCCOS has been examining the utility of chemical markers in late-stage 

larval oysters to determine specific oyster recruitment and in evaluating oyster reef restoration strategies. The 

research shows that juvenile oysters can be established from larvae set directly at the site without using 

enclosures. The techniques developed in this portfolio may reduce the requirement for scarce shell or other 

setting material, and reduce the logistical and material handling costs associated with traditional spat-on-shell 

oyster practices in both restoration and aquaculture sectors. These reductions have the potential to avoid 

challenges commonly associated with publicly funded restoration projects using alternative substrate, and can 

make restoration and aquaculture seeding practices more economical. Tagging methods utilized for larval origin 

confirmation build on methods developed in the NCCOS funded Oyster Marking Methodology Study.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Continued release and monitoring of deployed larvae onto shell-bag reefs 

in the study site and of observed oyster spat recruitment. 

Project URL: 

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/new-technique-shows-oyster-shell-seeding-is-possible-in-open-water/

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Spat on shell produced by direct setting, as seen with the naked eye (left image).The calcein 
NCCOS-funded Research Evaluates Options for Managing 

Dune Systems in North Carolina

An NCCOS-funded observational and dynamic modeling study assessed possible beach and dune management 

actions to help coastal communities make informed decisions in the context of extreme storms and sea level 

rise. The project, led by researchers at Oregon State University and University of North Carolina, evaluated 

dune shape as a function of beach nourishment, dune grass planting, sand fencing, and treatment of the wrack 

line on the Outer Banks, NC. The team discovered that nourishing beaches prior to the storm season, planting 

dunes with certain species of dune grasses, and allowing a wrack line to remain on the beach all led to taller and 

wider dunes systems. In contrast, sand fencing created shorter but wider dunes. The models demonstrate how 

management actions influence dune shape, which has implications for coastal protection during storm events, 

flood protection capacity, and the resilience of beaches and dunes. This study was supported through the 

NCCOS Effects of Sea Level Rise (ESLR) Program.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): The NOAA funded research team delivered their findings on possible dune 

management actions to the management advisory group, composed by beach and dune managers and 

city managers in May of 2020. 

Project URLs:

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/the-effect-of-sand-fencing-on-the-structure-of-natural-dune-systems/

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/grasses-shape-and-protect-coastal-dunes-in-different-ways/

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/new-tool-informs-dune-recovery-after-storms/

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Sand fencing on Bogue Banks, NC. Photo: NOAA NCCOS 
Application of Quantitative Molecular Methods to Characterize 

Abundance and Distribution of Alexandrium cysts for NOAA’s 

HAB Forecasting

NCCOS is developing new methods to better forecast blooms of Alexandrium catenella, a marine alga that 

causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines of the U.S. and Canada. This 

project supports development for two lab-based quantitative molecular methods for more rapid, accurate 

detection of Alexandrium catenella resting cysts in sediment. Scientists are working with the University of 

Washington Tacoma, the University of Alaska, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to map the 

distribution of Alexandrium resting cysts in the Gulf of Maine, Puget Sound, and the waters around Kodiak 

Island and Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Cyst distribution and abundance are used to forecast blooms of Alexandrium 

cells in the water column. Molecular detection methods and training is needed to advance research and HAB 

forecasting applications that reduce effort and turnaround time for cyst enumeration. New methods employing 

molecular-level analytical procedures known as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and fluorescent 

in situ hybridization (FISH) were developed to reduce the time and effort required for cyst identification and 

counting. These molecular tools are being tested to better characterize cyst distribution and speed up the 

forecasting process for Alexandrium blooms. The project will help expand NOAA HAB Operational 

Forecasting to new regions.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): First season of field sampling, initial design of quantitative PCR assay and 

in situ labeling method completed pending method refinement and validation.

Project URL: 

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/application-of-quantitative-molecular-methods-to-characterizeabundance-and-distribution-of-alexandrium-cysts-for-noaas-hab-forecasting/

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 Light micrograph (left) of an Alexandrium resting cyst in the sediment. The same cyst (right) stained with a 
Spatial Predictive Modeling for ESA-listed Corals

NCCOS uses spatial modeling to predict the distributions of threatened coral species in the U.S. Atlantic 

(Florida) and Caribbean (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands). NOAA is partnering with scientists in academia and 

the federal government to develop new modeling approaches and interactive mapping applications that provide 

data-driven spatial predictions for the presence, absence, abundance, and population structure of multiple 

threatened coral species. These outputs also include associated estimates of predictive uncertainty, and a spatial 

database of Atlantic coral ecosystem monitoring, in accessible map formats. These products are used to inform 

management decisions that may affect coral species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), such as 

spatial planning for coral restoration and place-based management.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): A coral model is in development for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 

Islands.

Project URL:

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/spatial-predictive-modeling-threatened-esa-corals-u-s-atlantic-caribbean/

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NCCOS is mapping predicted distributions of ESA-listed corals, such as this lobed star coral (Orbicella annularis), 

throughout the U.S. Atlantic. Image credit: NOAA Fisheries. 
Promising HAB Control Method Builds on NCCOS-Funded 

Discovery of Natural Algicide. 

An NCCOS funded project, led by University of Delaware marine scientist Dr. Kathryn Coyne, characterized an 

algicidal compound produced by the bacterium Shewanella, and confirmed the compound can selectively kill 

marine dinoflagellate phytoplankton known to produce harmful algal blooms. Using small-scale microcosm 

experiments, the team found the naturally occurring compound induces programmed cell death in 

dinoflagellates, while having no negative impacts on other phytoplankton, fish, or shellfish. Results pointed to 

the compound as an effective and environmentally safe natural algicidal agent, but additional research was 

needed to determine a cost effective and efficient method to deploy it in the environment. This project is 

supported by the NCCOS Prevention, Control and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms (PCMHAB) Program.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): With additional funding by Delaware Sea Grant, the Coyne team is now 

testing a promising and novel delivery method using mesh bags filled with gel-like alginate beads 

temporarily deployed in coastal waters, where needed, to prevent algal blooms from occurring, or to 

shut down or mitigate blooms already underway.

Project URL: 

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/promising-hab-control-method-builds-on-nccos-funded-discovery-ofnatural-algicide/

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Fluorescent images of a harmful dino
NCCOS Research Provides Scientific Foundation for U.S

Supreme Court Ruling

A recent U.S. Supreme 

Court ruling found that 

pollution discharge 

into groundwater from 

a Maui County (HI) 

sewage treatment plant 

(County of Maui v. 

Hawaii Wildlife Fund) 

fueled macroalgal 

(seaweed) blooms 

along the west side of 

the Island of Maui. At

this location, 

wastewater is injected 

into disposal wells, 

travels underground, 

and ends up in the 

Pacific Ocean, thereby violating the permitting program of the US Clean Water Act. The Act will now apply to 

pollution that funnels through groundwater before reaching a federally regulated waterway. Following a series 

of studies funded by NOAA in the 1990’s, projects supported through the NCCOS Ecology and Oceanography 

of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) program and Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative (HCRI) focused research 

efforts on the link between increased nutrients from land-based sources of pollution and the decline in coral 

health. Results showed that all coastal waters near injection wells had high nitrogen values and were impacted 

by sewage effluent high in nutrients (but no pathogens) leaking from deep injection wells. These findings 

demonstrated that substantial nuisance macroalgal blooms in Maui coastal waters were linked to wastewater 

nutrient sources.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Understanding of the causes and solutions to algal blooms in Maui was the 

result of research led by NOAA and the combined efforts of numerous federal and state agencies, 

institutions, and other contributors over the last 25 years. Thus, the far reaching SCOTUS ruling not 

only highlights the value of the NCCOS Competitive Research Program (CRP), it also points out the 

common occurrence of CRP research providing management outcomes years, and even decades, after 

project funding has ended.

Project URL: 

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/nccos-research-provides-scientific-foundation-for-u-s-supremecourt-ruling/

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Maui County, Hawaii, wastewater treatment facilities at issue in Supreme Court litigation. 

Credit: Warren Gretz/NREL via E&E News. 
Ozone Impregnated Nano-bubble Technology Safely 

Eradicates Harmful Algal Blooms and Mitigates their Impact.

A five-year cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with American Marine University 

completes is first year to develop and deploy ozone impregnated nano bubble technology as an algal/microbial/

nutrient remediation strategy. Unlike ordinary bubbles that rise and burst at the surface of the water, 

nanobubbles implode under the pressure of the water, releasing oxygen and ozone that help dissolve harmful 

algae. Referred to as “NBOT”, this patented, precise generation of bubbles of less than one thousandth of a 

millimeter provides efficient transfer of ozone to attack microbes and shreds toxins with oxygen as a byproduct 

in hypoxic systems enhancing overall water quality. This powerful action can be implemented in a manner that 

is safe for humans and wildlife and when coupled with NBOT’s ability to also remove nutrients, provides 

cleaner water for longer periods of time thus minimizing bloom retreatment regimens.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): This first year completed successful demonstration projects in Port Mayaca 

Lock of Lake Okeechobee, Lake Newport in Ohio, Constitution Gardens Pond, Washington DC and 

Loxahatchee River in Jupiter FL.

Project URL: 

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/nccos-validates-nanobubble-technology-for-remediation-of-harmfulfreshwater-algal-blooms/

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Field site before (left) and 24 hours after (right) nanobubble treatment. Credit: NOAA NCCOS. 
Assessment of Fish Habitat in Tidal Waters of the Choptank 

River (Chesapeake Bay, Maryland) to Inform Conservation, 

Restoration, and Fishery Management Decisions

The Choptank watershed is an ecologically and economically valuable resource and one of NOAA’s ten Habitat 

Focus Areas. NCCOS is collecting and synthesizing biological, chemical, and physical data to characterize the 

condition of the watershed and identify land use impacts on the environment. This project builds off previous 

ecological assessments of the Choptank watershed and Chesapeake Bay toward improving water quality, the 

health of estuarine and coastal habitats, conservation and restoration efforts, and fishery management decisions.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): A report of recommendations for extending the tidal analytical/statistical 

framework from candidate tributary (Choptank River) to Chesapeake Bay tidal areas is in development.

Project URL: 

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/ecological-assessment-choptank-complex-habitat-focus-area/

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The Choptank River complex is located on Maryland’s eastern shore, and includes the Choptank River and its major 

tributaries. The watershed was selected as a NOAA Habitat Focus area in 2014. Image credit: NOAA Fisheries. 
A Geospatial Assessment of U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico 

Essential Fish Habitat in Relation to Offshore Sand Featur

Offshore sand resources, e.g., sand shoals, are 

increasingly being used for beach renourishment, 

barrier island restoration, and other uses to enhance 

resiliency of shorelines. However, the impact of sand 

dredging on fish and other marine resources is poorly 

understood. NCCOS is working with the Bureau of 

Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and NOAA 

Fisheries to provide information on these effects and 

to develop a geospatial decision support tool that 

helps users determine the relative risk to fisheries 

species that are associated with extraction of these 

sand resources.As the demand for Outer Continental 

Shelf sand increases, BOEM is facing increasingly 

complex issues, such as resource allocation, 

cumulative impacts from repeated use, space/use 

conflicts, protection of archaeological sites, and 

Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) impacts. In particular, 

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act requires that any federal agency 

undertaking or authorizing an action that may 

adversely affect EFH or federally managed fish 

species consult with NOAA. Researchers are using 

and developing geospatial maps to investigate the 

link between geomorphological features (e.g., sand

shoals) and EFH, to better analyze the potential 

impacts of sand relocation. These efforts will help to 

ensure that all necessary and effective precautions are 

taken to reduce impacts during sand dredging and 

conveyance to placement sites.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Development of 

a model and technical report with BOEM.

Project URL:

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/geospatial-assessment-u-s-atlantic-gulf-mexico-essential-fish-habitatrelation-offshore-sand-features/

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ShoalMATE (Shoal Map Assessment Tool for EFH) is a 

geo-spatial decision-support tool being used to guide 

wise use and dredging of North Carolina o
National Geodetic Survey 

NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) provides 

the framework for all positioning activities in the 

Nation. The foundational elements of latitude, 

longitude, elevation, and shoreline information 

impact a wide range of important activities. NGS’ 

mission is to define, maintain and provide access to 

the National Spatial Reference System to meet our 

nation's economic, social, and environmental needs. 

Included below are six highlighted scientific projects 

by NGS researchers and their partners.

Understanding the Role of Human-induced Subsidence in 

Affecting Sea-level Rise Hotspots in the Chesapeake B

The Chesapeake Bay is experiencing 

some very high rates of local sea-level 

rise (up to 4.8 mm/yr), and the rates are 

variable throughout the region. 

Presumably, these variations are due to 

differences in local vertical land motion 

(VLM), with subsidence being a leading 

cause. Unfortunately, we do not have a 

good handle on the spatial variations in

VLM, and the last authoritative study 

was published back in the early 1970’s. 

In 2019, a coalition of scientists from 

Federal, academic and state institutions 

began a 5-year research project attempt 

to tease out a VLM signal across the 

entire Chesapeake Bay area using annual 

GPS measurements spanning from the mouth of the Bay to Delaware Bay, from the coastal barrier islands of 

Assateague to the Shenandoah Mountains.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): From October 5-20, 2019 (FY20), NGS, along with its collaborators, 

successfully obtained an average of 66 hrs of GPS data across 54 sites; the data and metadata have been 

published at https://www.unavco.org/data/doi/10.7283/M6D3-T837. 

Press Release URLs:

https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/web/news/chesapeake-bay-sea-level.shtml

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/cba/science/new-crowd-sourcing-will-contribute-study-land-subsidence-and-sealevel-rise?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects

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Map showing locations of bench marks monitored as part of the 

Chesapeake Bay Regional VLM Project (left). GPS monitoring on 

Assateague Island National Seashore (right). 
Understanding and Estimating Total Propagated 

Uncertainty for NGS lidar sensors 

Starting in 2016, National Geodetic Survey (NGS) began research efforts with Oregon State University (OSU) 

and the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center, University of New Hampshire 

(CCOM/JHC, UNH) toward the development of robust total propagated uncertainty (TPU) models. These TPU 

models cover the range of NGS and Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise 

(JALBTCX) topo-bathy lidar systems and facilitates operational use of topo-bathy lidar in the lidar community 

and Coast survey by providing a level of uncertainty (via cBLUE app shown below) to improve informative 

decisions based on the multi-use of the data. In turn, this aids NOAA in obtaining survey data in challenging, 

nearshore areas, including shoreward of the navigation area limit line (NALL). Additionally, the enhanced use 

of topo-bathy data will contribute directly to NOAA’s Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IOCM) 

initiatives, by providing data that can simultaneously support coastal science and coastal zone management 

needs.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Incorporated research to create cBLUE, first phase of testing complete and 

now in use operationally at NGS for Riegl VQ-880-G topo-bathy lidar surveys.

Peer reviewed journal article: Eren et al. 2019 Photogrammic Engineering and Remote Sensing

https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asprs/pers/2019/00000085/00000008/

art00011;jsessionid=i5midxo2i62m.x-ic-live-01

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cBLUEApp Module (top right) was created using topo-bathy lidar (middle image) TPU model research (schematic on 

top left) by Oregon State University (OSU) and the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center, 

University of New Hampshire (CCOM/JHC, UNH) for use by NGS. 
Applying New Research and Automating 

Satellite-Derived Bathymetry

Starting in 2016, National Geodetic Survey (NGS) began collaboration efforts between the National Centers for 

Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and the Office of Coast Survey (OCS) to create a user friendly Satellite 

Derived Bathymetry (SDB) tool that would provide consistent and quick results utilizing new research from Dr. 

Isabel Cabellero and Dr. Richard Stumpf. Since 2016, progress has been made to incorporate “a robust 

atmospheric correction, a multi-scene compositing method to reduce the impact of turbidity and a switching 

model to improve mapping in shallow water” to improve Dr. Stumpf, et al.’s 2003 SDB algorithm. In tandem to 

this effort, NGS has been working with NCCOS to develop a framework and began developing the NOAA 

SatBathy tool.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): NGS began creating the framework and creation of the SatBathy tool.

Peer reviewed journal article: Caballero & Stumpf 2020 Remote Sensing:

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/3/451

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Oregon SDB created Inlet (Oct 2020) using NGS’ new pre-alpha SatBathy tool v1.0 based on research from NCCOS. 
The Experimental Geoid 2020

Starting in 2014, the 

National Geodetic Survey 

(NGS) began publishing a 

series of experimental 

geoid models annually. 

These models contain the 

gravity data from the latest 

satellite gravity models, the 

terrestrial gravity and most 

importantly, the airborne 

gravity from the Gravity for 

the Redefinition of the 

American Vertical Datum 

(GRAV-D) project. These 

experimental geoids have 

been developed to 

demonstrate the geoid 

improvements provided by 

the addition of GRAV-D 

data and by refining the 

geoid computation 

methods. The experimental 

geoid models provide a preliminary but increasingly-accurate view of the changes expected from the upcoming 

North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022 (NAPGD2022). The experimental geoid 2020 is the first 

model computed jointly by scientists at NGS, the Canadian Geodetic Survey, and the National Institute of 

Statistics and Geography in Mexico.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): NOAA worked with the Canadian Geodetic Survey and the National 

Institute of Statistics and Geography in Mexico to combine gravity data sets, to make the best geoid 

possible for North America, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Central America, and beyond.

Project URL:

https://beta.ngs.noaa.gov/GEOID/xGEOID20/

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Display of the Experimental Geoid 2020 (xGEOID 2020). Image credit: NGS, NOAA. 
Geoid Determination in Mountainous Terrain

In a few years, NOAA NOS will modernize the nation's height system. Instead of measuring heights inland 

from a "mean sea level," heights will be measured relative to a constant geopotential surface known as the 

"geoid," a model of the shape of the Earth under the influence of its gravity and rotation. By providing the shape 

of this undulating surface everywhere, the new system allows surveyors to use GPS receivers to determine 

precise heights anywhere. In the Journal of Geodesy, NGS describes a ground-truth test of the geoid-based 

system in Colorado, demonstrating that it has a relative accuracy of better than 5 cm in mountainous terrain—a 

worst case scenario for geoid determination. When combined with earlier Texas and Iowa surveys (which 

demonstrated better than 2 cm accuracy in smoother terrain), these results indicate the new national height 

system will provide accurate elevations everywhere, with approximately 10X better accuracy. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Peer reviewed article published in the Journal of Geodesy demonstrating 

the relative accuracy of the ground truth techniques and various experimental models.

Peer reviewed journal article: van Westrum et al. 2021 Journal of Geodesy:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00190-020-01463-8

20

Ground truth surveys along US160 in southern Colorado. Setting up a geodetic GPS antenna for horizontal positioning 
Total Station Astrogeodetic Control System (TSACS)

The National Geodetic Survey developed the Total Station Astrogeodetic Control System (TSACS), a system 

for measuring the direction of gravity with astronomical observations. The TSACS directs a robotic total station 

to measure the deflection of the vertical (DOV) by imaging stars. The deflection of the vertical indicates how 

much the direction of gravity has been shifted by local mass anomalies, like mountains. As DOV defines which 

way is up, measuring it in the field will be crucial for verifying the level surface that will define NGS's future 

geopotential height system. The TSACS will also find use in establishing precise orientations and bridging 

classical and modern geodetic observations. Its automated observation sequence can measure deflections of the 

vertical to better than ±0.2 arcseconds in as little as 15 minutes.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Developed and tested a system for measuring deflections of the vertical by 

imaging stars with a robotic total station.

Project Presentation URL:

https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/web/science_edu/presentations_library/files/aguf2020_-_ryan_hardy.pdf

21

The Total Station Astrogeodetic Control System (TSACS) being tested with with a Leica TS60 robotic total station in 

Silver Spring, Maryland. The various components can be viewed using the URL below. 
Office of Coast Surv

NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey (OCS) maintains the 

nation’s nautical charts and publications for U.S. 

coasts and the Great Lakes. OCS creates and 

maintains over a thousand charts covering 95,000 

miles of shoreline and 3.4 million square nautical 

miles of water. OCS supports the 1.3 billion metric 

tons of cargo valued at $1.8 trillion that comes in 

and out of U.S. ports every year. In addition, OCS 

conducts hydrographic surveys to collect depth 

measurements for nautical charts, and to aid in 

navigation, provides regional navigation support, 

develops models for storm surge and hurricane 

prediction, and develops and tests new technologies 

to improve mapping efficiencies. Below are five 

highlighted scientific projects by OCS researchers 

and their partners.

Precision Marine Navigation Dissemination

OCS is creating new online 

navigation services that will 

enable mariners to access 

critical marine navigation 

data in one convenient 

place. The Data Processing 

and Dissemination System 

uses cloud technology to 

enable machine-to-machine 

dissemination of integrated 

datasets, allowing mariners 

to make decisions 

efficiently when planning, 

transiting, and approaching 

ports. This new system was

developed and deployed on 

Amazon Web Services 

(AWS) using open source 

software. It allows mariners’ 

existing navigation software 

to automatically discover if 

NOAA has made new data available and ingest the data directly into their system. NOAA is working closely 

with industry partners to ensure that the service NOAA develops effectively disseminates navigation data. In 

September 2020, NOAA hosted a workshop with navigation equipment and navigation system manufacturers, 

pilots, and other federal agencies to collect feedback on the new online services. In July 2020, NOAA NOS 

released a new reformatted data service for surface water current forecasts. These data are now available for 

22

Integrated multi-source information available through the OCS-developed 

Precision Marine Navigation System. Image credit: NOAA OCS. 
companies to test using different types of navigation software. The S-100 compliant NOAA datasets will be 

made available to manufacturers of Portable Pilot Units and Electronic Charting Systems to integrate these 

datasets into their navigational systems. The integrated datasets will reduce the number of websites a mariner 

visits when planning, transiting, and approaching a port, allowing them to make decisions efficiently. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey targeted a beta release of the dissemination 

system in July 2020 with a goal for initial operations by late 2020.

Project URL: 

https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/learn/precision-navigation.html

OCS Expands the Extratropical Surge and Tide Operational 

Forecast Systems 

OCS is transitioning a 

global version of the 

Extratropical Surge and 

Tide Operational Forecast 

System (ESTOFS) into 

operations in fiscal year 

2020-2021. Global ESTOFS 

will replace the existing 

regional ESTOFS-Atlantic, 

ESTOFS-Pacific, and 

ESTOFS-Micronesia 

systems and add 

enhancements to ESTOFS

capabilities. Expected 

benefits include extending 

the system to cover all 

OCONUS (outside 

contiguous United States) 

territories, providing boundary and initial conditions for nearshore wave models, and improving spatial 

resolution for the U.S. coastal regions. Global ESTOFS will improve NOAA capabilities in coastal inundation 

prediction and open the doors for new applications, including precision navigation, risk assessment analysis, 

and on-demand coastal inundation prediction systems on a global scale.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Global ESTOFS is anticipated to be transitioned to operations in FY20 and 

will unify existing regional ESTOFS systems into a unified model with enhanced resolution.

Project URLs:

https://ocean.weather.gov/estofs/estofs_surge_info.php

https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/updates/model-upgrade-extratropical-surge-tide-operational-forecast-systemestofs-is-now-global/

23

An example of maximum forecast water levels (m MSL) from a forecast cycle of 

Global ESTOFS. Image credit: NOAA OCS. 
National Bathymetric Source project

The National 

Bathymetric Source 

(NBS) project creates 

and maintains highresolution bathymetry 

composed of the best 

available data. This 

project enables the 

creation of nextgeneration nautical charts 

while also providing 

support for modeling, 

industry, science, 

regulation, and public 

curiosity. Primary 

sources of bathymetry

include NOAA and U.S. 

Army Corps of 

Engineers hydrographic 

surveys and topographic 

bathymetric (topo-bathy) 

lidar (light detection and ranging) data. Data submitted through the NOAA Office of Coast Survey’s external 

source data process are also included, with gaps in deep water filled through Global Multi-Resolution 

Topography, a merged model of bathymetry. While there are other models of bathymetry for the United States, 

the NBS effort is unique because of the techniques used to combine the various sources into one nationwide 

model of the seafloor. These techniques are designed specifically to serve maritime navigation, but they are 

equally valuable to other oceanographic modelling and scientific endeavors. As new source data becomes 

available, OCS updates the national bathymetry for that immediate region. Automated processes all enable 

efficient inclusion of these new sources. With the completion of the New York region, OCS is expanding the 

national bathymetry throughout New England first. The NBS project also supports node selection for the Coast 

Survey modeling team as well as Precision Navigation efforts in major ports like Los Angeles and Long Beach, 

California. Overall, the resulting bathymetry directly supports the transition from product to data-driven 

workflows by increasing quality, accessibility, and timeliness of source data.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): A bathymetric buildout of the New England Region.

Project URL:

https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/updates/building-the-national-bathymetry/

24

A preliminary build of the bathymetry for the New England region. Image Credit: NOAA 

OCS. 
Updated VDatum for the Coastal Waters of Texas and Western 

Louisiana: Modeled Tidal Datums and their Associated 

Spatially Varying Uncertainties 

This work by OCS updates the tide model and modeled tidal datums in Texas and western Louisiana coastal 

regions by using the most currently available shoreline, bathymetry, and tide station data and by using a twodimensional depth-integrated barotropic version of the ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC) hydrodynamic 

model (version 51.52.34, released in January 2016). Several techniques were used to reduce the errors in the 

modeled tidal datums for improving model performance. A Spatially Varying Uncertainty (SVU) statistical 

interpolation method was implemented for correcting the ADCIRC modeled tidal datums and computing 

associated uncertainties, and the existing non-tidal polygons in the coastal regions were upgraded by 

incorporating the modeled tidal datums for improving the quality of tidal datum marine grid population. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): A technical memorandum on updating the tide model and modeled tidal 

datums in Texas and western Louisiana coastal regions was successfully completed. 

Technical Memorandum: Wu et al. 2020 NOAA Tech Memo NOS CS 43

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/24752

25

(a) The updated triangular model mesh grids for the TX and western LA coastal waters. Blue line denotes the model’s 

open ocean boundary, brown line denotes land boundary, and green lines denote island boundaries. (b) The grid 

spacing in the model domain. Adapted from Wu et al. 2020, NOAA OCS.
Upgrade of NOS Lake Michigan and Lake Huron Operational 

Forecast Systems to FVCOM: Model Development and 

Hindcast Skill Assessment

NOAA GLERL and NOS have collaborated to upgrade the NOS Lake Michigan and Lake Huron Operational 

Forecast Systems to improve forecast guidance of water temperature, water levels, and currents by migrating to 

FVCOM and using a single model grid domain covering both lakes. Hindcasts from the new Lake Michigan and 

Huron Operational Forecast System were conducted for 2015, 2016, and 2017 and compared to observations 

from U.S. and Canadian observing networks using NOS skill assessment procedures. The results of the skill 

assessment of water level and surface water temperature hindcasts for 2015 and 2016 and evaluation of 

subsurface water temperature hindcasts for 2014-2017 were published in a NOS Technical Report.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): An evaluation of water levels and water temperature hindcasts for 2015, 2016 and 

2017 from NOS' new Lake Michigan and Huron Operational Forecast System was completed and the results 

published in a NOS Technical Report.

Technical Memorandum URL: Kelley et al. 2020 NOAA Tech Memo CS 42:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/23891

26

Time series plots of hourly hindcasts and operational nowcasts of water level (red) vs. observations (black) at CO-OPS 

National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) gauges (1. Port Inland, MI, 2. Mackinaw City, MI, 3. 

Menominee, MI, 4. Sturgeon Bay Canal, WI, 5. Green Bay, WI, and 6. Kewaunee, WI) at northern Lake Michiganduring 

2015. Mean Absolute Error (MAE; meters) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE; meters) at each station are shown 

individually on each panel. 
Office of National Marine Sanctuar

NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries 

serves as the trustee for a network of underwater 

parks encompassing more than 600,000 square miles 

of marine and Great Lakes waters. The network 

includes a system of 14 national marine sanctuaries 

and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine 

national monuments. The system works with diverse 

partners and stakeholders to promote responsible, 

sustainable ocean uses that ensure the health of our 

most valued ocean places. The Office of National 

Marine Sanctuaries also leads the National Marine 

Protected Areas Center, the nation's hub for building 

innovative partnerships and tools to protect our 

special ocean. In addition, ONMS staff conduct and 

support research and monitoring programs tailored 

to the information needs of each sanctuary. Below 

are four highlighted scientific projects by ONMS 

researchers and their partners.

Telepresence Science Missions in National Marine Sanctuaries

Increasingly, science missions in NOAA’s 

National Marine Sanctuaries invite the 

public aboard through remote access. In 

2020, ONMS invited the public to 

participate in science missions facilitated 

through the use of underwater exploration 

systems. Using ship-to-shore technology, 

scientists led remotely operated vehicle 

exploration at Cordell Bank, Greater

Farallones, Monterey Bay, and Flower 

Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuaries. 

In addition, other missions have taken place 

at Stellwagen Bank, Olympic Coast, and 

Channel Islands sanctuaries. Students and 

the public participated in dozens of virtual, 

interactive sessions as well as live feeds of 

the exploration and sample collection. In total, more than 1.3 million people viewed the videos. The objectives 

included exploring deep-sea canyon and coral communities, assessing changes over time at octopus brooding 

areas and the sites of decomposing whale carcasses, and surveying biological and archaeological features of 

shipwrecks. These missions were made possible through partnerships with groups including the Global 

Foundation for Ocean Exploration, Ocean Exploration Trust, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): The discovery of a whalefall in the middle phases of successional 

degradation was a rare encounter, and a highlight of an exploration mission in Monterey Bay National 

Marine Sanctuary.

Project URL:

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/earthisblue/wk256-whale-fall.html

27

Using Ocean Exploration Trust’s ROV technology, NOAA and 

partner researchers discovered a whale fall in Monterey Bay 

National Marine Sanctuary in 2019 (right). In 2020, the team 

revisited their 
Octopus Gardens

After the discovery of a large number of deep-sea octopus brooding their young in 2018, Monterey Bay 

sanctuary scientists returned to Davidson Seamount with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution aboard the 

submersible Alvin, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute aboard the R/V Western Flyer, and with Ocean 

Exploration Trust (OET) aboard the E/V Nautilus. With Alvin dives highlighted on BBC’s live television 

broadcast of “Blue Planet Live,” the team confirmed that warm water was venting from the seafloor where 

octopus were brooding. With OET, the team estimated octopus population size (more than 1,000 individuals), 

and installed instruments to track temperature, dissolved oxygen, and water chemistry at the warm water seeps 

harboring the animals. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): The project team discovered a second octopus nursery occupying thermal 

vents on Davidson Seamount, confirming the importance of this protected area to a species not 

previously known to occur there.

Project URL: 

https://sanctuarysimon.org/2018/11/mbnms-scientists-discover-octopus-gardens-and-film-a-dumbo-squid/

28

Octopus brooding their eggs within a warm water seep near Davidson Seamount in Monterey Bay National Marine 

Sanctuary. This genus has an unusual upside-down brooding posture. Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust/NOAA. 
Transitioning Science to Protect Right Whales via 

Corporate Responsibility

Since 2012, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary’s highly regarded “Report Card” has been detailing 

compliance of vessels with speed restrictions while traversing Right Whale Seasonal Management Areas 

(SMAs) in the Gulf of Maine. In 2008, NOAA began requiring large ships to slow down to 10 knots or less 

while passing through SMAs. Some of these areas overlap the sanctuary, which is a critical seasonal feeding 

area for right, humpback, fin, and minke whales. In these areas, large commercial ships converge to enter the 

Port of Boston. When ships slow down, any collisions they have with whales have a smaller chance of 

delivering a lethal strike. In 2018, the project sent report cards to 228 ships and 115 companies, helping them 

better understand the impacts of their vessel practices. In 2019, 85% of vessels received grades of A or A+ and 

only 5% receive a grade of F. Report cards were sent to ships and companies in December 2019, to be 

influential during the 2020 SMA season. Companies that receive an A or A+ grade also receive a certificate 

recognizing their achievement. This positive reinforcement has been crucial to the success of the project.

FY20 Accomplishment: The use of vessel tracking data to assess compliance with speed restriction is 

now used as a model for numerous other areas where ship speed poses a risk of collision between 

whales and ships.

Project URL:

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/jun19/right-whale-corporate-responsibility-project-stellwagen-bank-nationalmarine-sanctuary.html

29

Seven new calves were born to North Atlantic right whales this year. The NOAA Fisheries speed regulation and the 

Right Whale Corporate Responsibility Project give these calves a better chance at surviving in Stellwagen Bank 

National Marine Sanctuary. Image credit: NOAA. 
Wave Glider Transits over 2,500 NM to Survey Soundscape of 

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, 

the US Navy, and Jupiter Research Foundation 

used a wave glider autonomous surface vehicle 

to collect acoustic recordings, weather and 

ocean data, and surface and underwater imagery 

on a 2,500 nautical mile survey in the 

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National 

Monument. The SV3 Wave Glider Europa 

departed Hawaiʻi Island in January 2020 

and spent 67 days transiting the Monument 

as far as Lisianski Island, covering a 

distance equivalent to a roundtrip from 

Washington D.C. to Denver. The wave glider 

navigated rough winter seas and surveyed 18 

banks, shoals and seamounts that had either 

been unsurveyed in the past or had been under 

surveyed in the winter season, and documented 

the first recorded presence of humpbacks at 

several of these locations.

FY20 Accomplishment: The 

SanctSound Project, a collaboration 

between NOAA and the U.S. Navy, 

employed autonomous surface vehicles 

to collect sound and other data in the 

winter season in remote areas of largest 

MPA in the United States and identified 

previously unknown humpback whale

distributions.

Project URLs:

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/

monitoring/sound/

https://jupiterfoundation.org/humpacs-1

30

Humpback whale observed during the Humpback Paci
Office of Response and Restorati

NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) 

is a center of expertise in preparing for, evaluating, 

and responding to threats to coastal environments, 

including oil and chemical spills, releases from 

hazardous waste sites, and marine debris. OR&R’s 

mission is to develop scientific solutions to keep the 

coasts clean from threats of oil, chemicals, and 

marine debris. To fulfill its mission of protecting and 

restoring NOAA trust resources, OR&R provides 

scientific and technical support to prepare for and 

respond to oil and chemical releases; determines 

damage to natural resources from these releases; 

protects and restores marine and coastal ecosystems, 

including coral reefs; and works with communities to 

address critical local and regional coastal 

challenges. OR&R comprises four divisions: 

Emergency Response, Assessment and Restoration, 

Marine Debris, and the Disaster Preparedness 

Program. Collectively, OR&R provides 

comprehensive solutions to marine pollution. Below 

are eight highlighted scientific projects by OR&R 

researchers and their partners.

Using Uncrewed Platforms to Characterize Oil in the Water

The ability to rapidly characterize oil dispersed in the water 

column and floating on the water surface during and after an 

oil spill is a primary need of oil spill response teams, and is an 

important objective of natural resource damage assessments 

(NRDAs). OR&R worked with multiple partners to develop 

and test a novel autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 

platform and multispectral uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) 

for characterizing oil in the water after oil spills. Rapid 

characterization of oil in the water column and floating on the 

water surface during and after oil spills is critical information 

for both oil spill response and natural resource damage 

assessments. Testing from a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) vessel 

at the Coal Point oil seep site near Santa Barbara, CA, 

demonstrated how these systems have advanced the ability to 

respond to and assess impacts from oil spills. The AUV

REMUS 600 and sensor/sampling systems conducted threedimensional mapping of dissolved hydrocarbons and oil 

droplets in the water column beneath the oil slick while the 

UAS conducted surface mapping of the oil slick. These data 

can be provided to spill responders for situational awareness 

and rapid response decision-making. The project was conducted by a partnership that includes NOAA, Woods 

Hole Oceanographic Institute, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the Environmental 

Protection Agency, the USCG, Water Mapping LLC, and the NOAA/University of New Hampshire Coastal 

Response Research Center (CRRC).

31

Recovery of the AUV REMUS 600. Image 

credit: Dipinto 2019. NOAA ORR. 
FY20 Accomplishment(s): Results of this project are publicly available on the CRRC website and have 

been presented at multiple scientific venues.

Project Final Report: DiPinto 2019 Report to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement:

https://unh.app.box.com/s/ctjc6ipuzrm4fs0iqnnd0z4gv26wrsga

Fishing for Marine Debris

In the same way as bycatch 

and incidental species catch 

are modeled, OR&R’s 

Marine Debris Program 

(MDP), the NOAA Pacific 

Islands Fisheries Science 

Center and Walsh Analytical 

Service estimated the relative 

abundance of marine debris 

“caught” by Hawaii-based 

pelagic longlines as reported 

by fisheries observers. Nine 

years of observer data from 

this fishery were analyzed 

and modeled. The snagged 

debris was dominated by 

derelict fishing gear (~90%)

from other fisheries operating 

in the North Pacific Ocean. 

Modeling revealed that the 

relative abundance of derelict 

fishing gear “caught” by the 

Hawaii longlines has declined by two thirds (~66%) in less than a decade (2008-2016).

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Results of this project were published in the online open access journal, 

Scientific Reports. 

Peer reviewed journal article URL: Uhrin et al. 2020 Scientific Reports

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-64771-1

Nature Sustainability Community invited blog article:

https://sustainabilitycommunity.springernature.com/posts/fishing-for-marine-debris

32

Fishery observers from the Hawaii-based pelagic longline 
Examining Observer Bias in Marine Debris Data 

Collected by Citizen Scientists

OR&R’s Marine Debris 

Program (MDP) 

collaborated with the 

University of 

Washington’s Coastal 

Observation and Seabird 

Survey Team (COASST) 

to evaluate and identify 

ways to correct for 

observer bias in shoreline 

monitoring protocols 

developed as part of 

MDP’s Marine Debris 

Monitoring and 

Assessment Project 

(MDMAP). MDMAP is a 

citizen science initiative 

that engages both

domestic and 

international volunteers 

in conducting 

standardized shoreline 

surveys for marine debris 

items larger than 2.5 cm. These monitoring surveys help us answer fundamental questions about the types and 

distribution of debris on shorelines, such as where debris originates, what beaches accumulate the most debris, 

how debris patterns change over time, and if preventative measures lead to debris reductions. A series of field 

trials were conducted on a handful of beaches across Washington State. Findings show there are ways to 

improve the MDMAP protocols and the quality of data being collected by observers which will strengthen 

debris density estimates generated from MDMAP data. Protocol improvements include, streamlining walking 

patterns to search for marine debris, limiting the number of people actively searching for debris during a 

transect, adding an option to remove debris during all surveys, and providing more detailed information on the 

debris within the back barrier of the beach. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Results of this project are publicly available in the Marine Debris 

Clearinghouse; the project team is drafting a publication to be submitted to the journal, Citizen Science 

Theory & Practice; MDP is currently updating MDMAP protocols based on these findings

Project Final Report: Burgess et al. 2020, Report for the NOAA Marine Debris Program:

https://clearinghouse.marinedebris.noaa.gov/project?mode=View&projectId=838

33

MDP and COASST staf
Using Invasive Mussels as Sentinel Organisms for Monitoring 

Microplastic Pollution in the Great Lakes: A Case Study 

OR&R’s Marine Debris Program (MDP) 

collaborated with the National Centers 

for Coastal and Ocean Science 

(NCCOS) Great Lakes Mussel Watch 

Program, and Loyola University 

Chicago to understand the distribution 

and abundance of microplastics across 

the Milwaukee Estuary, WI. This project 

took advantage of the Great Lakes 

Mussel Watch Program (GLMWP) by 

sampling additional mussels to assess 

whether those same invasive freshwater 

may be good candidates as biomonitors 

for microplastic occurrence. Mussels 

were collected from relatively clean 

reference sites in Lake Michigan and 

deployed for 1 and 2 months in 

experimental cages near the outfall of a 

WWTP and at the confluence of two 

rivers that drain the Milwaukee metro 

area and empty into Milwaukee Bay. 

The amount of microplastic found in 

mussel tissue was very different among 

different sizes of mussels and very 

different between sampling months. 

There was partial evidence for greater

microplastic ingestion near a wastewater 

outfall, but only for larger mussels. 

There was no clear relationship between 

presence of microplastics and legacy 

contaminants in mussels. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Results of this project are publicly available in the Marine Debris 

Clearinghouse and have been presented at a number of scientific conferences; the project team is 

drafting a publication to be submitted to the journal, Frontiers in Marine Science

Project Final Report: Hoellein & Rovegno 2020, Final Report for the NOAA Marine Debris and 

NOAA Mussel Watch Programs:

https://clearinghouse.marinedebris.noaa.gov/project?mode=View&projectId=839

34

NCCOS sta
Guidelines for Assessing Exposure and Impacts of Oil Spills 

on Marine Mammals.

OR&R’s Assessment 

and Restoration 

Division (ARD) 

partnered with NOAA 

Fisheries Office of 

Protected Resources 

and external partners 

to publish a NOAA 

Technical Memo on 

Guidelines for 

Assessing Exposure 

and Impacts of Oil 

Spills on Marine 

Mammals. These 

guidelines were 

developed from a 

workshop that was

held to discuss, 

develop, and 

document methods 

and processes to 

evaluate the nature and 

extent of potential injuries to marine mammals from oil spills. The technical memo and its guidelines provide a 

review of considerations for marine mammals under NOAA's jurisdiction, incorporating knowledge gained 

from previous oil spills, especially the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill. The report describes NOAA’s response 

and assessment activities for marine mammals due to oil spills, descriptions of oil exposure and potential injury, 

and summaries of methods and approaches currently available for marine mammal assessment. This guidance 

will help NOAA and co-trustees to implement effective studies for assessing exposure and impacts to marine 

mammals affected by spills. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Results of this project were published as a NOAA Technical Memo.

Technical Memorandum: Sullivan et al. 2019 NOAA Tech Memo NMFS-OPR-62

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/22425

Oil Spill Assessment for Marine Mammals Story Map:

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/867559ca52cd43a6b347ca13f0c4bff9

35

Mother sea lion and pup. Image credit: NOAA. 
Publication to Support Natural Resource Damage Assessment

OR&R worked with NOAA Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation (OHC), the Office of General Council for 

Natural Resources (GCNR), and external partners to publish a new, rigorous, and more legally defensible 

method for scaling habitat injury that supports NOAA’s most challenging damage assessment cases. The team 

introduced the new method, Habitat Based Resource Equivalency Method (HaBREM), that evaluates injury by 

relating the biomass of organisms that use specific habitats to the ecological functions of that habitat. By 

focusing on organism-based metrics HaBREM removes subjective aspects of traditional methods and increases 

both repeatability and defensibility. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Results of this project were published in a peer reviewed article in the 

journal Environmental Management.

Peer reviewed journal article: Baker et al. 2020 Environmental Management

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-019-01245-9

Project URL: 

https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/new-publication-habitat-based-resource-equivalency-method-habrem

36

A restored wetland in Texas. Image credit: ORR, NOAA. 
Detection and Removal of Sunken Oil Mats (SOMs)

Available information on 

the processes that 

influence the formation of 

submerged and buried oil 

mats along sand beaches 

following an oil spill was 

reviewed and synthesized. 

This included a review of 

case histories, fieldcollected datasets 

(particularly the extensive 

field data and modeling 

studies of the submerged 

oil mats at the Deepwater 

Horizon spill), as well as 

recent publications on 

sand beach 

geomorphology and

sediment dynamics and 

interactions with oil. 

Simplified response 

guidelines were then 

developed for: 1) when 

buried and submerged oil 

mats and deposits are (and 

are not) likely to form and persist; 2) the best survey methods to detect them; and 3) removal methods that are 

most effective and minimize environmental impact. This project was carried out by OR&R’s Emergency 

Response Division in partnership with the Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Results of this project were used to develop a Response Guide for Sunken 

Oil Mats (SOMs), which is available online.

Project URL:

https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/resources/shoreline-cleanup-andassessment-technique-scat.html

37

OR&R responders gather oil samples as part of a Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment 

Technique (SCAT) operation along the west shore of the Mississippi River, following a 

2008 vessel collision near New Orleans, La. Observations and data from SCAT surveys 

are critical to the decision-making process for shoreline cleanup at oil spills. Image 

Credit: ORR, NOAA. 
Assessing the Effectiveness of Repair and Stabilizatio

Actions Conducted in Damaged Seagrass Beds 

Response activities in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria caused damage to seagrass beds in St Croix, U.S. Virgin 

Islands. Repair and stabilization activities were conducted to limit further damage due to scour, erosion, and/or 

sediment migration and to allow seagrass re-growth and recovery. Recent snorkel surveys of the affected areas 

by OR&R’s Emergency Response Division revealed that repair and stabilization activities resulted in enhanced 

seagrass recovery and recolonization as measured by seagrass species composition (dominant, co-dominant, 

secondary), cover class, and canopy height, as well as the bottom elevation differential between the scarred 

areas and adjacent undamaged areas.

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Results of this project will inform future repair and stabilization activities 

in seagrass habitats.

Project URL:

https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/hurricane-maria-sea-grass-bed-damage

38

A survey being conducted by OR&R researchers in turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) to evaluate repair and 

stabilization e
Office for Coastal Managem

NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management (OCM) is 

the federal agency tasked with implementing the 

Coastal Zone Management Act, which is the guiding 

legislation for the decisions and actions taken to 

keep the natural environment, quality of life, and 

economic prosperity of coastal areas in balance. As 

a scientific organization, NOAA provides access to 

the science and environmental intelligence 

communities need for these tasks. Four major 

programs make up the Office for Coastal 

Management, and each counts on active 

partnerships with all sectors to be successful. They 

include the National Coastal Zone Management 

Program, the National Estuarine Research Reserves, 

the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, and 

NOAA’s Digital Coast web-based resources. 

Included below are two highlighted scientific 

projects by OCM researchers and their partners.

Understanding and Mitigating Marsh Vulnerability to 

Environmental Changes

Tidal marshes, which provide key habitat for fisheries and valuable community protection against storm surge, 

are increasingly threatened by sea level rise. Scientists are using consistent monitoring protocols in National 

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NERRS scientists in Maryland inspect a test plot where dredged sediment was applied. Image credit: Chesapeake Bay 

Maryland NERR. 
Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) sites around the nation to better track marsh vulnerability and 

research the interactions of fauna, habitat, and inundation. Because of this effort, a NOAA-funded team has 

developed and released guidance for coastal managers on new approaches of sediment addition (thin layer 

placement) as a restoration strategy. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): NOAA is working with state and university partners to understand and 

monitor coastal marsh vulnerability and implement effective restoration techniques to protect these 

valuable resources. 

Guidance Report: Raposa et al. 2020 (in collaboration with the National Estuarine Research Reserve 

System Science Collaborative)

https://www.nerra.org/01/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/TLP-Guidance-for-Thin-Layer-Placement-20200217-

HRes.pdf

Project URL:

http://www.nerrssciencecollaborative.org/project/Raposa17

National Marine Economy Statistics

OCM, the NOAA Chief Economist’s 

Office, and the Bureau of Economic 

Analysis are working to produce a “Marine 

Economy Satellite Account (MESA)” 

measuring the U.S. marine economy. This 

three-year effort builds on decades of 

research on defining and measuring the 

marine economy, with significant 

contributions by the Middlebury Institute’s 

Center for the Blue Economy. The 

prototype results, published in June 2020, 

show that the U.S. marine economy, including goods and services, yielded $617 billion in gross output (total 

production) and contributed about $373 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product in 2018. These 

experimental results include statistics for 55 marine industry groups, organized into ten major sectors: tourism 

and recreation, including recreational fishing; national defense and public administration; offshore minerals, 

including oil and gas; transportation and warehousing; living resources, including commercial fishing and 

aquaculture; ship and boat building; power generation; research and education; construction; and professional 

and technical services. These data show that the marine economy is vital to the nation, with total production that 

is greater than the agriculture or public utility industries. The data, currently spanning 2014 to 2018, will help 

national policy makers, marine industries, and investors make informed decisions about how to plan for the 

future — protecting our people, our economy, and our environment for future generations. In addition, this data 

can serve as a baseline to measure the magnitude of the impacts of COVID to the marine economy. 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): For the first time, the United States has ocean data that can be compared 

with official statistics regarding other U.S. industries and with the ocean economies of other nations.

Project URL:

https://www.bea.gov/data/special-topics/ocean-economy

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U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System 

(IOOS) is a national-regional partnership working to 

provide new tools and forecasts to improve safety, 

enhance the economy, and protect our environment. 

Integrated ocean information is available in near 

real time, as well as retrospectively. Easier and 

better access to this information is improving our 

ability to understand and predict coastal events - 

such as storms, wave heights, and sea level change. 

Such knowledge is needed for everything from retail 

to development planning. IOOS’ mission is to 

produce, integrate, and communicate high quality 

ocean, coastal and Great Lakes information that 

meets the safety, economic, and stewardship needs of 

the Nation. IOOS’ Operations Division coordinates 

the contributions of Federally-owned observing and 

modeling systems and develops and integrates nonfederal observing and modeling capacity into the 

system in partnership with IOOS regions. Included 

below is a highlighted project by IOOS-supported 

researchers and their partners.

eDNA can Provide Detailed information about Ecosystem 

Dynamics and Key Species as Indicators of Change

NOS is using environmental DNA (eDNA) to study organisms 

across trophic levels and ecosystems and provide critical 

information about species interactions in the face of ecosystem 

change. The U.S. Marine Biodiversity Observation Network 

(MBON) Sanctuaries Team — coordinated by IOOS with 

interagency funding and support — has been a key player in 

developing best practices for eDNA and demonstrating its 

utility for biological observing and biodiversity assessment. A 

team of MBON partners across multiple research institutions

and state government agencies used eDNA methods to survey 

biodiversity in Monterey Bay, CA, during an 18-month period 

(2015-2016). The researchers created a dataset from the 

resulting seawater samples, encompassing 663 taxonomic 

groups from microorganisms to mammals. The team 

concluded that “eDNA-based analyses can provide detailed 

information about marine ecosystem dynamics and identify 

sensitive biological indicators that can suggest ecosystem changes and inform conservation strategies.” 

FY20 Accomplishment(s): Findings from this study were published in the journal Nature 

Communications.

Peer reviewed journal article: Djurhuus et al. 2020 Nature Communications

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-14105-1.pdf

IOOS MBON Website: 

https://ioos.noaa.gov/project/bio-data/

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Niskin bottles for eDNA collection, as shown 

here on a Global Foundation for Ocean 

Exploration cruise, were used by the research 

team aboard the R/V Rachel Carson and 

Western Flyer. Image credit: NOAA. 
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