Integrated Nutrient Observatory

Overview: Over the next three years (2015-17) NERACOOS and its partners will deploy a prototype automated nutrient monitoring observatory in the coastal and estuarine waters of the Northeast. The goal of this effort is to demonstrate the delivery of high frequency nutrient data to scientists, managers and policy makers. When completed the NERACOOS integrated nutrient observatory will be the largest in North America and will represent an important first step towards delivery critical nutrient data to key stakeholders. An award from the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Ocean Technology Transition (OTT) program is funding this project.

News and Events

Winter 2019: NERACOOS will be hosting a series of webinars to highlight the outcomes of the Nutrient Observatory project. Throughout this webinar series you will learn about the nutrient data collected, the sensors deployed, and the challenges and lessons learned from operating automated nutrient sensors in various marine systems in the Northeast.

This webinar series will be on hold until the partial government shutdown is resolved. Once the shutdown has ended, we will send out the webinar schedule and registration information. We appreciate your patience and look forward to sharing the results of this project with you

Spring 2016: Deployement and redeployement in Great Bay, Gulf of Maine and Long Island Sound. 

December 2015: Sensor training at the University of Connecticut 

June 6, 2015: NERACOOS Buoys E and I were re-deployed with nitrate sensors at a depth of 50m and the data from these sensors will be available through our data buoy map after the sensors have been calibrated.

May 26, 2015: Great Bay Sensor Workshop

April 22, 2015: The great Bay buoy was deployed on April 22nd with two new automated nutrient sensors. These sensors will measure nitrate and phosphate concentrations in Great Bay several times a day. 

 

Project Partners:

 

Funded by:

 

Project Schedule:

Below are the tentative deployement dates of nutrient sensors throughout the NERACOOS Region. 

Spring 2017:

  • Narragansett Bay Deployment, Narragansett Bay Commission 

Spring 2016:

  • Long Island Sound Deployment, University of Connecticut 
  • Great Bay Re-Deployment, University of New Hampshire
  • Gulf of Maine Buoy E, I, M & N, University of Maine

April 2015:

  • Great Bay Deployment, University of New Hampshire

May 2015:

  • Great Bay Estuary Stakeholder workshop

June 2015:

  • Buoy E and I Deployment, University of Maine

​July 2015:

  • Long Island Sound Deployment, University of Connecticut

​September 2015:

  • Buoy M and N Deployement, University of Maine

 

Nutrient Sensor Information:

NERACOOS will deploy several automated nutrient sensors that will be integrated into our buoy systems and will deliver nutrient readings several times a day.

Ammonium (NH4) – WET Labs CYCLE-NH4 Ammonium Sensor

  • Designed for unattended long-term moored operations, the Cycle NH4 is one  of WET Labs' line of single analyte chemical sensors.

Nitrate (NO3) – Satlantic SUNA V2

  • This nitrate sensor is a chemical-free solution for autonomous monitoring of nitrogen-based nutrient concentrations in ocean, estuarine and high turbidity freshwater environments.

Phosphate (PO4) – WET Labs Cycle Phosphate Sensor

  • Designed for unattended long-term moored operations, the Cycle PO4 is the first of WET Labs' line of single analyte chemical sensors.