NORTHEAST WATER LEVEL NETWORK

The Northeast Water Level Network is enhancing coastal resilience through improving access, quality, and coverage of water level observations in the face of storm surges, extreme rainfall, and rising sea levels.


Our vision is to increase access to water level data and products through collaborative partnerships, use of innovative technologies, and expand coastal water level observation capacity along the Northeast coast.

WATER LEVEL NETWORK FOCUS

  • Advise and prioritize where new water level stations go and install them
  • Provide water level data to the public that can be used for many purposes
  • Share best practices and lessons learned amongst projects and groups regionally
  • Aid emergency response and post-storm recovery efforts
Flooding in Kennebunkport
GET INVOLVED IN MONITORING

We are seeking input from regional stakeholders who have insight into coastal locations in need of real-time data on water levels and potential overland flooding. Please add suggested sites to our storymap.

If you have questions about the workshop or the water level monitoring work, contact Anna Simpson: anna @ neracoos.org

WATER LEVEL WORKSHOP


HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY OUTCOMES

The Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC ) and the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS ) hosted a 2 day water level monitoring workshop in September 2023. One of the main goals was to strengthen connections between professionals in the field of water level monitoring and applications. Participants included people from state and federal agencies, academic/research institutions, regional ocean observing systems, and community members as well as representation from several companies and groups that develop low-cost water level monitoring systems.
  • Support is needed in terms of human infrastructure and funding to install, maintain water level sensors
  • Building and maintaining relationships is key
  • Identify needs with partners and communities before installing sensors
    • What decisions are you looking to inform?
    • What kind of information to you need/want?
  • Considering how to use data for parallel needs
  • Easy access and translation of data (data analysis and products)
  • Poor understanding of the interaction between freshwater influx and ocean inundation
  • Need data from different representative locations
    • Eg. evacuation Routes, tidal marshes, infrastructure (eg. culverts, bridges)
  • Planning is critical to maintain consistency, data quality and meet user needs
  • SOPs, surveying, repeatability
  • Sensor installation site requests and input on process for site selection
WORKSHOP Outputs

AGENDA 

PRESENTATIONS from workshop(all slides included in pdf)

Presentation slides from the NROC Annual Meeting which includes a summary of workshop

Project Partners