In collaboration with the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health Clean Water Branch, PacIOOS deployed three nearshore sensors in Maunalua Bay, Oʻahu, to measure physical water quality parameters. The autonomous sensors have been collecting data since August 2019, to better understand how water quality is changing over time and to determine whether state water quality standards are being met. Data from the Hawaiʻi Kai Boat Channel, Kawaikuʻi Beach Park, and off Waiʻalae Beach Park are now available on the PacIOOS website. The sensors collect temperature, salinity, depth, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity in 4-min intervals. These sensors will be deployed in Maunalua Bay until the end of 2020.

PacIOOS' long-term nearshore monitoring station off Kalama Beach Park in Kīhei, Maui, was redeployed in July, and data are now available online. The redeployment, as well as the ongoing maintenance and data retrieval, would not be possible without the dedicated support of John Starmer, who volunteered to serve as the local point of contact to maintain this sensor. John also serves as the Chief Scientist for the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council and is involved in the ongoing monitoring efforts at Ma‘alaea Harbor through PacIOOS' Water Quality Sensor Partnership Program. The sensor off Kalama Beach Park measures temperature, salinity, pressure, turbidity and chlorophyll in 4-minute intervals. Data are logged internally within the sensor and periodically downloaded from the instrument. [Photo credit: John Starmer]

The PacIOOS Waimea wave buoy off Oʻahu's North Shore was redeployed earlier today. The buoy is located approximately 4 miles offshore off Waimea Bay and measures wave height, direction, and period, as well as sea surface temperature in real-time. Data management for the wave buoys is made possible through long-term partnerships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP).

PacIOOS also provides wave forecasts for different parts in the Pacific Islands region. Users can either access forecasts for wave buoy specific locations, or get forecast data for regional or island scale grids.

Every so often PacIOOS wave buoys separate from their mooring line, requiring immediate recovery efforts to secure the drifting buoy. Some locations experience mooring breaks more frequently than others. To better understand the cause of the drifting buoys, PacIOOS Marine Engineer Kimball Millikan began collecting evidence from the broken lines to identify patterns and potential sources, such as fishing line, knife cuts, and fish bites.

With the support of PhD candidate Derek Kraft from the ToBo Lab at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, the separation point from a recent mooring break was DNA sequenced, revealing tiger shark DNA. Along with the associated chew marks, it is very likely that tiger shark bites have caused the separation from the mooring for this particular case, and potentially for other previous cases as well. PacIOOS will continue to assess material options and techniques to help with mooring longevity.

To expand NOAA's national ocean acidification monitoring network, last year PacIOOS joined forces with the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory and partners on the ground to deploy a monitoring station in American Samoa. Located in the tropical coral reef ecosystem of Fagatele Bay, Tutuila, the buoy supports ongoing ecosystem research within the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, and is the only buoy of its kind in U.S. waters in the South Pacific.

The autonomous system requires regular maintenance, but COVID-19 related travel restrictions have prevented PacIOOS from conducting the annual maintenance. The batteries are running low, so modifications to the sampling frequency and the buoy tracking had to be made. Fa'afetai tele lava (thank you very much) to the Marine Team of the National Park of American Samoa, who continue to provide critical field support. This project is a great example of a successful multi-agency effort, including the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, Coral Reef Advisory Group, the National Park of American Samoa, PacIOOS, and NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program, National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, and Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. We continue to be thankful for our partnerships in the region.

The National Disaster Preparedness Training Center is offering numerous training courses online due to COVID-19. All trainings are free and open to participants in the U.S. and the U.S. territories. Upcoming training topics include: Coastal Hazard and Vulnerability Assessment Tools; Hurricane Awareness; Planning for Disaster Debris Management; and Flooding Hazards: Science and Preparedness.

All participants are asked to register in advance for the one-day (4 hour) or two-day (8 hour) courses. The National Disaster Preparedness Training Center is based at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and its mission is to work collaboratively to develop and deliver training and education on disaster preparedness, response, and recovery to governmental, tribal, territorial, non-profit and private partners integrating land use, infrastructure, urban planning, environmental management, and emerging technologies to build and sustain resilient communities.

PacIOOS Marine Engineer Kimball Millikan was recently recognized for his 20 Years of Service with the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaiʻi (RCUH). With a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Kimball initially worked for 10 years at the Center for Coastal Studies at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He then joined the Department of Oceanography at the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa under the supervision of Dr. Mark Merrifield. Kimball designed, built, and installed platforms for wave and current measuring instruments. He also designed underwater pressure housings for the Kilo Nalu Observatory and the Aloha Cabled Observatory, as well as other components such as mounts and electronic platforms.

In 2012 Kimball started working for PacIOOS, managing the network of real-time wave buoys, which has grown to 15 wave buoy locations across the U.S. Pacific Islands. In this capacity, Kimball is responsible for the siting, mooring set-up, deployment and redeployment, calibration, and maintenance of all buoys, as well as the associated logistical coordination. Kimball also maintains the SeaSpider Hydrophone platform for the Wave Energy Test Site (WETS). Mahalo for your service, Kimball, and congratulations on this milestone!