ESP Test Deployment

Last week, a joint team led by NOAA NWFSC's Stephanie Moore and UW-APL's John Mickett went out on the R/V Robertson to test deploy a new Environmental Sampling Processor (ESP). This inconspicuously named robot both samples and analyzes water in situ to remotely determine if harmful algal species are present and if so, how toxic the bloom is. It then transmits this data in near real time to scientists on shore. 

This robot is part of a monitoring strategy that will help health authorities and shellfish growers be proactive in their response to harmful algal blooms (HABs). For more info, check out the NANOOS HABs info page.

Check out NWFSC's video for more information:

Last minute preparations aboard the R/V Robertson. The ESP is housed in the large orange cylinder under the A-frame.

First the surface buoy is deployed where an intake tube will sample water near the surface and bring it down to the ESP, around 20m below.

To prime the sampling tube, a small group goes out in the Zodiak to collect the surface buoy and pump water through the line, getting rid of all air bubbles.

One of the team's divers checks that the ESP is sampling in it's new home for the next two weeks. Photo credit: Eric Boget

The ESP will be deployed for real next year on UW-APL’s Cha’Ba mooring off the coast of La Push and data will be available on NVS. Stay tuned!

Tracking the "Blob"

Sea surface temperature anomalies in July, 2015 from the NVS Climatology App.

Love it or hate it, you've probably noticed the record breaking warm, dry summer we've been experiencing in the Pacific Northwest.  One of the contributing factors is a large mass of warmer than average water off the coast in the NE Pacific, nicknamed the "blob" by UW meteorologist and State Climatologist Nick Bond.  The region's weather is closely tied to the NE Pacific, where wind is typically cooled as it travels over the ocean's surface before reaching our shores. The sea surface temperatures of the "blob" are up to 7°F warmer than what is typically seen, which results in warmer air temperatures throughout the region.

Last week, NANOOS Executive Director Jan Newton joined other scientists from five NANOOS member institutions UW, WA Dept. of Ecology, WA Dept. of Health, King County, and NOAA (NWFSC & PMEL), and others for a multi-agency media day at Shilshole Marina in Seattle to discuss the anomalous conditions in the Pacific Northwest, known as the "blob," and its effects on Puget Sound.  Using a variety of presentation aids, from the NVS Climatology App to tours aboard UW's R/V Barnes and Ecology's R/V Skookum, the group explained to reporters the abnormal conditions including high temperatures, salinity, low dissolved oxygen, and HABs in historically unaffected areas.

Check out the King 5 video, the KOMO radio clip, and article from the Seattle Times and UW Today.

You can also track the extent and patterns of the "blob" using the NANOOS Visualization System (NVS) Climatology App, which compares current water temperature with previous years using data from satellites and buoys offshore, along the coast and in Puget Sound.

Sea surface temperature anomalies and buoys off Washington and Oregon coasts.

Water temperature (°C) at the NDBC Cape Elizabeth buoy off the Washington coast. The dark blue line is the mean, magenta is +/-1σ, red is 2σ, black is this year's QC'd data and cyan is current raw data.

WADOH Sensors on NVS

11 new assets from WA Department of Health

Water temperature data for monitoring shellfish safety from WA Dept. of Health (WADOH) is now on NVS. WADOH deploys sensors seasonally to monitor for high temperatures that increase the risk of growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a bacteria that sickens humans via contaminated shellfish. WADOH, tribes, and shellfish growers are reducing this risk to human health by restricting shellfish harvest when environmental conditions are ideal for Vibrio growth. NANOOS joins the partnership to increase data access.

Visit the NVS Shellfish Growers App for data from the new sensors.
Learn more about Vibrio parahaemolyticus at the WADOH Vibrio information page.

7 days of water temperature data from South Sound, Pickering Passage near Graham Point

7 days of both salinity and water temperature data from Samish Bay. Visit: http://nvs.nanoos.org/ShellfishGrowers

Buoy deployment

 

  

 

  

  

Rolling down the Columbia prepping the buoy

As we make our way down the Columbia River towards the Pacific, the APL-UW buoy team (Zoe, Hannah, Keith and John) are prepping the buoy for deployment.

Refloating

Friday May 22nd
The shipyard began the process of refloating the Thompson early this morning, towing the drydock away from the dock and slowly sinking it. 

 

Just after lunch we are finally free of the drydock.

 On our way in the Willamette, headed to the Columbia.

Arriving at the Thompson

Night One, Thursday May 21st

We arrived at the ship this evening just after sunset while it was still in dry dock in Portland. Luckily most of the gear had been craned onto the ship earlier in the day.