“SeaWARRDD”: Coastal Warning and Rapid Response Data Density: Rethinking Coastal Ocean Observing, Intelligence, Resilience, and Prediction

Abstract Florida has a rich coastal and offshore biodiversity and ecology, and its low-lying geography with three dynamic coastlines is unique in many respects. Millions of people are attracted to visit, live, and work in the region. The same unique qualities make Florida highly exposed to impact-weather events, climate change, sea level rise, and environmental interference from exploding population growth over the last few decades. Environmental conditions must be monitored, baselines formed, and advanced circulation and ecosystem models created and verified (in-situ). The SeaWARRDD team discusses the proposed implementation of a comprehensive “Florida Coastal Ocean Observing System” beginning with a pilot study along the inner-West Florida Shelf. Our SeaWARRDD team brings decades of experience to the ocean-observing community, from the federal, state, academic, and private sectors including designing, developing, installing, and maintaining ocean (bay and estuary) monitoring and data collection systems. The SeaWARRDDobserving technologies are described in their application to monitor impact-weather, the structure of water-column density (conductivity, temperature, depth/ocean heat content), water-quality parameters, harmful algal blooms, acidification, and met-ocean physical components. Also discussed is the engagement with new ocean technologies and artificial intelligence, machine learning, and neural networks as they progress from concept, to prototype, and onto operational status. SeaWARRDD takes ocean-data processing to higher levels within the observing community and opens new avenues to provide both direct and indirect benefits to the millions of people who live along the Florida coast.