Featured News

GCOOS Begins 20th Anniversary Year

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Posted: January 16, 2025
Category: Featured News

Celebrating 20 Years of Ocean Observing in the Gulf of Mexico

Since 2005, the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) has been working to build a robust, sustained, operational observing system in the Gulf of Mexico that integrates physical, meteorological, biogeochemical, biological, bathymetric and other types of data critical to understanding our changing climate, as well as the short- and long-term impacts of changing weather patterns.

Today, as GCOOS celebrates its 20th Anniversary year, the organization includes more than 30 principal investigators and 62 partners providing data from 1,730 sensors in the Gulf of Mexico via 447 regional and federal stations. GCOOS has 181 institutional and individual members.

While GCOOS is focused on the Gulf of Mexico, the organization’s contributions to a better understanding of ocean dynamics goes well beyond its role there; GCOOS leaders have been instrumental in the development of a national ocean observing system since the idea was first discussed.

Dr. Worth Nowlin, GCOOS founding director, and former GCOOS Board Member Dr. Mark Luther served as Chair and Vice Chair (respectively) on the inaugural U.S. Global Ocean Observing System Steering Committee formed in 1998 at the request of Dr. D. James Baker, Jr., Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere at NOAA. Former GCOOS Board member Cort Cooper was also part of the national leadership team, representing industry interests on behalf of Chevron/Texaco Corporation. In fact, users’ needs were integral to the development of national ocean observing strategies.

That early team prepared key documents, including the 10-year implementation plan needed to stand up the U.S. observing system, and established the Ocean.US office that coordinated development activities in the early years. The Steering Committee also suggested getting smaller groups working independently to combine their efforts and aid in the development of regional observing systems by conforming to GOOS design principles. These “Regional Associations” (RAs) were tasked with identifying users, assessing and prioritizing their needs for product development and providing input for legislation.

Since the earliest days, leaders encouraged the development of pilot projects to further evolve the system and its capabilities. They also assessed the economic benefits of the network to support investment. Eventually, the Steering Committee developing ocean observing capabilities suggested the formation of a National Federation of Regional Associations, precursor to the current IOOS Association. Original GOOS documents also made the case for robust IOOS outreach and education (OE), an area GCOOS pioneers like Drs. Mike Spranger, Sharon Walker and John Dindo had the vision to support, making GCOOS the only RA to continuously commit resources to OE throughout IOOS history.

While there has been tremendous growth, sustained observations to support a user-driven system remain at the heart of GCOOS. And while the original three key areas of focus identified by the GOOS Steering Committee — coastal inundation/disaster resilience, marine operations and public health —remain highly relevant, there is so much more that the GCOOS community is tackling. Today, GCOOS is also a data provider certified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), meaning that it meets rigorous standards for data gathering and management practices and operates inclusively, transparently and with stakeholder guidance to help us determine system priorities.

Follow us throughout our 20th Anniversary to see where we’ve been and help inform where we’re headed in the coming years!

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