Adaptive Integration of Sub-regional Coastal Ocean Observing Systems: A Case Study of the Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program (CORMP) and the Carolinas Coastal Ocean Observing and Prediction System (Caro-COOPS)

The Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program (CORMP) and the Carolinas Coastal Ocean Observing and Prediction System (Caro-COOPS) were established in the South Atlantic Bight in 2000 and 2001, respectively, as distinct sub-regional coastal ocean observing programs. They have since developed and co-evolved to become fully cooperative efforts that together span the coastal region from southeastern North Carolina to the South Carolina/Georgia border. Both programs incorporate observations subsystems, data management infrastructure, predictive modeling components, and extensive outreach activities. As Caro-COOPS and CORMP have been implemented, opportunities have been identified for sharing resources, coordinating activities, sharing expertise and problem-solving capacities, and cooperating on user-targeted activities. Currently, field operations are fully coordinated, information management operations are mutually supportive, modeling efforts are synergistic and complementary, and specific outreach activities have been mounted as fully cooperative efforts. At the same time, each program has individual components of specialized expertise or product applications. As we learn how best to leverage our respective resources, these lessons are being applied more broadly to build efficiencies and productive coordination with other sub-regional programs and national efforts