The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) recently announced the redeployment of its wave and water quality buoys in Hilo Bay.
The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) recently announced the redeployment of its wave and water quality buoys in Hilo Bay.
PacIOOS redeployed its wave buoy in Hilo Bay after it cut loose three months ago. The bright yellow buoy is located more than 7 miles northeast of Hilo harbor and now will continue to send information about the ocean and wave conditions. The reinstalled buoy in Hilo joins the existing PacIOOS network of 13 real-time wave buoys across the Pacific, providing data on wave height, direction, period and sea surface temperature.
Ocean users, including fishermen, commercial operators, surfers, paddlers and swimmers, can access ocean data online to make well-informed and safe decisions.
Real-time wave data also are vital to prepare the community, emergency responders and county officials for big wave events that could potentially impact Hilo’s shoreline.
In addition, PacIOOS redeployed a water quality buoy in Hilo Bay. The water quality buoy went out of commission after it was vandalized at the beginning of August.
“We are very excited that both the wave and water quality buoys are back online to serve real-time data,” said Melissa Iwamoto, deputy director of PacIOOS. “We would like to ask everyone to help us malama our buoys so they continue to benefit the Hilo community.”
In collaboration with the University of Hawaii at Hilo, PacIOOS maintains two water quality buoys on Hawaii Island, in Hilo Bay and Kiholo Bay. Both measure key indicators to assess the health of the coastline and ocean, including temperature, salinity, chlorophyll florescence, turbidity and dissolved oxygen.
Data streaming for the PacIOOS wave buoy is made possible through long-term partnerships between PacIOOS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Coastal Data Information Program.
The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) believes that ocean data and information can help save lives and resources. PacIOOS is part of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).