In the aftermath of the event, the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium recognized the need for a readily accessible, common platform to illustrate and share information on hydrological and water-quality monitoring site locations. The Consortium then contacted a number of state and federal agencies and academic institutions that conduct long-term and event-based monitoring programs.
“Together with these partners, the Consortium is developing a web-based visualization tool—the S.C. Coastal Water Monitoring Network,” said Rick DeVoe, Consortium executive director. “When completed, this tool will allow scientists, resource managers, policy-makers, and citizens to easily identify water resource monitoring locations. They can gather information on who is conducting the monitoring, the parameters being monitored and measured, and click on a link to the website where detailed data and information for each location can be accessed.”
Partners in the effort to date include Coastal Carolina University; College of Charleston; S.C. Department of Natural Resources; S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control; University of South Carolina; U.S. Forest Service; U.S. Geological Survey; North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve; and Charleston Waterkeeper.
The visualization tool is designed to serve as a time-saving first step for water-resource managers and researchers, whether anticipating future events or examining archived data on historical events, such as Hurricane Hugo or the 2015 and 2016 flooding. It provides a baseline for understanding the status of water resources and context for the impacts of climate and weather events.