This project will repair and replace ten water level sensors in coastal virginia that were damaged or degraded by hurricane helene, restoring critical observing capacity in the mid-atlantic region

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the University of Delaware a cooperative agreement totaling $496,520 on July 1, 2026, under the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program to repair and replace ten water level sensors in coastal Virginia damaged or degraded by Hurricane Helene. The University of Delaware, leading the effort in partnership with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), will restore real-time water level monitoring capacity to support flood forecasting, emergency response, and coastal resilience in the Mid-Atlantic region. The replacement sensors will integrate into regional and national IOOS data systems, including MARACOOS OCEANSMAP and VIMS TIDEWATCH, improving data continuity and reducing uncertainty in coastal flood predictions for community decision-making. The project period runs through June 30, 2028, with work performed in Newark, Delaware. This award directly addresses NOAA's Disaster Response and Supplemental Appropriations (DRSA) objective to repair and replace observing assets impacted by severe storms.

Led by maracoos in partnership with the virginia institute of marine science (vims), the effort will RE-establish real-time water level monitoring to support flood forecasting, emergency response, and coastal resilience. The project will integrate replacement sensors into regional and national ioos data systems, including maracoos oceansmap and vims tidewatch. Restored observations will improve data continuity, reduce uncertainty in coastal flood predictions, and support community decision-making. This work directly addresses noaas drsa objective to repair and replace observing assets impacted by severe storms.