U.S. IOOS^® and Eye on Earth Collaboration: U.S. IOOS, SECOORA, NANOOS Advancing International Partnerships

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Program, the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing System (NANOOS), the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA), the European Environment Agency (EEA) and ESRI have partnered collaboratively to enable IOOS data on the Eye on Earth Network online portal.  Eye on Earth is a “global public information network for creating and sharing environmentally relevant data and information online through interactive map-based visualizations.  The overall goal is to improve the environment by sharing information and knowledge.” 

The Eye on Earth Network is an online portal collaboratively developed by the EEA, Microsoft and ESRI.  The Eye on Earth Network launched in 2008 with WaterWatch, an interactive map that presents the latest available water quality data, to provide European citizens information about their environment.  Today, the Eye on Earth Network presents a breadth of environmental information from thematic areas such as biodiversity, coastal erosion and oil spills.  The collaboration between U.S. IOOS and EEA has helped to broaden the Eye on Earth Networks’ reach of environmental observations beyond its European boundaries.   

The U.S. IOOS data in the Eye on Earth Network is limited, for now, to water temperature, salinity, water levels because the collaboration focus was on the process for integrating U.S. IOOS data into Eye on Earth.  The collaboration first started with these common variables to facilitate the integration process and more complex variables such as water quality or ecosystem observations will be add in the future.    

The Eye on Earth Network – U.S. IOOS data integration was largely successful because of the regional collaboration between SECOORA and NANOOS.  SECOORA and NANOOS collaboratively developed a common KML template for the data presentation, shared code and resources on this project.  SECOORA and NANOOS generated RA-specific KML files from their own IOOS services, but followed a common layout and format.  The KML files are assimilated into a single ArcGIS Online Map and ingested into an Eye on Earth application.

This collaboration between IOOS^®, NANOOS, SECOORA, EEA, and ESRI is bringing together global data sets.  A map displaying U.S. IOOS data is now available on the Eye on Earth Network.  The project has been proof of how strong partnerships can result in successful collaborations.

 

Eye on Earth U.S. IOOS Collaboration: The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) web map application combines the latest water temperature, salinity, and water levels from the U.S. IOOS Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing System (NANOOS) and the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing System (SECOORA) Regional Associations.

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Eye on Earth - U.S. IOOS Web Map Application

Data Map - U.S. IOOS Surface Water Temperature, Salinity and Water Level Data (Presently, for NANOOS and SECOORA).