Florida Department of Environmental Protection Innovative Technology Grant#13

Integrating Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Data Access Across Platforms and Establishing a Virtual HAB Information Center.

Overview of Project:

Florida has experienced severe and long-lasting harmful algal blooms (HAB) of multiple microalgal and cyanobacteria species in fresh, estuarine, and nearshore oceanic waters. The spatial and temporal variability of these HAB events, coupled with a diverse array of taxa have presented several challenges to the effective, timely, and accurate communication of bloom conditions, trends, and potential ecological risks.

The 2016 “super bloom” and fish kill in the Indian River Lagoon was caused by Aueroumbra lagunisis, commonly referred to as the Texas brown tide. The event brought increased awareness of the need to evaluate opportunities for enhanced data sharing and communications among inter-agency and intra-agency staff and the general public. The Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP), St. John’s River Water Management District (SJRWMD), Florida Atlantic University – Harbour Branch Oceanographic Institute (FAU-HBOI), and StormCenter Communications (SCCI) decided to address the need of communicating HAB data by testing a technology called GeoCollaborate.

This website is dedicated to the entirety of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Agency’s (FDEP) Innovative Technology Grant # 13: Integrating Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Data Access Across Platforms and Establishing a Virtual HAB Information Center.

What is GeoCollaborate?

The GeoCollaborate® software as a service (SaaS) application provides real-time geospatial trusted data visualization, data sharing, and collaboration across disparate systems and platforms. GeoCollaborate was developed through StormCenter Communications, Inc. under the NASA and NOAA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts. GeoCollaborate has completed Phase III of Research & Development on it’s digital map and SaaS (Web GIS) technology.

For more information about GeoCollaborate visit SCCI website here.

Summary of Activities Completed by Task:

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Project Partners