GeoCollaborate

Photo Credit: E. Lopez

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, has presented several challenges to the effective, timely and accurate communication of bloom conditions, trends and potential ecological risks.

In 2016, Aueroumbra lagunisis, commonly referred to as the Texas brown tide, caused a severe algal bloom and fish kill in 2016. The event brought increased awareness of the need to evaluate opportunities for enhanced data sharing and communications among interagency and intra-agency staff and the general public.

The IRLNEP, St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), Florida Atlantic University – Harbor 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 project focused on integrating Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) data across platforms to evaluate the potential for establishing a Virtual HAB Information Center.

Cover page of the GeoCollaborate FDEP INV13 Final Report
Diagram showing GeoCollaborate's unified data integration across platforms

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. Further, GeoCollaborate has completed phase III of research & development on its digital map and SaaS (web GIS) technology.

Please visit the SCCI website for more information about GeoCollaborate.

Summary of Activities Completed by Task

Task 1: Planning, Project Initiation and Subcontracting

The IRLNEP and project partners utilized the term of Task 1 to hire a GIS professional, obtain GeoCollaborate license agreements, purchase necessary software/hardware, develop a quality assurance manual for data integration and communicate on the progress with the IRL-Council boards.

Below are links to resources created during Task 1 of the FDEP INV13 grant that occurred between July 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021.

Task 2: Data Acquisition, Integration and Testing

During Task 2, the IRLNEP and project partners started to identify HAB data (e.g., meteorology, hydrology, water quality and taxa-cell count data) from multiple sources in the IRL. The organizations included St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), the Florida Department of Environmental Management (FDEP), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACs), Florida Atlantic University – Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and the Florida Institute of Technology.

Internally, data was reviewed for quality in accordance with the QA Manual (Task 1), formatted and integrated into 3 GeoCollaborate Instance #1: Data Acquisition, Internal Testing and GeoCollaborate Training. It was then tested for its ability to be shared across platforms.

Preliminary case studies based on data for HABs and water quality were developed and communicated to internal and external stakeholders through team meetings and meetings with the department. Testing of data sets, data access and sharing with stakeholders will be delivered through initial GeoCollaborate sessions that demonstrate a preliminary public-facing instance.

Find links below to resources created during Task 2 of the FDEP INV13 grant that occurred between July 1, 2020, and January 1, 2022.

Chlorophyll-a harmful algal bloom data map for Florida, 2016

Task 3: Instances of GeoCollaborate Information Sessions for the IRL

The Grantee will give a minimum of four instance sessions using Instance #2: Communicating the Bloom – IRL HAB Hindcast and a minimum of four sessions using Instance #3: IRL HAB Emergency Scenario Planning and Response that demonstrate the capacity and value of GeoCollaborate as a HAB communication platform that showcases the ability of GeoCollaborate to shorten the timeline from microalgal data collection and synthesis to enhance communication of conditions and trends to the public and community leaders, and as a planning and response platform, by delivering sessions to the IRLNEP Management Conference.

This internal peer review will include the IRLNEP Management Board; Science, Technology, Engineering and Modeling (STEM) Advisory Committee; Citizen’s Advisory Committee; and IRL Council Board of Directors (IRLNEP Policy Board). The target audience comprises scientists, professionals who manage coastal and estuarine resources, and other regional stakeholders. The Grantee will develop and deliver a draft report that incorporates input from the IRL Management Conference, along with any Department comments. Below are links to resources created during Task 2 of the FDEP INV13 grant that occurred between July 1, 2020, and April 30, 2022.

Poster for a GeoCollaborate harmful algal bloom information session

Task 4: Development of a Communication Framework for a Florida HAB Information Center

The IRLNEP and project partners expanded the spatial range of interest to the entire State of Florida. The areas of interest included Lake Okeechobee and Tampa Bay. Data came from trusted sources like the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, South Florida Water Management District, and Southwest Florida Water Management District. Targets included Florida Gulf coast HABs and Lake Okeechobee HABs.

GeoCollaborate Instance #4: Communicating the Bloom – Florida Statewide as the demonstration of a Florida HAB Information Center. The Grantee will prepare a draft Final Report summarizing the results of the project, including all tasks in this Grant Work Plan. The Grantee will deliver a minimum of two GeoCollaborate sessions showcasing statewide HAB data to a targeted audience of state agency leaders and other key partners and stakeholders. Below are links to resources created during Task 4 of the FDEP INV13 grant that occurred between July 1, 2020, and January 1, 2023.

Resources

Videos

Project Partners