There are two primary goals of the Prince William Sound Observing System (PWSOS). The first is to combine long-term monitoring with studies to understand mechanisms underlying the regional ecosystem dynamics. The second goal is to provide information to the major user groups in PWS. The PWSOS is being designed to fully utilize infrastructure and support contributed by a host of partner organizations including AOOS, the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council, National Data Buoy Center, Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Alaska (Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau), U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Coast Guard.
The core components of the observing system are three computer models that will provide better forecasts than any that are now available in PWS for weather, waves, and ocean conditions. These models are being developed to take better advantage of real-time data streams. Infrastructure expansion plans for the observing system include improving the consistency and data quality for the existing array of meteorological sensors, deploying precipitation gauges in the surrounding watersheds, and deploying a telemetered stream gauge on the Copper River. A better understanding of the mechanisms and exchange rates of waters between the Gulf of Alaska and the Sound using moored subsurface observations is under way together with observation from automated surface current mappers.
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