Funding of $40 million granted to the Scripps Coastal Data Information Program for joint research collaboration
UC San Diego's Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP) has received a significant boost with a five-year, $40 million grant from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). This funding, awarded in partnership with USACE's Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), will support CDIP operations through mid-2029.
Established in 1975, CDIP has been providing near real-time wave and sea-surface temperature observations, models, and forecasts for 50 years. The program serves as a network for monitoring waves and coastal conditions along U.S. shorelines, with over 90 active stations.
The new funding will advance research in two main categories: characterization of the coastal wave climate (waves) and shoreline response (beaches). This research will focus on geographic settings on the U.S. West Coast, distinct and complementary to those studied on the East and Gulf Coasts.
The research will collect comprehensive observations in the beach and surf zone, essential for analyzing coastal changes over various time scales. It will also support models of coastal processes that aid regional sediment management, coastal hazard prediction, and resilience efforts.
One of the key initiatives the funding will support is the maintenance of the national buoy network. CDIP's iconic yellow mooring buoys collect a wealth of publicly accessible environmental data that informs coastal storm risk management, coastal flood forecasting, dredging operations, maritime weather forecasting, commercial port traffic, surf forecasting, and more.
The funding will also provide valuable opportunities for both basic and applied research for graduate and undergraduate students. It will support the testing and development of new technologies to improve coastal observing capabilities.
High-fidelity wave observations are made possible by directional 'waverider' buoys deployed by CDIP at nearly 100 sites across U.S. waters. The research will also delve into nearshore wave dynamics, beach processes, and the effects of weather patterns and sea-level rise.
CDIP's growth and steady support from USACE since 1977 have established it as a trusted resource for coastal engineers and planners. The new award will help CDIP continue its mission of improving our understanding of wave transformation over complex topography, wave current interactions, infragravity waves, storm surge, and wave-driven flooding.
- The $40 million grant awarded to UC San Diego's Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP) will contribute to oceanographic research, particularly focusing on coastal processes, by advancing understanding of wave transformation, wave current interactions, and beach processes.
- In collaboration with the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), CDIP will use science and technology to support their mission in environmental-science, such as fostering basic and applied research for students and improving the nation's buoy network, which provides critical environmental data in areas like coastal storm risk management and commercial port traffic.
