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PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS AND INFORMATION

[PORTS™] [Predictions] [Observations] [Bench Marks] [Station Locator] [Publications] [About CO-OPS]

Click on topic heading to go to that web page. For example, clicking on the PORTS™ heading below will take you to the PORTS™ web page.

PORTS™ - The Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS™) is a program of the National Ocean Service that supports safe and cost-efficient navigation by providing ship masters and pilots with accurate real-time information required to avoid groundings and collisions. This technological innovation has the potential to save the maritime insurance industry and society from the multi-million dollar claims resulting from shipping accidents. PORTS™ includes centralized data acquisition and dissemination systems that provide real-time water levels, currents, and other oceanographic and meteorological data from bays and harbors to the maritime user community in a variety of user friendly formats, including telephone voice response and Internet. Also, PORTS™ provides nowcasts and predictions of these parameters with the use of numerical circulation models. Telephone voice access to accurate real-time water level information allows U.S. port authorities and maritime shippers to make sound decisions regarding loading of tonnage (based on available bottom clearance), maximizing loads, and limiting passage times, without compromising safety.

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Predictions - The predictions page is separated into two sections. The first, Tide Predictions, provides tidal predictions at any of the more than 3000 stations around the U.S., Caribbean, and Pacific Islands. The second, Tidal Current Predictions, provides tidal current prediction for each of the U.S. and Canadian tidal current reference stations; as well as time and speed adjustment to allow the calculations to predict tidal currents at more than 2500 secondary stations. Both tide and tidal current predictions are provided for the present calendar year. The predictions are updated in late October or early November to include the following calendar year. Both tide and tidal current predictions are based upon the analyses of observations at the location. Since extremes of meteorological conditions have been excluded from the analyses and predictions, the predicted values should be considered as those expected under average weather conditions. During periods when the weather differs from what is considered average for the area, the user must be aware that actual water levels and currents may vary from those predicted. Generally, prolonged onshore winds or a low atmospheric pressure can produce higher levels than predicted, while the opposite can result in lower levels than those predicted. For your convenience, the predicted times are given with daylight saving time incorporated from April to October when appropriate. The tidal water levels are given in feet above Mean Lower Low Water, which is the nautical chart datum of soundings for the U.S., and tidal current speeds are provided in knots.

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Observations - The water level observation page is broken down into five sections, inventories, verified/historical data, other, preliminary data, and ancillary data.

Inventories
  • Station Inventory*
  • Data Inventory*
  • Great Lakes Data Inventory*
  • Presently Operating Stations*
Verified/Historical Data
  • Global and U.S. Coastal Stations*
  • Great Lakes Stations*
    • Max/Min Report*
  • Unlisted Stations*
Other
  • Benchmarks
  • Accepted Datums
  • Harmonic Constants
Preliminary Data
  • Global and U.S. Coastal Stations
  • Unlisted Stations
  • Great Lakes Stations
    • 7 Day Report - Single Station*
    • 7 Day Report - All Stations*
  • U.S. and Global Coastal Station Data Plots
  • Great Lakes Station Water Level Plots
Ancillary Data
  • Meteorological / Oceanographic Data
  • Met and Ocean Data for Unlisted Station
* - Not available on this site because database is unavailable.

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Bench Marks - Bench Marks are defined as a fixed physical object or mark used as reference for a vertical datum. A tidal bench mark is one near a tide station to which the tide staff and tidal datums are referred. A primary bench mark is the principal (or only) mark of a group of tidal bench marks to which the tide staff and tidal datums are referred. The standard tidal bench mark of the National Ocean Service is a brass, bronze, or aluminum alloy disk 3-= inches in diameter containing the inscription NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE together with other individual identifying information. A geodetic bench mark identifies a surveyed point in the National Geodetic Vertical Network. Most geodetic bench mark disks contain the inscription VERTICAL CONTROL MARK NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY with other individual identifying information. Benchmark disks of either type may, on occasion, serve simultaneously to reference both tidal and geodetic datums. Numerous bench marks of predecessor organizations to NOS, or parts of other organizations absorbed into NOS, still bear the inscriptions: U.S. COAST & GEODETIC SURVEY, NATIONAL OCEAN SURVEY, U.S. LAKE SURVEY, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, and U.S. ENGINEER OFFICE. There are over 1700 tidal bench mark information sheets listed on this website.

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Station
Locator		 - The station locator is designed for the user who wishes to access all available data for any "active" (currently transmitting) water level station. The locator is broken down by state. Click on the state where the station of interest resides, then click on the station's name or dot. A screen will appear with the station selected and associated data options. Click on the option for the desired data. It is recommended that you check the data inventory option first before selecting other data types to see what data may be available.

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Publications - This is a list of the publications we currently have online and/or have in stock for ordering.



About
CO-OPS		 - This page provides all the information you may need about the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) of the Nation Ocean Service (NOS). Information includes contact points, location, mission statement, organizational structure, personnel and disclaimers. It also provides a link to information about the Washington DC metro system.

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CO-OPS Homepage PORTS™ Predictions Water Level Obs. Benchmarks Frequently Asked Questions Station Products Publications CO-OPS Info. Product Info.