Many people ask, “Why not just clean up the algae?” Unfortunately, the answer is not so simple. Harmful algal blooms are a natural process that have been occurring throughout history ‐ and many human activities cause environmental changes that promote the development of harmful blooms. However, there are ways to lessen the effects of these events.
November is Native American Heritage Month, a time set aside to pay tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. We offer a few examples of how NOAA partners with state agencies and tribes to protect the natural resources that often represent the foundation of tribal communities and their traditions.
Animal telemetry is the science of gathering information on the movement and behavior of marine organisms using digital tags. Now, after years in development, an online portal is available that allows anyone to view the movement and behavior of tagged marine organisms worldwide.
Did you know many phrases that we use today have nautical origins? Lots of these terms derive from the Age of Sail — the period of time between the 16th and 19th centuries when masted ships ruled the seas. Hear the origins of some popular phrases in our latest podcast.
There are some factors that cause the tides to be higher than what is "normally" seen from day to day. View our bulletin to see when you may experience higher than normal high tides for the period of time between September and November, 2019.
Since 1959, land surveyors and other geospatial professionals have had two standards to measure the length of a foot — the U.S. survey foot and the international foot. And they’re not exactly equal. Find out why NOAA and NIST are retiring the U.S. survey foot, and standardizing on the international foot.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when algae — simple photosynthetic organisms that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. Visit our new portal for region-specific HAB information, links, and resources.
NOAA 2020 tide tables are now available. NOAA tide predictions are used by both commercial and recreational mariners for safe navigation. NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services produce these tide tables on an annual basis.
Marine debris is a pervasive issue in many coastal areas of the United States, where tourism and recreation account for $124 billion in gross domestic product. Explore the economic impacts of marine debris on tourism-dependent communities with this story, infographic, and story map.
National Estuaries Week may be over, but it's still a great time to visit your local estuary research reserve. These special places are about more than simply enjoying or experiencing; they’re places to conserve, study, educate, clean, restore, and unite.
A project to survey the nation's gravity field will soon allow us to calculate heights with much greater accuracy. Mapping out hurricane evacuation routes and floodplains are just two cases in which it is critical to know accurate land heights so that we know which way water will flow.
In our latest podcast, the chief of NOAA’s Disaster Preparedness program explains how her team facilitates internal communication, coordination, and preparation for all types of unforeseen disasters.
