CARIBBEAN: PLANNING FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE (CPACC)
I. BACKGROUND
The CPACC project is a United Nations sponsored Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded effort designed to assist developing countries in coping with the adverse effects of global climate change. Funds are implemented through the World Bank and the project is managed by the Organization of American States (OAS). CPACC consists of 8 components:
1. Design and establish a sea level/meteorological monitoring network.
2. Establish a data base and information system.
3. Inventory of coastal resources and use.
4. Coral reef monitoring.
5. Coastal vulnerability and risk assessment.
6. Formulation of policy for coastal and marine management.
7. Economic valuation of coastal and marine resources.
8. Economic and regulatory proposals for adaptation to climate change.
The following describes only component 1.
II. OBJECTIVE
The objectives of Component 1 are (1) to establish 18 state-of-the-art telemetry sea level and meteorological monitoring stations in the 12 participating countries (Fig 1.), which will comply with the minimum standards of the Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS) network stations; (2) to develop a regional and national capacity to maintain the stations long term, conduct data acquisition, analysis, archiving and data dissemination activities using automated computer-enhanced technology; and (3) to strengthen Regional and National Institutions and to improve professional and technical skills through technology transfer.
III. COMPONENT DESCRIPTION
Stations consist of an air acoustic water level sensor and protective well, meteorological sensors (wind, barometric pressure, air and water temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation), a data collection platform (DCP), and a permanent bench mark (survey monument) network. The DCP provides on-site data acquisition, temporary storage, and telemetry communications. There are 3 modes of data retrieval available from the DCP: (1) scheduled data transmission via GOES satellite every 3 hours, which is the primary means of data retrieval, (2) telephone (optional), and (3) direct on-site down loading via an RS-232 communication port. Data acquisition, analysis, archiving and dissemination is performed by the Caribbean Meteorological Institute (CMI) in Barbados (Fig 2.). The bench mark network consists of 5 permanent survey monuments which are periodically connected to the water level sensor by differential levels. This provides a stability check on the sensor and the bench marks, in addition to maintaining the sea level data on a common datum. One mark at each station is scheduled to be occupied with GPS to place the stations in a GPS global reference framework (i.e. International Terrestrial Reference Frame) to support vertical crustal motion studies, mapping, charting, GIS, and transportation needs. There are two GPS campaigns scheduled, one in 1998 and another in the year 2000.
IV. PROJECT ORGANIZATION
Project management and technical guidance is the respsonsibility of the OAS under the supervision of the World Bank. A Project Advisory Committee (PAC) provides guidance to OAS and consists of one representative from CARICOM, one from the GEF Council, two from the National Focal Points, one from the World Bank, one from OAS, one from the University of the West Indies Center for Environment and Development (UWICED), one each from UNEP and UNDP, and one from a regional/local NGO. There is a Regional Project Implementation Unit (RPIU) at UWICED in Barbados to coordinate and manage project activities at the regional level. A Regional Network Coordinator (RNC) is located at CMI and is responsible for the installation, operation, maintenance, and annual calibration of the sea level and meteorological sensors. The RNC is also responsible coordinating the installation of the data acquisition satellite downlink and computer interface. Each participating country has a National Implementation Coordination Unit (NICU) that is responsible for facilitating and coordinating project activities at the national level (Fig 3.).
V. PROJECT STATUS
Station Installations
An essential phase in the design of the Sea Level/Climate Monitoring Network was to select a system to uniquely identify the information and data generated by each station in the network. CPACC chose to follow the numbering convention of the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL) of the Bidston Observatory, Birkenhead, United Kingdom. PSMSL convention consists of a unique 3-digit country number and a 3-digit station number. Historic stations in the PSMSL data base retain the PSMSL assigned number and new stations were assigned numbers sequential as the stations were installed. For example in Trinidad, the historic station at Port of Spain retained the PSMSL number 913-001 and Guayaguayure was assigned a new number 913-002.
Site selection and station design was completed for all locations in
November 1997. The enhancement and reoccupation of long term historic sea
level stations was a priority in the site selection process. Station
installations and the GPS surveys began in February 1998 in Grenada. Hands-on
training was provided to personnel from each participating country on the
installation and maintenance of the various station components and GPS
surveying procedures during the station installations. Table 1 shows the
installation dates for each station.
TABLE 1. List of the stations and the installation date.
| COUNTRY | INSTALLATION DATE | SITE |
| ANTIGUA | JULY 1998 | COAST GUARD BASE, PARHAM |
| BAHAMAS | APRIL 1998
APRIL 1998 MAY 1998 |
HARBOR POLICE PIER, NASSAU
LEE STOCKING ISLAND MORTON SALT PIER, GREAT INAGUA |
| BELIZE | APRIL 1998 | PORT AUTHORITY PIER, BELIZE CITY |
| BARBADOS | DEEP WATER PORT, BRIDGETOWN | |
| DOMINICA | JULY 1998 | COAST GUARD BASE, ROSEAU |
| JAMACIA | JUNE 1998
JUNE 1998 |
COAST GUARD BASE, PORT ROYAL
COAST GUARD BASE, DISCOVERY BAY |
| GRENADA | FEBRUARY 1998 | COAST GUARD BASE, PRICKLY BAY |
| GUYANA | SEPTEMBER 1998
OCTOBER 1998 |
FERRY TERMINAL, ESSESQUIBO RIVER
FERRY TERMINAL, BERBICE RIVER |
| ST KITTS | JULY 1998 | COAST GUARD BASE, BASSE TERRE |
| ST LUCIA | AUGUST 1998 | COAST GUARD BASE, CASTRIES |
| ST VINCENT | NOVEMBER 1998 | COAST GUARD BASE, KINGSTON |
| TRINIDAD & TOBAGO | MARCH 1998
MARCH 1998 MARCH 1998 |
PORT AUTHORITY PIER, PORT-OF-SPAIN
COAST GUARD BASE, GUAYAGUAYURE VILLAGE PIER, CHARLOTTEVILLE |
GPS Reference Station
A continuously operating GPS reference station was established at Bridgetown, Barbados in November 1997. The system consists of a 12 channel dual frequency GPS receiver and a high precision chokering antenna. Epoch update is every 30 seconds and data are automatically downloaded to a dedicated computer with a telephone connection to an INTERNET provider. Geosciences Research Division of National Geodetic Survey (GRD/NGS) post-process the data and the processed data are placed on the web sites of GRD/NGS (www.gracie.grdl.noaa.gov) and International GPS Service (IGS) for Geodynamics (www.igscd.jpl.nasa.gov).
GPS Campaign
The first GPS campaign is in underway. Surveys are conducted with dual a frequency GPS receiver, chokering antenna and 2-meter fixed height tripod. Measurements are taken at a 30 second sample rate for 24 hours a day for 4 to 6 consecutive days. A laptop computer with receiver communications software is used to automatically download the data from the receiver to the laptop harddrive for storage. At the end of the GPS day (00:00UTC-23:59UTC) the data are compressed and copied onto 3.5" diskettes and to a zip disk to provide 3 separate storage areas (harddrive, diskette, zip disk).
GPS Data Processing
The IGS reference stations at St. George, Bermuda, Kourou, French Guiana and Fortaleza, Brazil provide the coordinates and velocities for the International Terrestrial Reference Frame 1996 (ITRF96) computations. These coordinates and velocities are precisely determined by IGS. The daily precise GPS ephemerides produced by 7 IGS Processing Centers are used in the data processing to ensure that the computed position and height of the bench marks are in ITRF96.
Using the double-difference method and GRD/NGS Run_Survey software for post-processing the data, results show repeatabilities of both position and height values to be less than 1 cm. Table 2 gives an example of the processed data from Port of Spain, an urban site with obstructions and Guayaguayure, a rural site without obstructions. Results for the other sites show similar repeatability in the position and height values.
Table 2. Summary of the GPS observations at Port of Spain (post) and
Guayaguayure (quay).
| Lat | Lon | Ht | Lat Lon | Ht |
| Lat | Lon | Ht | Lat Lon | Ht |
| Lat | Lon | Ht | Lat Lon | Ht |
| Lat | Lon | Ht | Lat Lon | Ht |
The Latitude (Lat), Longitude (Lon), and Height (Ht) are in the ITRF96
reference system. Latitude and Longitude are in degrees, minutes, and seconds,
North and East, respectivily. Height is the ellipsoid height in meters.
The is the standard deviation of the individual Lat, Lon, and
Ht values relative to the 24 hour solution. A weighted average (Wt
Ave) value is presented at the bottom of the daily solutions and
is the standard deviation about the weighted average value.
GPS observed data are available via anonymous ftp from the GRD/NGS network
address:
| address | gracie.grdl.noaa.gov |
| login | anonymous |
| password | your address |
| directory | dist/cignet/dxxxa_98 |
All data files are in UNIX compressed RINEX format. Data sets are in
files named dxxxa 98, where xxx is the Julian Day, a is ASCII and 98 is
the year. In the dxxxa 98 file, the data are listed using the station four-character
ID. The following list provides the information needed to find the CPACC
GPS data in gracie.
| SITE | FOUR CHAR. FILE ID | JULIAN DAY |
| Prickley Bay, Grenada | GRNA | 054 - 058 |
| Port of Spain, Trinidad | POST | 063 - 068 |
| Gauyayuayure, Trinidad | GUAY | 064 - 069 |
| Charlotteville, Tobago | CHAR | 070 - 075 |
| Belize City Port, Belize | BELZ | 093 - 098 |
| Fort George, Belize City, Belize | BELT | 095 - 098 |
| Settlement Point, Bahamas | STLP | 112 - 117 |
| Nassau, Bahamas | NASS | 110 - 115 |
| Lee Stocking, Bahamas | LSIS | 115 - 119 |
| Great Inagua, Bahamas | GTIN | 139 - 147 |
| Kingston, Jamaica | JAMK | 157 - 166 |
| Discovery Bay, Jamaica | JAMD | 163 - 167 |
| Parham, Antigua | ANTG | 195 - 198 |
| Basse Terre, St. Kitts | SKIT | 202 - 206 |
| Roseau, Dominica | DOMN | 209 - 214 |
| Castries, St. Lucia | STLU | 223 - 226 |
VI. SUMMARY
Presently there are 15 sea level/meteorological stations online in 10 countries. A continuous GPS reference site is operational in Barbados and the first GPS campaign is underway. Results from the processing show position and height determinations to be less than 1 cm.
VII. CONTACTS
Claudio Volonte
CPACC Technical Coordinator
Organization of American States
e-mail cvolonte@oas.org
Tel (202) 458-3228
Lee Chapin
CPACC Acting Regional Network Coordinator
Organization of American States
e-mail chapin_l@msn.com
Doug Martin
NOAA CPACC Representative
NOAA, national Ocean Service
e-mail doug.martin@noaa.gov