Implementation of community based ocean observatories on the West Coast of Canada

Ocean Networks Canada submitted a proposal to Western Economic Diversification Canada (WED) in 2014 to develop ocean monitoring infrastructure using advanced sensing technologies in areas critical to BC's economic future, such as the proposed LNG facilities at Campbell River, and the ports of Kitimat and Prince Rupert. The proposed infrastructure included technology related to monitoring maritime risks such as earthquakes and tsunamis; events that would likely be devastating to shipping and port facilities. The sensing technologies selected for these stations were based on meeting a diverse set of requirements, from wave and current conditions at key locations, to the ship traffic navigating those waterways, to monitoring baseline oceanographic conditions and to providing ocean data of interest to the communities supporting the observatories. The core observatory infrastructure includes a shore station with power and communications, cable solutions for terrestrial and subsea environments, and the sensor systems themselves. In the final months of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016, a series of Community Observatories up the Coast of British Columbia were developed. This paper will provide an overview of the technologies at each site and the justification for why these sites are important to monitor. The challenges related to developing the infrastructure will be addressed, and strategies employed to improve installation reliability and robustness will also be discussed. Details related to the ONC shore station will be covered, including ongoing challenges associated with reliable communications in small communities.