THE FACE PROGRAM

Principal Investigator: Dr. John Proni (John.Proni@noaa.gov)
Additional Point of Contact: Dr. Tom Carsey, Thomas.P.Carsey@noaa.gov

The Florida Area Coastal Environment (FACE) program is an ongoing, long-term effort at the Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory in Miami, Florida. The goal is to gather a broad range of data needed for understanding Florida’s coastal environment, evaluating potential anthropogenic impacts, providing guidance in the operation and development of water and sewer infrastructure, and the formulation of science-based regulation.

The FACE program includes nutrient, stable isotope, sediment, algal, coral, physical oceanographic, chemical, meteorological, genetic, and microbiological measurements.

The primary area of observations includes the coastal ocean off southeast Florida and adjacent waters and groundwater. 

This field research program integrates nutrient and microbiological loads with oceanographic understanding in order to determine the relative impact of waters entering the coastal zone (e.g., inlets, rivers, wastewater). The program has recently expanded to encompass 85 sites in the SE Atlantic Bight.

The purpose of such an integrated ecosystem assessment is to aid coastal zone managers in making informed decisions as they seek to preserve natural resources and balance competing uses, including protection of human and ecosystem health. The compelling management and policy questions addressed include whether additional nutrient standards (e.g., for ammonia) should be placed on coastal zone discharges.

The capabilities associated with such work include:

1) high-throughput, underway measurements of low nutrient concentration

2) analysis of microbial contaminants via microbiology and molecular biology (e.g., fecal indicators, pathogens, source tracking markers, harmful algae)

3) physical oceanographic measurements (e.g., acoustics) and tracking of water masses (SF6, dye studies)