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The use of marine navigation tools is necessary to ensure safe and efficient marine transportation and commerce, offshore engineering projects, naval operations and recreational activities. The Office of Coast Survey, which is part of NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS), is responsible for providing these tools, such as nautical charts and hydrographic surveys. These must be kept accurate and up to date at all times. The mandate to create and maintain nautical charts and related hydrographic information is meant to ensure safe navigation of maritime commerce within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone--an area of 3.4 million square nautical miles offshore from the coastline.
Nautical Charts Today, OCS remains the primary agency responsible for constructing and maintaining the nation's nautical charts. Nautical charts contain information about the nature and form of the coast, the depths of the water and general character and configuration of the sea bottom, locations of dangers to navigation, the rise and fall of the tides, locations of navigation aids, and characteristics of the earth's magnetism. Nautical charts are available in paper format, in a raster format (georeferenced digital pictures of paper nautical charts), and electronically. Hydrographic Data and Coast Pilots In addition to providing nautical charts, NOS collects marine hydrographic data to construct and maintain more than 1,000 nautical charts and Coast Pilots, which are a series of books that cover a variety of information important to navigators. Hydrographic surveys contain water depth data that emphasize elements affecting safe navigation. These surveys identify sea floor materials, dredging areas, cables, pipelines, wrecks, piles and fish habitats using multibeam and side-scan sonar tools. Coast Pilots include channel descriptions, anchorages, bridge and cable clearances, currents, tide and water levels, prominent features, pilotage, towage, traffic separation schemes, small-craft facilities, and federal regulations that are applicable to navigation. Coast Pilots are also available for download. Ongoing research and development efforts aim to improve NOS's marine navigation products and services.
NOS's Navigation Response Teams conduct hazardous obstructions surveys. Working from 10 strategically placed offices, the teams are available on short notice, and use dive operations, electronic navigation data collection and mapping support capabilities to promote safe navigation in emergency situations 365 days a year throughout U.S. waters. NowCOAST--An Internet Mapping Portal NOAA's NowCOAST is an Internet mapping portal that provides spatially-referenced links to real-time information from meteorological, oceanographic, and river-observing networks, as well as NOAA's weather and marine forecasts and forecast guidance for major estuaries and seaports, the Great Lakes, and coastal regions. Within a mouse click, users can access thousands of real-time observing stations and forecast locations.
Historical Maps and Charts Collection NOS makes available more than 20,000 maps and charts dating back to the late 1700's. The collection includes the nation's earliest nautical charts, hydrographic surveys, topographic surveys, geodetic surveys, city plans and Civil War battle maps. Maps and charts are scanned and made available via the Internet.
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