The CBIBS team is working to get more buoys back out on the water. We are still following strict operational protocol set by NOAA during the current public health emergency. As of late September, members of the CBIBS field team are not permitted to work out on the water together because they would be in close proximity for extended periods of time.
Recently, field team staff were once again able to—on a rotating, one-at-a-time basis—access and work in the warehouse where buoys are maintained and parts are stored. This means that some progress can be made toward some physical buoy repairs, with an eye toward eventual redeployment.
Here is a status check on the buoys we intend to have operating in 2020:
- The Gooses Reef buoy is in the water and reporting data. Its anemometer was repaired in mid-September.
- The Stingray Point buoy is in the water and reporting data.
- The York Spit buoy is in the water and reporting data.
- The Annapolis buoy, including a new type of onboard computer, was deployed in early March 2020. Soon thereafter, it had battery/power issues and other problems. It was pulled from the water by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on our behalf in July, and the buoy is now back at the CBIBS warehouse. The team will reassemble the buoy and will test it on shore. Depending on when the field team is allowed to work on the water (per COVID-19 operating protocols), the buoy will be redeployed.
- The Point Lookout buoy was pulled from the water over the summer after experiencing power failure. The buoy team is working on getting a buoy equipped, tested, and ready for deployment in this location, and is exploring options for redeployment.
We do not plan on having buoys deployed to these previous CBIBS locations in 2020:
- The Jamestown buoy is not in the water. It was pulled, as routine, from the water for the 2019-20 winter; plans to redeploy it in early spring were interrupted by COVID-19 operating protocol. We do not plan to deploy a buoy here in 2020; any buoy here would need to be pulled again for the winter in December. We plan to get this buoy back in the water in spring 2021.
- The Susquehanna buoy was deployed from 2008 to 2017 and was often removed over winters. There are no immediate plans to redeploy at this location.
- The Patapsco buoy was deployed from 2007 to 2017 and was often removed over winters. There are no immediate plans to redeploy at this location.
- The First Landing buoy was deployed from 2011 to summer 2020. There are no immediate plans to redeploy at this location.
- The Upper Potomac buoy was deployed from 2010 to 2017. There are no plans to redeploy at this location.
We are committed to deploying and maintaining as many CBIBS buoys as resources allow. Our goal is to get back to six operational buoys by summer 2021.