NSW nearshore wave buoy parameter time series data (completed deployments)

Brief description

In-situ ocean wave measurements have been collected at nearshore locations along the NSW coast. Wave data are collected using GPS wave buoys that are deployed by NSW DCCEEW scientists on moorings in shallow coastal waters (< 35 m water depth) adjacent to beaches or rocky shores. The program currently uses Sofar Spotter wave buoys (https://www.sofarocean.com/products/spotter). During 2016-2017, Datawell DWR-G4 wave buoys (https://www.datawell.nl/Products/Buoys.aspx) were used, while in 2018 and 2019 both Datawell and Spotter wave buoys were used. A buoy comparison experiment was carried out in 2018, which found that wave data measured by Datawell and Spotter buoys at the same location could be considered equivalent.

The wave buoys are tethered to moorings at deployment locations and float on the water surface, measuring the height, period and direction of passing waves by tracking the motion of the buoy through time using GPS. The deployments are temporary, and the duration of each wave buoy deployment varies with operational needs, ranging from several months to years. Deployment locations are chosen to support scientific research carried by NSW DCCEEW and partners on coastal dynamics along the NSW coastline and to develop nearshore wave modelling tools and data. Wave data and research support the development of Coastal Management Programs (CMPs) under the Coastal Management Act (2016).

The processed wave data from completed buoy deployments include a comma-separated value (CSV) table of widely used spectral and time-domain parameters describing wave height, period and direction, derived from spectral and zero-crossing analysis techniques. Data are provided at half-hourly temporal resolution with timestamps corresponding to the end of the half-hour buoy displacement measurement period in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST). Timestamps are included for each half-hour from the beginning to the end of each deployment, including when data was not recorded or when the buoy was temporarily removed from the water during mooring servicing. The time-series data have been quality controlled using standard diagnostic tests to identify suspect data points. Quality control fields (Qflag, Qcode, Percent, Dof) describe the provenance, completeness and quality of each data point. Sea surface temperature data are also provided for locations where buoys with water temperature sensors were deployed.

For more information on wave buoy data collection and processing, please see:

Kinsela, M.A., Morris, B.D., Ingleton, T.C., Doyle, T. B. et al. (2024) Nearshore wave buoy data from southeastern Australia for coastal research and management. Scientific Data. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02865-x

Wave buoy equipment and deployments have been primarily funded by NSW DCCEEW with equipment grant funding from the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer’s Research Attraction and Acceleration Program (RAAP) awarded to the NSW Node of the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) and administered by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS). The Water Research Laboratory (UNSW Sydney) also provided wave buoys used in the program.

Real-time data from active nearshore wave buoy deployments is also available on SEED:
https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/nsw-nearshore-wave-buoy-parameter-time-series-data-active-deployments

For more information on the NSW Nearshore Wave Data program please visit: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/research-and-publications/our-science-and-research/our-research/water/ocean-and-coastal-waves

Data are provided as a ZIP file for each deployment under Dataset Packages below.

Full description

Data Quality Statement
NSWENV_NearshoreWaveBuoy_Locations
NSWENV_NearshoreWaveBuoy_Code
NSWENV_20160302-20160517_12m_Narrabeen_WAVE
NSWENV_20160302-20160517_13m_Collaroy_WAVE
NSWENV_20160603-20160703_13m_Collaroy2_WAVE
NSWENV_20160811-20161017_14m_Bronte_WAVE
NSWENV_20160811-20161026_14m_Maroubra_WAVE
NSWENV_20161206-20171211_30m_Figure8Pools_WAVE
NSWENV_20170605-20171030_14m_Woonona_WAVE
NSWENV_20170605-20171030_15m_FairyMeadow_WAVE
NSWENV_20180613-20180722_31m_Gerroa_WAVE
NSWENV_20180816-20181203_13m_OldBarA_WAVE
NSWENV_20180816-20190312_12m_Farquhar_WAVE
NSWENV_20181003-20190311_13m_OldBarB_WAVE
NSWENV_20190321-20190604_11m_BoomerangA_WAVE
NSWENV_20190321-20190618_33m_BoomerangB_WAVE
NSWENV_20190724-20200113_33m_BoomerangB2_WAVE
NSWENV_20190724-20200520_13m_BoomerangA2_WAVE
NSWENV_20191021-20200209_14m_Collaroy3_WAVE
NSWENV_20191206-20200225_14m_Worimi_WAVE
NSWENV_20191206-20210409_13m_Stockton_WAVE
NSWENV_20200331-20211102_15m_Collaroy4_WAVE
NSWENV_20201110-20210824_13m_Broulee_WAVE
NSWENV_20201110-20230609_13m_Bengello_WAVE
NSWENV_20201116-20210402_13m_Merimbula_WAVE
NSWENV_20210510-20221123_13m_Merimbula2_WAVE
NSWENV_20210630-20211207_06m_Deeban_WAVE
NSWENV_20211119-20221124_13m_Broulee2_WAVE
NSWENV_20211221-20230830_15m_Collaroy5_WAVE
NSWENV_20220301-20221116_06m_Deeban2_WAVE