Who will use the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS)?
Will this system be part of other observing systems?
How many buoys will there be?
What type of data will the buoys collect?
How can I use CBIBS in my classroom?
How could Chesapeake Gateways sites benefit from CBIBS?
What other organizations are involved and how can my organization get involved?
What will the buoys look like?
How will I get the data if I don't live near the Chesapeake Bay Watershed?

With a scientific component relaying real-time observation data and an educational component relaying historical and educational materials, CBIBS will be available via the internet. From nearby boaters and kayakers in the Bay to far away students in the classroom, people of all ages will have access to the information provided by CBIBS.

Yes. CBIBS will be an integral part of the Chesapeake Bay Observing System (CBOS) and a component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System .

Three buoys will be deployed during the spring and summer of 2007 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement and the Captain John Smith Shallop Re-enactment Voyage. Ultimately, NOAA would like to have a larger system of moored shallow water buoys serving as platforms for educational, observational, and local interest objectives.

The buoys will take a broad suite of meteorological, physical, water quality, water level, chemical, biological, optical and acoustic measurements in near real-time. Data from other buoys and relevant regional observations and forecasts also will be downloadable to each buoy location in near real-time.

Students and teachers will be able to access the data from the buoys both on the water and online. NOAA and its partners will develop curricula, web-based programming, and distance learning capabilities focused on the buoys' information and the historical significance of John Smith's voyages.

Chesapeake Gateways sites will be able to showcase both the John Smith expeditions and the buoys in venues throughout the Bay. Many sites could serve as places to begin the voyage of exploration for the proposed John Smith Water Trail.

Organizations that have participated in NCBO meetings include National Geographic Society , Chesapeake Bay Foundation , Conservation Fund , Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation , Maryland Department of Natural Resources , and The James River Association . If you or your group would like to get involved in CBIB, contact Jill Bieri at 757-890-0502 or JillBieri@cox.net.

NCBO has positioned a buoy in Annapolis Harbor that provides a sneak preview of the buoys' appearance and capabilities. The buoy reports real-time water quality and weather observations via wireless technology.

Data will be delivered to the public via the internet. Web service will be designed specifically for educators, exhibitors, and on-the-water users. A URL for this site will be available soon.