coastalCOMS
  • What is it?
  • What does it do?
  • Who can use it?
  • Who developed it?
displayCoastalwatch's Coastal Conditions Monitoring System (‘CoastalCOMS’) is an automated real time coastal observation system and data service for coastal monitoring. Deployed in several countries, the modular, real-time data service is designed to aid Federal and State tourism boards, councils, public saftey agencies and coastal professionals tasked with managing the World's coast lines.
Utilizing shore mounted video camera networks we provide comprehensive real-time and predictive coastal information including:
  • Observed Wave Height
  • Surf Quality and Dynamics
  • Wind and Weather
  • Beach State
  • Beach Usage / Boat Usage
  • Shoreline Positioning
 beach index
CoastalCOMS monitoring and data services are
specifically designed to meet the needs of:
  • Federal State Authorities / Planning Commissions
  • Coastal Cities and Councils
  • Surf Life Saving and Lifeguards
  • Harbor Authorities and Port Districts
  • Coastal Management Professionals / Coastal Engineers
  • Tourism Bureaus
  
CoastalCOMS has been developed by researchers from the Griffith Centre for Coastal Management and the School of Information and Communication Technology at Griffith University in conjunction with Coastalwatch and Gold Coast City Council. The research has been supported by an Australian Research Council grant. Effective coastal management depends on the ability to identify trends impacting on coastal resources and to implement strategies for sustainable management. Griffith Centre for Coastal Management research, conducted in conjunction with Coastalwatch, maintains a focus on long-term monitoring of coastal processes to support coastal planning and the coastal community.

:: Latest News

Coastalwatch assists public safety and surf rescue with camera analytics; coastal monitoring.
March 13, 2008:
Coastalwatch Assists in Ultralight Rescue Efforts
 "[The] processing of the video files from the Narrowneck camera, and the triangulation and analysis of the images from both cameras in order to provide a search location for the Water Police boats and divers was an important part of the recovery process in difficult environmental conditions." - M.J.Kelly, Queensland Police Service


March 24, 2008:
Web Camera Makes Bar Crossings Safer

:: Solutions

Lifeguards and public saftey trials are underway in the USA

Coastalwatch CoastalCOMS Vessel Counting and Identification

We are looking for US trial sites in Florida, California and the North Eastern States. If you represent a US public safety organization and believe your organization may benefit from a CoastalCOMS system, please contact us.

:: Publications

Near-shore swell estimation from a global wind-wave model: Spectral process, linear, and artificial neural network models. Coastal Engineering, 445-460.
Matthew Browne, Bruno Castelle, Darrell Strauss, Roger Tomlinson, Michael Blumenstein, and Chris Lane. 2007.

[More papers...]

Coastal Conditions Monitoring System

:: What is People Counting?

Sample Location: Cronulla Beach - NSW

CoastalCOMS People Counting reports show the number of people on a beach at specific times during the day with 90%+ accuracy (triple blind study over 6 months). Similar counting reports are al so available for vessel counts. [MORE...]

Coastalwatch people counting on beaches via live video camera

Sample report format and data from Cronulla Beach:

 

10 am

11 am

1:30 pm

Today

97

122

61

Yesterday

97

97

97

Average for the day:

220

Average for the month:

3214

:: Shoreline Measurement

Sample Location: Narrowneck - QLD

CoastalCOMS measures mean sea level, high and low tide, shoreline position, and other coastal features and metrics. Video is processed and data is available in near real time.

Once shoreline position is captured and analized over time, CoastalCOMS utilizes a nueral network for predicitve modeling. Our clients gain the ability to understand what will happen to their beach given various events, in advance. [MORE...]

:: Testimonials

"Coastalwatch has come along way in 10 years, and the development of the Coastal Conditions Monitoring System (CoastalCOMS) will provide an excellent tool to assist Managers in making informed decisions regarding this dynamic environment."

Andrew Myers - Dept of Earth and Marine Sciences - Australian National University

"In November 2005 Coastalwatch installed a prototype of the CoastalCOMS system including monitoring screens and software at the Lifeguard Headquarters at Burleigh Beach. Since that time we have found the CoastalCOMS system, even in the developmental state, to be an asset in the management of services to the public. This system adds a further tool to those already available and by providing vision, weather, near shore swell forecasts and other information on a large panel screen system enhances the ability of Lifeguards to monitor the beaches where cameras are currently installed."

Chris Maynard - Acting Cheif lifeguard - Gold Coast QLD