Integrated Coastal Water Monitoring for the Mediterranean Sea

The objective of ICWM for MED is to demonstrate the benefits of a service based on the integration of EO based products, satellite communication and navigation solutions together with terrestrial assets and crowdsourcing features. The aim is to set up an improved coastal surveillance and water quality monitoring service in support to current practices on coastal areas for environmental monitoring and reporting, in particular to EU Directives. Targeted users are environmental agencies and coastguard authorities. In particular the integrated solution provides access to real time information about the water status in the area of interest obtained by combining EO mapping, tracking water quality devices, other in situ measurements, modelling and crowdsourcing information. The resulting service intends to improve existing practices and solutions – both from EO and traditional at-sea measurements – adding also a “time critical” component. The pilot area is the central Tyrrhenian sea, interesting part of the Naples and the Salerno Gulfs. The area is subject to the requirements of the EU Directives and also includes a Protected National Park, part of the European network of areas of great environmental importance, adding several challenges related to the environmental protection and monitoring common to most of the Mediterranean coastal areas.