Abstract

Water quality (WQ) is a focus of monitoring agencies and the public, and it is subject of several European Directives and regional conventions. The AquaMar project will develop and provide downstream services turning Marine Core Service products into WQ services, demanded by end user. The team is composed mainly of SMEs (70%) supported by key scientific partners. The objective is to create a reference technical and organisational body at European level for WQ services, organised as an open partnership, through: · methodological research extending traditional WQ portfolio along 5 novel product lines · turning these into pre-operational services, including adaptation to MCS · establishing a validation & quality evolution process and data model · evaluate the services with end users through service delivery trials · transferring the developed services to other services providers (SP) through a well defined process (technical and organisational framework). The service portfolio includes (1) indicators for the reporting requirement of the Water Framework Directive and the European Marine Strategy, (2) algal bloom forecasting, (3) support to large scale marine infra., (4) services supporting the Bathing Water directive monitoring, (5) aquaculture precision farming. This is complemented by research on methods for improved standard WQ products, geostatistics, and distribution tech., to be used across the service portfolio. In parallel, a validation and quality evolution strategy is developed and applied, including the services sustainability wrt new space sensors. A user & customer board is steering the project, participating in the trials and providing feedback to the MCS, the validation and research activities. The aim is to prepare the ground for a sustainable continuation and growth of WQ services, starting from heritage of 3 GSE projects (CoastWatch, ROSES, MarCoast) comprising a baseline portfolio of standard WQ products, a European wide user base and SP network.