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Thursday, October 7, 2021. 10:00 AM. Webinar: National Tidal Datum Epoch Update: New Tidal Datums Are Coming. Michael Michalski, NOAA. Sponsored by NOAA. More information here. Register here.

Abstract: Vertical datums provide references for determining elevations. Over the next several years, NOAA will be updating the National Tidal Datum Epoch (NTDE). Established by the National Ocean Service and maintained by the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, NTDE is the reference period used to collect and calculate tidal datum values such as Mean Sea Level and Mean Lower Low Water. Tidal datums and their data are used to inform products and services necessary for safe navigation, coastal hazard mitigation, ecosystem research, and marine boundary determination. The reference period, or Epoch, needs to be updated regularly to account for long-term effects of land movement, sea level rise, and changes in tidal constituents. NOAA currently utilizes the 1983-2001 National Tidal Datum Epoch. It will be replaced by the fifth iteration of the NTDE. Measurements for the update will be based on water level data spanning the years 2002-2020. The currently planned release date for the new NTDE is 2025.

Bio(s): Michael Michalski is the Datums team lead for the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services. Michael is presently involved in tidal datum computation and multiple studies of tidal and geodetic relationships throughout the 50 United States and its territories. He has also been involved with the development and review of NOAA's Vertical Datum Transformation software tool.