Environment scientists from the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute (MRRI) visited the installations of the Urban Ocean Observatory at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. Data from MRRI’s water elevation monitoring stations in the lower Hackensack River estuary are now contributing real-time water elevation information to the Davidson Laboratory Storm Surge Warning System. As a result, most areas in the NJMC District will soon have reliable sea surge forecasting from the Pharos super-computer at the Davison labs. Scientists also visited Davidson’s Lab experimental wave generating water tank. This tank is used to evaluate boat and ship hull designs as well as to study the effects of waves on coast defense structures. The Davidson tank can also be used to investigate the buffering capacity of natural and engineered wetlands to help reduce flooding in urban areas. The new sea surge warning system should be operational by June for the onset of the next hurricane season. See presentation…