Marine Monitoring and Publication of Monitoring Data via Website Aegir
Type:
Presented during:
WODCON XXIII - Dredging is changing - The Practice. The Science. The Business.
Authors:
A. Bjørnshave, H. Kaas
Abstract
"The marine monitoring programme runs throughout the entire construction phase for the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link. As part of the program, both physical and biological data are collected. Central to this are 12 nearshore measurement stations deployed in Danish and German waters and two main stations located in the middle of the Fehmarnbelt. Data on hydrography and water quality including turbidity is collected online and used for hindcast modelling and, if necessary, also for forecast modelling. Other highlights from the program include biological parameters. Birds and harbour porpoises are monitored by means of monthly flight surveys. The benthic flora and fauna are monitored by yearly surveys and reported in numbers, distribution and for some parameters in biomass. Every other year during the construction work, nearshore transect monitoring is used to follow the development of topography along the German and Danish coast. Normally, monitoring data rarely reaches the public and if it does, it is only available in aggregated formats and reports. In order to achieve transparency and fulfil stakeholder expectations, Femern A/S has decided to use the digital possibilities currently available to create a modern open access data portal called ÆGIR (aegir.femern.com), where authorities, stakeholders and the public can follow key environmental monitoring data gathered before and during the construction period. On ÆGIR, status and trends of key environmental parameters are accessible to all parties on both the German and the Danish side of the Fehmarnbelt. The design and development of ÆGIR combines knowledge and data of the marine environment with the skills of graphic designers and developers to achieve a clear presentation of key insights. The Marine Monitoring Program and ÆGIR are part of Femern A/S' mandatory Control- and Monitoring Programme, which also includes monitoring of mitigation and compensation measures, monitoring of the contractors' construction works, hereunder light emissions and surveillance of Project-specific emissions such as sediment spill and underwater noise. "
Keywords: Marine Monitoring, Hindcast Modelling, Harbour Porpoise, Environmental Data Transparency, Benthic Flora and Fauna