Coastal environments are constantly shaped by wave action. Understanding how waves behave near the coast is essential for flood risk planning, shoreline management, and evaluating how natural systems such as reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds help protect the shoreline. One of the most effective ways to gain this understanding is by collecting wave data using wave gauges.

Wave data plays an important role in understanding how energy moves through coastal systems. It provides direct measurements of wave height, period, and direction, helping us determine how much energy reaches the shore and how it changes when waves interact with natural or man-made features.

This information is essential not only for studying wave behavior but also for monitoring erosion and flood risk, as it helps link wave energy to changes in the shoreline or inland flooding.

Additionally, wave data is a key input for calibrating and validating numerical models, helping ensure that simulations of coastal processes accurately reflect real-world conditions.

Mayaro Shoreline
Magdalena Grand Shoreline
Manzanilla Shoreline
Pigeon Point Shoreline

 

There are many tools that can be used to measure waves, like wave buoys, pressure sensors, and radar systems. One of the most popular is the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, or ADCP.

These instruments use sound waves to measure both how fast the water is moving and the size and direction of the waves. ADCPs are often placed in the ocean at nearshore and offshore locations.

 

Collecting wave data in this way is important for understanding how natural features like coral reefs and seagrass beds affect wave behavior as they move toward shore. By placing ADCPs before and after these features, we can better assess the level of protection they provide to the coastline. This setup helps capture and quantify how much wave energy is reduced as it passes through these ecosystems.

Two of the most commonly used ADCP models are the Teledyne RDI Workhorse (Top Image) and the Nortek AWAC (Bottom Image).

The way an ADCP is positioned affects the type of data it collects. When mounted on the side of a boat, it typically measures current data only. However, when placed upright on the seafloor, it can collect both wave and current data. In this setup, the ADCP is secured to a weighted frame that provides stability and protects the instrument, helping to ensure accurate measurements. Before deployment, the water depth at the site is measured, and divers survey the area to confirm that there is a flat, sandy surface suitable for the frame. The ADCP and frame are then carefully lowered from the boat to the seabed, where divers position and anchor it securely. The video below shows the deployment of a Nortek AWAC unit.

 

The ADCPs are self-contained units meaning they have everything built in to operate on its own during deployment. The batteries are stored in a waterproof housing which usually lasts around six weeks. Maintenance of the units typically involves downloading the recorded data, checking the instrument’s condition, and replacing the batteries to prepare for the next deployment cycle. The video below shows the Teledyne RDI Workhorse being redeployed after servicing.