The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has awarded UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography $40 million over five years to support the Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP) as it reaches its 50th year. Established in 1975, CDIP monitors waves and coastal conditions across U.S. shorelines, gathering data from over 90 buoys. This data is essential for coastal storm risk management, flood forecasting, dredging operations, and more. The new funding, managed in partnership with USACE’s Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), will support the buoy network, advance wave measurement techniques, and extend nearshore research for beach change monitoring.
USACE has funded CDIP since 1977, and this latest award will allow Scripps researchers to further enhance coastal monitoring and prediction tools. This includes high-resolution surveys of beaches and cliffs using satellites, drones, and LiDAR, alongside machine learning for data analysis. CDIP’s real-time and long-term data aids USACE and other agencies in understanding and managing coastal hazards, particularly as climate change intensifies coastal impacts.
The funding also honors the legacy of CDIP founder Dr. Richard Seymour, who pioneered the program’s wave measurement systems. Today, CDIP’s resources benefit scientists, engineers, and the public, supporting USACE’s missions in shoreline resilience and safe navigation while contributing to national coastal safety.
