The National Marine Sanctuary Program identifies, designates and manages areas of the marine environment of special national significance due to their conservation, recreational, ecological, historical, research, educational, or aesthetic qualities. Access information and pictures of marine sanctuaries all over the U.S. and its territories. Discover ways to get involved with the sanctuary program, ... Full description.

El Nino is a disruption of the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific with important climatic consequences around the globe. This NOAA theme page features links to widely distributed information. Includes data, graphics, forecasts, historical perspectives, and in-depth analysis. It is intended to be useful to scientists, administrators, students and the general public. Links include sites ... Full description.

Excellent teaching resource from U.S.G.S on water, from basic properties to water quality, inventory of world water sources, how to measure streamflow, components of water use patterns, human impacts, offers a quiz in the interactive Activity Center. Site also available in Spanish, interactive diagram with details of water cycle is available in 50 languages. Provides map and data libraries on who ... Full description.

Ocean.US was created by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) to coordinate the development of an operational and integrated and sustained ocean observing system (IOOS). The IOOS site includes detailed information on the formation and organization of the group, as well as a calendar of workshops and events, development information, a newsletter, and all the latest news. The site also ... Full description.

NOAA's many educational activities are distributed across the agency. This site has been designed to help students, teachers, librarians and the general public access the many educational activities, publications, and booklets that have been produced. Full description.

The information collected from sensors, buoys, satellites, autonomous ocean-going vehicles, gliders, and land-based instruments is sent via telemetry to a data manager that relays it out over the Internet where scientists, resource managers, educators, students and the public can view and use it. This site describes the major components of ocean observing systems and provides additional observing ... Full description.

Portal to NOAA programs on coral reef research, management, protection. Online booklet describes corals, importance of reefs as habitat, value to humans, natural and human impacts. Site offers outreach and online educational materials, including lesson plans and list of things you can do. Search coral reef data and publications, find funding opportunities, review state of U.S. reefs, local and national ... Full description.

Site defines El Nino/Southern Oscillation and La Nina, provides a glossary, and presents real-time data of sea surface temperatures, winds and anomalies over time. Also describes research programs and sensing systems like sea level stations, ocean buoys and satellites. Extensive FAQs explain the phenomenon's frequency and impacts, describe measurement systems and forecasting. Links to: teacher resources, ... Full description.

Examine the relationships between volcanic events and the chemistry and biology of hydrothermal vents on the undersea volcano Axial: daily expedition logs, curriculum materials that seek to solve an underwater mystery, photographs and fly-through video. Site also features highly-interactive dives to the seafloor (requires free Shockwave plugin). Full description.

EPA's teaching center offers diverse resources for all types of educators. Background on environmental topics from air pollution to aquatic ecosystems, water quality, waste and recycling, and conservation. Find lesson plans on these environmental topics from EPA and other sources. Teaching resources available include booklets, activity books, posters and more. Links to environmental education awards, ... Full description.