The Water Quality Act of 1987 established the National Estuary Program, which has as one of its objectives the formation of citizen groups for monitoring the quality of coastal waters. One such group that formed to monitor Mobile Bay was called Baywatch. Under the guidance of Dr. George Crozier of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL), and in association with the Mobile Field Office of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), citizens were trained to collect and analyze water samples once a week between 10am and 2pm for 50 stations located in the Mobile Bay delta, Mississippi Sound, Weeks Bay, Perdido Bay, and several local streams. Parameters measured included water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, air temperature, and rainfall. Water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen were measured from both surface and bottom waters where possible. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the processes affecting the waters of coastal Alabama.

This dataset contains ten years of physical, chemical, and biological data collected during shipboard surveys in Weeks Bay, Alabama, between June 1990 and May 2000. Surveys consisted of up to 19 stations throughout Weeks Bay and just beyond its mouth in Bon Secour Bay. Hydrographic profiles and water samples were collected at each station.

Beginning in late 1979, the Alabama Coastal Area Board (CAB) funded a series of baseline surveys on the coastal resources of Alabama, from which they could develop a monitoring program to observe any significant changes in the resources over time. Eight stations within Mobile Bay, Alabama were sampled monthly from April 1980 to April 1981. Data collected included samples for benthic fauna, pelagic fauna, sediment particle size, total organic carbon, foraminifera, zooplankton, phytoplankton, chlorophyll, turbidity, river flow, and hydrographic parameters. The subset of data presented here are for the benthic fauna, which were sampled by 0.1 m^2 Peterson grab. Fauna were enumerated and identified to the lowest taxon possible, and mainly included crustaceans, molluscs, polychaetes, and echinoderms. Data in readily accessible digital form are available from April 1980 to February 1981.

Beginning in late 1979, the Alabama Coastal Area Board (CAB) funded a series of baseline surveys on the coastal resources of Alabama, from which they could develop a monitoring program to observe any significant changes in the resources over time. Eight stations within Mobile Bay were sampled monthly from April 1980 to April 1981. Data collected included samples for benthic fauna, pelagic fauna, sediment particle size, total organic carbon, foraminifera, zooplankton, phytoplankton, chlorophyll, turbidity, river flow, and hydrographic parameters. The subset of data presented here are for sediment particle size, total organic carbon, and foraminifera. Data are available from April 1980 to April 1981 for eight stations (14 sampling trips), and one station until August 1981 (4 additional trips).

Marine chemistry, fish / shell-fish surveys, benthic organisms, and marine toxic substances and pollutants data were collected using current meter and other instruments from J.W. POWELL and other platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Data were collected from 26 January 1993 to 13 June 1994. Data were submitted by Dr. Gary Wolf of Texas A&M University with support from the Gulf of Mexico Offshore Operations Monitoring Experiment (GOOMEX). Data has been processed by NODC to the NODC standard F069 (Marine Chemistry), F123 (Fish/Shell-fish Surveys), F132 (Benthic Organisms), and F144 (Marine Toxic Substances and Pollutants) formats. The F069 format is used for data from chemical analyses of seawater samples. Cruise information, position, date, and time is reported for each station along with sample depth, temperature, salinity, and density (sigma-t). Chemical and biochemical parameters that may be reported include: dissolved oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, inorganic phosphate, and silicate; dissolved organic carbon, particulate organic carbon, and particulate organic nitrogen; and apparent oxygen utilization, percent oxygen saturation, adenosine triphosphate, total phaeophytin, total chlorophyll, total suspended matter, total recoverable petroleum hydrocarbons, and total resolved light hydrocarbons. The F123 format is used for data from field sampling of marine fish and shellfish. The data derive from analysis of midwater or bottom tow catches and provide information on population density and distribution. Cruise information, position, date, time, gear type, fishing distance and duration, and number of hauls are reported for each survey. Environmental data may include meteorological conditions, surface and bottom temperature and salinity, and current direction and speed. Bottom trawl or other gear dimensions and characteristics are also reported. Catch statistics (e.g., weight, volume, number of fish per unit volume) may be reported for both total haul and for individual species. Biological characteristics of selected specimens, predator/ prey information (from stomach contents analysis), and growth data may also be included. A text record is available for comments. The F132 contains data from field sampling or surveys of bottom dwelling marine organisms. The data provide information on species abundance, distribution, and biomass; they may have been collected by point sampling (grab or core), by tow (dredge, trawl or net), by photographic surveys, or by other methods. Cruise information such as vessel, start and end dates, investigator, and institution/agency; station numbers, positions and times; and equipment and methods are reported for each survey. Environmental data reported at each sampling site may include meteorological and sea surface conditions; surface and bottom temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen; and sediment characteristics. Number of individual organisms and total weight of organisms is reported for each species. A text record is available for comments. The F144 contains data on ambient concentrations of toxic substances and other pollutants in the marine environment. The data derive from laboratory analyses of samples of water, sediment, or marine organisms. Samples may have been collected near marine discharge sites or during ocean monitoring surveys of large areas. Field observations of tar deposits on beaches may also be reported. Survey information includes platform type, start and end dates, and investigator and institution. If data are collected near a discharge site, discharge location, depth, distance to shore, average volume, and other characteristics are reported. Position, date, time and environmental conditions are reported for each sample station. Environmental data may include meteorological and sea surface conditions, tide stage and height, depth of the thermocline or mixed layer surface temperature and salinity, and wave height and periods. Sample characteristics, collection methods, and

This dataset contains hydrographic data from CTDs and thermistors on a mooring line located 25 kilometers southwest of the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama (30.0902 N 88.2116 W) collected from 2019-08-16 to 2019-10-07. The thermistors sample every minute and are located at depths: ~7.1; 9.5; 11.1; 13.2; 16.1 and 18.1m CTDs sample at 2 minutes and are located at depths: ~4.6; 19.2; and 20.0 m.

This dataset contains hydrographic data from CTDs and thermistors on a mooring line located 25 kilometers southwest of the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama (30.0902 N 88.2116 W) collected from 2020-02-28 to 2020-05-29. Thermistors sample every minute. Thermistors were located at depths: ~7.3; 9.7; 11.1; 13.4; 16.2 and 18.3m CTD samples at 2 minutes. CTD was located at depth: ~19.2 m.

A continuous time series of temperature, salinity, density, and current velocity data at twenty minute intervals, collected between 24 March and 09 September, 2010, from a small coastal ocean observing system 25 kilometers southwest of the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama (30.0902 degrees N, 88.2116 degrees W) that the Dauphin Island Sea Lab has been operating since 2004.

This dataset contains hydrographic data from CTDs and thermistors on a mooring line located 25 kilometers southwest of the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama (30.0902 N 88.2116 W) collected from 2019-07-01 to 2019-08-16. Thermistors sample every minute. Thermistors were located at depths: ~7.1; 9.5; 11.1; 13.2; 16.1 and 18.1m CTDs sample at 2 minutes. CTD were located at depths: ~4.7; 19.2; and 20.0 m.

Time series data were collected during the selected study period (May 1 - July 11, 2018) from various monitoring stations in order to support the ecological and biogeochemical sampling. Within the estuary, the data were primarily derived from YSI 6600 V2 and V4 water quality sondes located at 4 sites in Fowl River, including a site at the mouth (0 km), at Bellingrath Gardens (4.3 km), at an upriver spit (7.3 km) and at the Fowl River bridge (11.3 km). Parameters measured include temperature (degree C), specific conductance (uS/cm), conductivity (uS/cm), salinity (ppt), pressure (psia), pressure at depths of ~0.25 m off the bottom (site water depths ~3-5 m) and velocity (m/s) using ADV and tilt sensors.