Comparison of two data acquisition protocols for tide gauge sensors at Imbituba port – Santa Catarina State

The Santa Catarina Tide Gauge Network (SCTGN) is a continuous sea level monitoring system to support fishery, aquaculture, and navigation in general. Deployed in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, the initiative started in 2012 with one tide gauge at the Santa Catarina Island South Bay to support aquaculture research projects and hydrodynamic numerical modelling. By 2020, the SCTGN was fully operational, consisting of 11 tide gauge stations along the 450km of the Santa Catarina coastal line. The next step is standardizing these tide stations to international data collection protocols. Knowledge of the effects different programming protocols have on data collection are important since they may affect the results. Data from a radar gauge (RG) and a vented (or relative) pressure gauge (VPG) were obtained over six months. The difference between RG and VPG measurements showed a 5.07cm2 variance. Percentage of reading errors was 0.03% and 0.77% for RG and VPG, respectively. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the SCTGN data collection protocol in the RG to comply with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) recommendations for sea level monitoring. We find that an RG gauge using the SCTGN protocol is adequate to monitor sea levels and has an easier installation and maintenance, and more stable vertical datum control.