CHARLESTON, S.C. - Nine buoys off Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island are collecting new information that could help people prepare for hurricanes.

The federally funded system is part of national and global efforts to establish ocean observation systems.

Information from the buoys will first be used to develop a storm surge model. That information would allow emergency preparedness officials to better forecast what areas will flood.

The storm surge model is just the beginning, said Jim Boyd, a program analyst contractor with the Coastal Services Center here, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The equipment could provide information on water quality, pollution transport, sediment transport and fisheries, Boyd said.

The project team is talking with state agencies and others about the type of information they need, he said.

The Coastal Services Center said Wednesday it has awarded $2.5 million to the ocean observing system known as the Carolinas Coastal Ocean Observing and Prediction System, or Caro-COOPS. Caro-COOPS partners include the University of South Carolina and two North Carolina universities.

The center awarded $15 million to 16 projects in 18 states to promote the development or expansion of regional coastal ocean observation systems.

"These grants will help this vital research effort in ocean and coastal observing continue as we seek to establish an integrated global ocean observing system," said NOAA administrator retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher.

The Caro-COOPS project is establishing three lines of buoys with equipment to measure water level, currents, sea state, biological information and meteorological information.

Information from: The Post And Courier