The CITCLOPS project was a European Commission-funded initiative focused on creating a citizens’ observatory for optical monitoring of coasts and oceans. It ran from 2012 to 2015 and emphasized low-cost sensors and public participation to track water properties like color, transparency, and fluorescence.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih+1
Project Goals
CITCLOPS aimed to enable everyday people to collect environmental data using smartphones and simple tools, such as photographing sea surfaces from beaches, ferries, or boats. This supported long-term monitoring of issues like eutrophication, sediment loads, and biological activity in coastal waters.cordis.europa+1
Key Methods
Participants used apps like EyeOnWater to capture Forel-Ule scale color observations and Secchi disk variants for transparency. Data was automatically uploaded, georeferenced, and processed on community platforms, building on prior efforts like Secchi Dip-In and Coastwatch Europe.weobserve+1
Outcomes
The project expanded citizen science by deploying digital cameras and sensors, fostering public engagement while validating data against satellite remote sensing. Though funding ended, the EyeOnWater app continues for ongoing contributions.weobserve+1
