The Hawaii Islands Ocean Observing System will receive more than $1.7 million through a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Hawaii’s two U.S. senators, Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, announced the grant award yesterday.

The money will go toward a project designed to help county, state and federal officials monitor ocean water quality, forecast flooding, predict hazards and track coastal ecosystems.

The monitoring systems are coordinated by the School of Ocean and Earth Science Technology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Last year, the Hawaii Islands Ocean Observing System received $2.09 million.