diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/dynamics/mpas_atm_time_integration.F b/src/core_atmosphere/dynamics/mpas_atm_time_integration.F
index 6a8005c8b2..50a5f3cdb8 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/dynamics/mpas_atm_time_integration.F
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/dynamics/mpas_atm_time_integration.F
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ subroutine mpas_atm_dynamics_init(domain)
       real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: invAreaCell
       integer, dimension(:), pointer :: bdyMaskCell
       integer, dimension(:), pointer :: bdyMaskEdge
+      real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: specZoneMaskEdge
       real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: invDvEdge
       real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: dcEdge
       real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: invDcEdge
@@ -288,6 +289,9 @@ subroutine mpas_atm_dynamics_init(domain)
       call mpas_pool_get_array(mesh, 'bdyMaskEdge', bdyMaskEdge)
       !$acc enter data copyin(bdyMaskEdge)
 
+      call mpas_pool_get_array(mesh, 'specZoneMaskEdge', specZoneMaskEdge)
+      !$acc enter data copyin(specZoneMaskEdge)
+
       call mpas_pool_get_array(mesh, 'invDvEdge', invDvEdge)
       !$acc enter data copyin(invDvEdge)
 
@@ -383,6 +387,7 @@ subroutine mpas_atm_dynamics_finalize(domain)
       real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: invAreaCell
       integer, dimension(:), pointer :: bdyMaskCell
       integer, dimension(:), pointer :: bdyMaskEdge
+      real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: specZoneMaskEdge
       real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: invDvEdge
       real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: dcEdge
       real (kind=RKIND), dimension(:), pointer :: invDcEdge
@@ -459,6 +464,9 @@ subroutine mpas_atm_dynamics_finalize(domain)
       call mpas_pool_get_array(mesh, 'bdyMaskEdge', bdyMaskEdge)
       !$acc exit data delete(bdyMaskEdge)
 
+      call mpas_pool_get_array(mesh, 'specZoneMaskEdge', specZoneMaskEdge)
+      !$acc exit data delete(specZoneMaskEdge)
+
       call mpas_pool_get_array(mesh, 'invDvEdge', invDvEdge)
       !$acc exit data delete(invDvEdge)
 
@@ -2599,6 +2607,13 @@ subroutine atm_divergence_damping_3d( state, diag, mesh, configs, dts, edgeStart
       rdts = 1.0_RKIND / dts
       coef_divdamp = 2.0_RKIND * smdiv * config_len_disp * rdts
 
+      MPAS_ACC_TIMER_START('atm_divergence_damping_3d [ACC_data_xfer]')
+      !$acc data present(specZoneMaskEdge, cellsOnEdge)
+      !$acc enter data copyin(ru_p, rtheta_pp, rtheta_pp_old, theta_m)
+      MPAS_ACC_TIMER_STOP('atm_divergence_damping_3d [ACC_data_xfer]')
+
+      !$acc parallel
+      !$acc loop gang worker
       do iEdge=edgeStart,edgeEnd ! MGD do we really just need edges touching owned cells?
 
          cell1 = cellsOnEdge(1,iEdge)
@@ -2608,6 +2623,7 @@ subroutine atm_divergence_damping_3d( state, diag, mesh, configs, dts, edgeStart
          if (cell1 <= nCellsSolve .or. cell2 <= nCellsSolve ) then
 
 !DIR$ IVDEP
+            !$acc loop vector
             do k=1,nVertLevels
 
 !!  unscaled 3d divergence damping
@@ -2625,6 +2641,13 @@ subroutine atm_divergence_damping_3d( state, diag, mesh, configs, dts, edgeStart
             end do
          end if ! edges for block-owned cells
       end do ! end loop over edges
+      !$acc end parallel
+
+      MPAS_ACC_TIMER_START('atm_divergence_damping_3d [ACC_data_xfer]')
+      !$acc exit data copyout(ru_p) delete(rtheta_pp, rtheta_pp_old, theta_m)
+      !$acc end data
+      MPAS_ACC_TIMER_STOP('atm_divergence_damping_3d [ACC_data_xfer]')
+      
 
    end subroutine atm_divergence_damping_3d