1. Streamgaging Task Force Summary Report Advisory Committee on Water Information Herndon, Virginia September 10, 2003

2. Advisory Committee on Water Information Streamgaging Task Force Commissioned by the ACWI in 1998. Charge: Determine the streamflow information needs of the Nation, identify the optimal streamgaging network to meet the needs, and prepare recommendations for funding responsibilities.

3. Streamgaging Task Force Members Interstate Council on Water Policy U. S. Geological Survey American Association of State Geologists American Society of Civil Engineers American Water Resources Association Association of State Floodplain Managers Association of Western State Engineers Ground Water Protection Council

4. Streamgaging Task Force Members Tennessee Valley Authority Western States Water Council Bureau of Reclamation National Weather Service Natural Resources Conservation Service U. S. Environmental Protection Agency U. S. Army Corps of Engineers

5. Streamgaging Task Force Approach 1.Identified goals of a national network 2.Compiled information on all available streamgaging stations 3.Evaluated the achievement of National goals using the USGS network model 4.Identified additional stations needed to achieve each goal 5.Recommended a core streamgaging network 6.Proposed funding strategies

6. Streamgaging Task Force Concurrent Activities 1.USGS developed their own plan for a National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP). 2.The Interstate Council on Water Policy was commissioned to conduct a series of four workshops on NSIP and considerations for a national streamgaging network.

7. Streamgaging Task Force Final Report Submitted to ACWI on April 3, 2002 Chairman proposed a 30-day comment period followed by a telephone conference call Comments were received from League of Women Voters, USDA, and Universities Council on Water Resources USGS provided comments in February 2003 and suggested several changes to the recommendations

8. Streamgaging Task Force Final Report Comments League of Women Voters –Need adequate data for flood protection –Determine which agency Congress is most likely to fund for the national streamgaging network –Protect critical environmental areas USDA-NRCS –Real-time data delivery

9. Streamgaging Task Force Final Report Comments Universities Council on Water Resources –Cost of gages should be compared with benefits –TMDL goal is high priority; difficult to quantify –Real-time data delivery

10. Streamgaging Task Force Final Report Comments USGS –All components of NSIP are equally important –Network expenditures should not be restricted to new stations and infrastructure costs when existing network is not stable –Funding core network with multiple agencies is a flawed approach

11. Streamgaging Task Force Final Report Follow-up League of Women Voters, USDA, and UCOWR comments addressed by Chairs USGS comments were sent to Task Force members Responses received from AASG, ASFPM, and ICWP Clarifying statements added to final report

12. Streamgaging Task Force Network Recommendations Recommendation 1. -- USGS should adopt the following goals for NSIP: A.Support NWS and NRCS flow forecasting B.Monitor streamflow of hydrologic cataloguing units (8-digit HUCs) C.Support Compacts, Supreme Court decrees, and international border crossings D.Monitor long-term trends in streamflow with an expanded Hydrologic Benchmark Network [Larger network of HUC8 gages will support flood protection, water quality and quantity management and other goals.]

13. Proposed NSIP Streamgaging Network GOALACTIVEOTHER AGENCY INACTIVENEWTOTAL NWS AND NRCS 2,0702627264343,492 HUC 81,0971673799262,569 Compacts241834256 Hydrologic Benchmark 120506131 Sum of Requirements 3,5284421,1081,3706,448 Stations needed 2,7783048301,2855,197

14. Streamgaging Task Force Network Recommendations Recommendation 2. – Use the COOP program and the watershed approach for meeting other streamflow information needs Establish new stations in HUC 10 watersheds based on local, state, and national needs 25 percent coverage of each HUC 8 watershed [Data for critical environmental areas will be provided through the COOP program.]

15. Streamgaging Task Force Network Recommendations Recommendation 3. -- Stations providing flood data about communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program should have a high priority within the USGS COOP program. USGS and Federal Emergency Management Agency work with communities to establish a crest-stage gage network

16. Streamgaging Task Force Funding and Related Strategies Recommendation 4. – The USGS should implement the network components of NSIP in five years. [The report was revised to reflect the Task Force’s support for full funding of NSIP, however, the network should be emphasized in the initial years of the program.] Recommendation 5. -- USGS and its’ cooperators should continue to seek increases in COOP. Restore historic 50:50 funding

17. Streamgaging Task Force Funding and Related Strategies Recommendation 6. -- Network components of NSIP should be implemented by using funding increases to support new or reactivated stations and infrastructure costs. [Report was revised to support the use of NSIP funds for existing stations when cooperator funds are lost and the stability of the network is affected.]

18. Streamgaging Task Force Funding and Related Strategies Recommendation 7. -- Each USGS District, in collaboration with its’ cooperators, should develop a streamgaging strategy, including a priority system for adding new stations. Recommendation 8. – USGS should use NSIP infrastructure funds to verify and upgrade, if necessary, the quality and distribution of data from stations operated by other agencies. [This includes real-time data delivery.]

19. Streamgaging Task Force Funding and Related Strategies Recommendation 9. -- USGS should continue cooperation with other Federal agencies. [This recommendation was intended for both the USGS and cooperating Federal agencies. USGS should fund the NSIP network; other Federal agencies should continue to support other components of the national streamgaging network] Recommendation 10. – A similar network evaluation should be conducted in another 10 years.

20. Streamgaging Task Force Final Report Task Force requests that the ACWI endorse the final report and take action on the appropriate recommendations.