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<br />Western States Water Council
<br />Water Resources Committee Minutes
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<br />San Antonio, Texas
<br />October 20,2005
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<br />was referred to an ESA subcommittee, with Water Quality Committee participation, with instructions to
<br />review, and as appropriate revise and update, the letter for further consideration at the next Council
<br />meetings in March 2006.
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<br />USGS COOPERATIVE WATER PROGRAM
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<br />Bob Hirsch, Assistant USGS Director and Chief Hydrologist, ,addressed members. He noted
<br />that USGS is being led by acting Director P. Patrick Leahy and that a search is underway to replace
<br />Chip Groat, who resigned as Director. He reported that there is an effort underway to bring the four
<br />USGS sections - water, geography, geology and biology - closer together. There will be a Regional
<br />Director over all four, but there will also be four separate offices. However, the USGS state offices
<br />have been renamed. They are now the Texas Water Science Center, etc. Further, rather than a
<br />District Chief, the leadership is now referred to as the Science Center Director. USGS is also focusing
<br />on natural hazards, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, volcanoes, landslides, hurricanes, etc. Of
<br />note, drought is not included. USGS is working toward better real time information and hazards
<br />assessments.
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<br />Regarding the Cooperative Water Program (CWP) and streamgaging, Bob thanked members
<br />for their tremendous support for 2006 and 2007 appropriations, as well as satisfactory House report .
<br />language on USGS and non-competition with private work. He added that it was shocking, but the
<br />October 1, Interior appropriation was completed by the Congress on time. The Cooperative program
<br />appropriation totals $63.5 million, or a 2 % increase in the base adjustment. It is in the right direction,
<br />but not enough. There is still a gap, with two-thirds of the Coop program funded with "your money."
<br />It would take a $60 million increase to get to 50 % cost sharing overnight. Bob stated that the joint
<br />WSWC support letter, signed with other organizations, was "very very well written and thought out."
<br />He added that the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP) got $14.1 million, which is a 2%
<br />increase (better than nothing). However, USGS is waiting for the rescission "shoe" to drop, which is
<br />expected to be about 2 % across the board. Therefore, USGS is "holding out money" in anticipation of
<br />future cuts.
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<br />With respect to Hurricane Katrina, two USGS offices in Louisiana were missed, and there was
<br />only minor damage in Mississippi. However, 10 employees lost homes. A lot of USGS boats and
<br />employees helped provide assistance. USGS also provided geographic information system (GIS)
<br />assistance to respond to 911 requests for assistance as street addresses were hard to find without signs.
<br />USGS helped convert addresses to longitude and latitude coordinates, and helped provide mapping
<br />services for rescues. Past planning for data back up was tested, and all data flowed through the internet
<br />with other offices mirroring data. The USGS lost over 30 streamgaging stations, and there is some
<br />supplemental relief money to replace those gages. USGS is also doing microbiology and other work
<br />related to hurricane cleanup.
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<br />Bob announced that there would be another "stakeholders" roundtable, held in Austin, Texas
<br />the last week in January, first week in February. The Interstate Council on Water Policy (ICWP) is .
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