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II . " II ;1 il II . ,I . II Western States Water Council Water Res,ources Committee Minutes San Antonio, Texas October 20, 2005 taking the lead role for this meeting. It will serve as a "2-way conversation" between USGS and cooperators. "I hope WSWC members will be there." Glenn Patterson is the point of contact for USGS. PXease let us know what topics should be addressed and put any comments you may have in writing. USGS will address three topics. First, the costs of streamgaging. USGS will be putting together a side-by-side comparison of state and federal costs. We need your collaboration. For example, Colorado operates a large number of gages on its own. We need to know if there are real differences in product, measurements, labor, efficiency, accounting, rent, vehicles, capital expenditures, management and administration (costs and accounting). Second, we will address ways to collaborate, with states doing part of the work. We want to document our work with other organizations, states, and tribes, for example, working with Texas river authorities - say we publish the data, and share the work. We want to explain and explore the complexities and options. Finally, on the "study side," there are instances in which we share our work "off rights" to state agencies. Staff are familiar with sharing work in interpretive programs. Overall, the streamgaging program's aggregate numbers are not declining. However, the issue of instability and holes in data are of concern as cooperators withdraw due to a lack of funding. Some stat(~s are losing dozens of gages and many long term gages. This instability concerns us. The recent letter to Secretary Norton and Joshua Bolton, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requesting increased support for the CWP and NSIP is helpful, but "I'm far from sure what will happen given federal budget pressures." Questioru: and Answers Rod Kuharich raised the issue of "core USGS functions and priorities," stressing the importance of basic data gathering. Bob responded that every year OMB asks us to put every program on the cutting block. Every program has its constituents. Biological interests are frequent visitors to OMB, the Director and the Hill. He noted that in the Arctic, USGS is looking at birds and Asian bird flu in flyways. Mark Limbaugh, the new Assistant Secretary of Interior for Water and Science is interested in hearing your priorities. He is interested to know what programs should grow and which should shrink. THE U.S. DESALINATION COALITION Mike Slayton, spoke on behalf of the Desalination Coalition. He is with the St. John's Water Management District in Florida, which covers 21 % of the state and serves four million folks. The coalition is an alternative water supply advocate. There is a Senate hearing today on legislation to make ince:ntive payments to owners and operators of qualified desalination facilities to partially offset the cost of required electrical energy. S. 1016, introduced by Senator Mel Martinez (D-FL), and cosponsored by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), would result in about a $200/acre-foot subsidy. Companion legislation in the House, H.R. 1071, has been introduced by Rep. Jim Davis (D-FL) and Rep. Jim Gibbons (R-NV). It should be marked up over the next week or two, and reported out of the House Resources Committee no later than the end of the year. Mr. Slayton noted that construction 5