Water 2025: Preventing Crises and Conflict in the West

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-!apa;- USGS science fora changing world Cooperative Water Program — A Partnership in the Nation's Water- Resources Program By Myron H. Brooks The Nation's water resources —our rivers, lakes, and aquifers — supply our drinking water, support our industries, transport our products, and provide us with recreational opportunities. These resources are vital to the long -term health of our citizens and the stability of our economy. Management of these resources is a complex task involving all levels of government and a multitude of laws, regulations, and competing interests. The USGS Cooperative Water Program has been providing basic information needed by water- resources manag- ers across the Nation for over 100 Valued Cooperation Work performed in the Cooperative Water Program is jointly planned. This ensures that work simultaneously meets the mission objectives of the USGS and the data and information needs of the Cooperators. The result is a national program that has broad relevance and widespread use of its products. This signifi- cant tie to local and State water resources needs also creates a program that responds quickly to emerging issues. Cooperators choose to work with the USGS because of the agency's unique technical exper- tise and commitment to provide public access to data collected by the Cooperative Water Program. Many cooperators want to work with USGS because of its long- standing record of performing high - quality, objective measurements and assessments. The scientific, non - regulatory mission of the USGS means that its data and analyses are accepted as valid by parties in many types of regulatory and jurisdictional disputes. "A better example of ho3v all levels of govern- ment can work together to provide a service, in this case, data collection, could not be found. " — Alfred H. Vang, Deputy Director, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources years. The USGS Cooperative Water Program is an ongoing partnership between the USGS and non - Federal agencies. The program jointly funds water - resources projects in every State, Puerto Rico, and several U.S. Trust territories. Highly skilled USGS employees use nationally consistent procedures and quality - assurance protocols in conducting cooperative projects. These stan- dards ensure that all data from the Cooperative Water Program are directly comparable from one region to another and available from USGS databases for use by citizens, State public officials, industry, 293 County and scientists nationwide. Agencies, or "Coop - Indian erators," that participate in 77 the Cooperative Water Program are primarily State, Tribal, county, and Other Municipal municipal agencies with 312 435 water - resources responsi- Number of Cooperators in 2001 bilities. In 2001, nearly 1,400 Cooperators participated in the program. Although the Program origi- nated as a 50:50 fund - matching arrangement, Cooperator s140 funds have grown $120 r faster than USGS 8 r funds in recent years. o$100 In 2001, Cooperative Z Water Program funds $ eo Cooperators, totaled $185.9 H million. Cooperators 7 $fio USGS contributed $123.2 $40 million or two - thirds 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 FISCAL YEAR of that total. U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Checking the health of the Nation's rivers. Measuring flow from a bridge near a USGS streamgage. Data and Information for Many The Cooperative Water Program supports the collection of basic hydrologic data, studies of specific water- resources problems, and hydrologic research. In 2001, for example, about 4,200 streamgages were operated and maintained USGS Fact Sheet - 128 -01 December 2001