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<br />In a letter dated Dec. 7, 2005 the Acting Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), responded to a <br />letter written by WSWC Chairman Hal Simpson expressing "...concern regarding the Landsat Program, <br />which provides V,S, satellite images of the Earth's land surface and surrounding coastal areas, <br />Specifically, we are alarmed by the potential loss of the thermal band which presently provides useful and <br />increasingly critical information for the management of western water resources. The thermal band <br />provides data vitally important to the computation of evapotranspiration.... We understand that current <br />plans under the Landsat Data Continuity Mission call for the Landsat satellites to be replaced with the <br />National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System [NPOESS], We would strongly urge <br />you to ensure that the appropriate thermal sensors are included to replace the present Landsat capabilities <br />and data, and will work with the Congress to ask for adequate funding, No other remote sensing <br />capabilities available at this time, nor for the foreseeable future, 'can provide the high resolution, <br />continuous coverage, workable return time (8-16 days...), consistency of viewing angle and time of day, <br />nor the long history allowing analysis of the evolution and change in evapotranspiration. This is clearly a <br />successful story in matching the value of research and practical applications," <br /> <br />Dr. Leahy responded: "I appreciate that thermal data is very important to you and your member States. <br />Scientists at the USGS are also users of thennal data from Landsat 5 and Landsat 7 , As you may be <br />aware, the actively cooled thermal sensor technology employed ...was a large factor in the overall cost of <br />both systems. When the original Landsat Data Continuity Mission specifications were produced, the <br />available thermal sensing technology was deemed too immature and risky to make it a firm baseline <br />requirement. Rather, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the USGS may encourage <br />instrument manufacturers to offer a thermal band option for any Landsat follow-on instrument that is <br />proposed. In addition to encouraging industry to continue to innovate, the USGS is also actively working <br />with other nations that are, or will be, collecting thermal data, In particular, we are working closely with <br />the governments of China and Brazil to obtain better, more frequent access to thermal data from their <br />China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite systems until such time as aU,S, thermal capability exists," <br /> <br />For more information, Dr, Leahy referred members to Jay Feuquay, Program Coordinator for Land <br />Remote Sensing, feuquay@usgs,govor(703) 648-5057. <br /> <br />The CWCB's Decision Support System program has in the past relied heavily on Landsat data for updates <br />to its databases, <br /> <br />Bureau of ReclamationlNational Research Council Report: The National Research Council (NRC) <br />has prepared a report at the request of the Department of Interior entitled "Managing Construction and <br />Infrastructure in the 21 " Century Bureau of Reclamation" . <br /> <br />The report includes findings and recommendations in ten areas: (I) centralized policy and decentralized <br />operations; (2) Technical Service Center; (3) laboratory and research activities; (4) outsourcing; (5) <br />planning for asset sustainment; (6) project management; (7) acquisition and contracting; (8) relationships <br />with sponsors and stakeholders; (9) workforce and human resources; and (10) alternative scenarios for <br />future infrastructure management. The report states that BOR operations should remain decentralized <br />(with regional and area offices) with authority commensurate with assigned responsibility, but guided and <br />restrained by policy directives and standards developed centrally and implemented consistently, <br />locally, <br /> <br />.> <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />There is increasing pressure on Reclamation to allow water districts, Indian tribes and others to undertake <br />their own planning, design and construction management functions. The NRC believes an agency-wide . <br />policy should address O&M and other work such as field data collection, drilling operations, routine <br /> <br />16 <br />