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. . . 0J2216 DISCUSSION Following the 1983 high Colorado River flows, the Congress funded a comprehensive program to improve the flood and water supply forecasting capabilities of the National Weather Service (NWS) for the Colorado River Basin. This provides for improved river management and reduces the threat to public safety and damage to property and natural resources along the Colorado River. This comprehensive program, referred to as the Colorado River Flood Warning System, was developed using state-of-the~science hydrologic models and real-time hydrometeorological data. Appropriations totalling $2.7 million were included in the NWS budgets in Fiscal Years 1984 and 1985 to procure and install the necessary real-time hydrometeorological data network and computer processing and data management system. The System is an integral federal component of a cooperative water informational base for the Colorado River Basin involving participation and funding by local, regional, state, and federal agencies which provides other required hydrometeorological data to the NWS in exchange for its water resources information and forecast services. For the first two years following the system installation, 1986 and 1987, $650,000 were appropriated each year to operate and maintain the established Colorado River Flood Warning System. The System consists of 83 remote stations in the Colorado River Basin which transmit, via satellite, real-time hydrometeorological data every six hours, or more frequently during storm events. The improved flood and water supply forecasting capability has reduced the potential threat of loss of human life, property, and natural resources along the Colorado River and increased the opportunity for water conservation and hydroelectric power generation through improved river management. Funds to sustain the operation and maintenance of the NWS's Colorado River Flood Warning System were not included in the Fiscal Year 1988 federal budget, requiring the NWS to use contingency funds to maintain this extremely important system. While the President's Budget for 1989 contained no funds for the operation and maintenance of the System, Congress appropriated $300,000, representing less than one- half of the funds needed for full system operation and the required maintenance. The NWS is keeping the system III-8