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<br /> <br />United States Department of the Interior <br /> <br />U.S GEOLOGICALSURYEY <br />Office of the DiIcaor <br />Retton, Vugi.ni:t 20192 <br /> <br />~~c <br />~ ~/V~D <br />Cltf ll~ <br />)'~Y/~ 'I <br />~, <br />Vf'v.i%t, <br />MAY 1 . Z001 'tc <br /> <br />In Reply Refer To: <br />Mail SlOP 440 <br />!t:!OOl0257 <br /> <br />c> <br />..... <br />w <br /> <br />, <br />-' <br /> <br />Mr. Larry R. Dozier, Chainnan <br />Colorado River Basin Salinity Control <br />AdvlSOry Council <br />P.O Box 43020 <br />Phoemx. Amon. ~5UW.3020 <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Oozier: <br /> <br />Your letter of March 5, 200 I, to Secretar)' ."ionan has been referred to the V.S GeolOglC;t1 <br />Survey (USGS) for response. We appreciate the opportunity to reVIew and lespoud tu Lhc <br />reconunendations presented in the 2000 Annual Report on the Colorado River Basin Salinity <br />Control Program with respect to the activitj~ o(lhc USGS. The collection and dissemination <br />of accurate long-term streamflow and water-quality data are the primary functions of the USGS. <br />Among many other uses, these data arc nccessoU'Y to document the dfcxlivmess of salinity <br />comrol measures. <br /> <br />The USGS shares the Councll"s concern regard.mR erosion ot the USGS monitoring net\lt'oIk in <br />the Colorado Rivcr Basin. Overall. the n4l.tional strcaml?al)ing and water-quality monitoring <br />networks operated by the USGS have been adjusting to level and declining fimd~ over the <br />last two decades. Adju.slme:nls have been made through ",liminating stations and decreasing <br />samphng frequencies at remainmg stations. Declines in LSGS monHoring in the Colorado River <br />Basin simply mirror these national trends. <br /> <br />The USGS was forrunate to receive additional funds in the fiscal year 2001 bud~et to increase <br />Federal support nationwid.e for the strcamgaging network. As a result,S ncw streamgag1ng <br />stations were ad.ded. 2 streamgag.in~ :stations wen: Improved to better .....ith!;tand floods, and <br />10 sU'camgagmg sbtions received instrument upgrades to Improve deli ...cr)" of d<d~ in the <br />Colorado River Basin. A list of me nev.-' and up!P4ded stations is provided in Enclosure 1. <br />\-Vatcr-quaIIt)' actl\.ltles remained unchanged from our last report. We are hopeful that we will <br />be able to continue increasing the numh~ of monitoring sites we fund in future yea....-g. <br />