NOAA’s NWS and the USGS: Partnering to Meet America’s Water Information Needs Dr. Thomas Graziano Acting Chief, Hydrologic Services Division Office of.

NOAA’s NWS and the USGS: Partnering to NOAA’s NWS and the USGS: Partnering to Meet America’s Water Information NeedsMeet America’s Water Information Needs

Dr. Thomas GrazianoDr. Thomas GrazianoActing Chief, Hydrologic Services DivisionActing Chief, Hydrologic Services Division

Office of Climate, Water and WeatherOffice of Climate, Water and WeatherNOAA’s National Weather ServiceNOAA’s National Weather Service

March 24, 2005March 24, 2005

Long History of CollaborationLong History of Collaboration

• NOAA and USGS held their 114NOAA and USGS held their 114thth coordination meeting coordination meeting on 28 April 2005 on 28 April 2005

• First interagency coordination meeting over 30 years First interagency coordination meeting over 30 years agoago

• NOAA values partnership and appreciates the USGS’ NOAA values partnership and appreciates the USGS’ long history of responsiveness and professionalismlong history of responsiveness and professionalism

Complementary MissionsComplementary Missions

• In April 2004 In April 2004 The Weather ChannelThe Weather Channel first aired first aired “Water’s Fury,” which highlighted the “Water’s Fury,” which highlighted the socioeconomic impacts of floods, NOAA NWS’ socioeconomic impacts of floods, NOAA NWS’ mission, partnerships, and servicesmission, partnerships, and services

• Dave Reed, the Hydrologist in Charge at the Dave Reed, the Hydrologist in Charge at the Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center highlighted the significance of USGS datahighlighted the significance of USGS data

USGS provides stream gage data and NOAA’s NWS USGS provides stream gage data and NOAA’s NWS issues forecasts and warningsissues forecasts and warnings

Serving America TogetherServing America TogetherSusquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC)

Flood Forecast and Warning SystemFlood Forecast and Warning System

• Implemented in 1986Implemented in 1986

• Partnership includes NOAA’s NWS, USGS, Partnership includes NOAA’s NWS, USGS, USACE USACE

• Estimated to annually prevent $20 in Estimated to annually prevent $20 in damages for every dollar invested damages for every dollar invested

• NWS issues daily river forecasts and flood warningsNWS issues daily river forecasts and flood warnings

• USGS maintains network of stream gages, precipitation gages, and data USGS maintains network of stream gages, precipitation gages, and data transmission equipment that provide weather and water information to the NWStransmission equipment that provide weather and water information to the NWS

Serving America TogetherServing America TogetherNew Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) New Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS)

Products rely on USGS dataProducts rely on USGS data

http://weather.gov/http://weather.gov/

Serving America TogetherServing America Together

http://weather.gov/http://weather.gov/

USGS Stream gage USGS Stream gage observations serve as observations serve as foundation for NWS river foundation for NWS river forecasts and warningsforecasts and warnings

Hurricane FloydHurricane FloydSeptember 1999September 1999

AHPS Flood Forecast Inundation GraphicsAHPS Flood Forecast Inundation Graphics

Partnership between NOAA, USGS, State of NC Partnership between NOAA, USGS, State of NC Floodplain Mapping Program Office, and FEMAFloodplain Mapping Program Office, and FEMA

USGS provided USGS provided stream gage stream gage observations, observations, cross sections, cross sections, and rating curves and rating curves needed to needed to calibrate modelscalibrate models

• Continuous monitoring of rainfall with comparison to flash flood Continuous monitoring of rainfall with comparison to flash flood guidance for high resolution stream basinsguidance for high resolution stream basins

• Basin data set developed by NOAA in collaboration with USGSBasin data set developed by NOAA in collaboration with USGS

• Alerts forecasters when a dangerous flash flood situation may be Alerts forecasters when a dangerous flash flood situation may be developingdeveloping

AHPS Flash Flood Decision AssistanceAHPS Flash Flood Decision Assistance Flash Flood Monitoring and Prediction (FFMP)Flash Flood Monitoring and Prediction (FFMP)

Debris Flow ForecastingDebris Flow Forecasting

• National capability to routinely issue debris flow watches and warningsNational capability to routinely issue debris flow watches and warnings

• Increasing risk to life and property because of debris flowsIncreasing risk to life and property because of debris flows

• Prototype for Southern California planned for Winter 2005-6Prototype for Southern California planned for Winter 2005-6

• Precipitation AnalysisPrecipitation Analysis

• Precipitation and Soil Precipitation and Soil Moisture ForecastsMoisture Forecasts

• Debris Flow GuidanceDebris Flow Guidance

• Service DeliveryService Delivery

NOAA NOAA - - USGSUSGS PartnershipPartnership

NOAA’s Water Resources InitiativeNOAA’s Water Resources InitiativeWater Forecasts: Where you are and when you need them Water Forecasts: Where you are and when you need them

Increased Reliance on USGS Data and ScienceIncreased Reliance on USGS Data and Science

Working Together:Working Together:

NOAA, USGS, other Federal Agencies, NOAA, USGS, other Federal Agencies, State Agencies, Local Agencies, Private State Agencies, Local Agencies, Private Sector, AcademiaSector, Academia

• SnowpackSnowpack

• PrecipitationPrecipitation

• Soil moistureSoil moisture

• River flowRiver flow

• Ground waterGround water Rio GrandeRio GrandeDevelopedDevelopedShrubs/GrassShrubs/GrassAgricultureAgricultureWetlandsWetlandsForecast BasinForecast BasinForecast PointForecast PointUrban AreaUrban Area

Lewistown, PA

1972 flood

1996 flood

1984 flood

1999 flood

WaterWater Predictions PredictionsforforLifeLife DecisionsDecisions

Flood warnings forFlood warnings for local communitieslocal communities

Critical information for Critical information for neighborhoods neighborhoods and watershedsand watersheds

Water volume and soil Water volume and soil condition forecastscondition forecasts