NOAA’s NWS and the USGS: NOAA’s NWS and the USGS: Partnering to Meet America’s Partnering to Meet America’s

Water Information NeedsWater Information Needs

Dr. Thomas GrazianoDr. Thomas GrazianoChief, Hydrologic Services Chief, Hydrologic Services

DivisionDivisionNOAA National Weather ServiceNOAA National Weather Service

April 15, 2011April 15, 2011

Long History of CollaborationLong History of Collaboration

• NOAA and USGS held their 132NOAA and USGS held their 132ndnd quarterly quarterly coordination meeting on 10 February 2011coordination meeting on 10 February 2011

• First interagency coordination meeting over First interagency coordination meeting over 35 years ago35 years ago

• NOAA values partnership and the USGS’ NOAA values partnership and the USGS’ long history of responsiveness and long history of responsiveness and professionalismprofessionalism

Complimentary MissionsComplimentary Missions

• NOAA's NWS NOAA's NWS provides weather, provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings… for the protection of life warnings… for the protection of life and property…and property…

• The The USGSUSGS… provides reliable … provides reliable scientific information to describe and scientific information to describe and understand the Earth, minimize loss understand the Earth, minimize loss of life and property from natural of life and property from natural disasters, manage water…disasters, manage water…

USGS Data Vital to NWS OperationsUSGS Data Vital to NWS Operations

USGS data critical to the NWS river forecast and warning USGS data critical to the NWS river forecast and warning mission include:mission include:

•Real-time and historical stream gage observations Real-time and historical stream gage observations •Real-time supplementary stream observations during flood eventsReal-time supplementary stream observations during flood events•River/stream channel cross-sectionsRiver/stream channel cross-sections

USGS data critical to the NWS river forecast and USGS data critical to the NWS river forecast and warning mission include:warning mission include:

•Rating curves relating flow to stageRating curves relating flow to stage•High resolution topographic dataHigh resolution topographic data•Post-flood assessments (high water marks)Post-flood assessments (high water marks)

USGS Data Vital to NWS OperationsUSGS Data Vital to NWS Operations

Serving America TogetherServing America Together

NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) Products rely on USGS dataProducts rely on USGS data

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

USGS Streamgage Observations

Serving America TogetherServing America Together

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

• 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

• 30 minute increase in flash flood warning lead time over past seven 30 minute increase in flash flood warning lead time over past seven yearsyears

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

Enhancing the Communication of Flood RiskEnhancing the Communication of Flood RiskPartnered Flood Inundation Mapping

•Methodology developed by USGS and NWS

•Display spatial extent and depth of flood water

•Maps for levels ranging from minor flooding through record flood

•Better mitigate the impacts of flooding and build more resilient communities

•Libraries include NWS flood severity categories and regulatory FEMA flood frequency events water.weather.gov

Growing Water IssuesGrowing Water Issues Too Much, Too Little, Poor QualityToo Much, Too Little, Poor Quality

Growing need for water resource Growing need for water resource forecasts:forecasts:

• Population growth and economic Population growth and economic development are stressing water supplies development are stressing water supplies and increasing vulnerabilityand increasing vulnerability

• A changing climate is impacting water A changing climate is impacting water availability and qualityavailability and quality

• Socio-economic risks of floods and Socio-economic risks of floods and droughts are escalatingdroughts are escalating

Decision-makers in water management Decision-makers in water management sectors need:sectors need:

• Expanded/new high resolution information Expanded/new high resolution information in space and time in space and time

• Quantification of uncertainty to manage riskQuantification of uncertainty to manage risk

• Enhanced communication of flood riskEnhanced communication of flood risk

Framework to align and leverage Framework to align and leverage multiple agencies with complimentary multiple agencies with complimentary water-related missions to:water-related missions to:

•Integrate services and service deliveryIntegrate services and service delivery

•Improve river and flood forecastsImprove river and flood forecasts

•Provide new summit-to-sea water Provide new summit-to-sea water resources analyses and forecastsresources analyses and forecasts

ROADMAPDOCUMENT

(2009)

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Expanding our PartnershipExpanding our PartnershipIntegrated Water Resources Science and Services (IWRSS)Integrated Water Resources Science and Services (IWRSS)

Conventional Flood Conventional Flood ForecastForecast

New Digital Information ProductsIWRSS

Dynamic Flood Inundation ForecastDynamic Flood Inundation Forecast

National Water CenterAddressing IWRSS ObjectivesAddressing IWRSS Objectives

Combine hydrologic forecasting operations and research Combine hydrologic forecasting operations and research to fill several critical gaps:to fill several critical gaps:

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• Provide new high-resolution forecasts of water resource variables to help decision makers better manage water

• Extend river and flood forecasting to provide maps showing forecasted spatial extent and depth of flooding

• Integrate water resources information to provide one-stop shopping for stakeholders (Federal Toolbox)

• Establish multi-agency proving ground to leverage capabilities and accelerate R2O

• Establish Common Operating Picture University of AlabamaIOC Spring 2014