AMWA joined a coalition of water and environmental groups in January in signing a letter to the leaders of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee urging support for United States Geological Survey (USGS) water data and science programs as the panel begins thinking about funding priorities in the 2012 fiscal year.
The letter to the House appropriators was signed by a total of 48 organizations, and noted the wide reliance on streamgauge data by a broad range of stakeholders. The letter asked the committee to appropriate $117 million in 2012 to allow USGS to fully implement the National Streamflow Information Program, and $95 million to fund the Cooperative Water Program.
The letter argued that full funding of the programs would “help to reverse the loss of long-term streamgauges and provide the data needed to assess water quality and climate change, to forecast floods (including storm surge) and droughts,” and complete other activities. Nearly 900 USGS streamgauges have been taken out of service since 2001 due to inadequate funding.
The group plans to send a similar letter to the pertinent members of the Senate Appropriations Committee as well. A copy of the letter to House members is available online.