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Water Data and Science Committee Meeting Summary July 25, 2019 Conference Call

  1. Call to Order—Chair Amy Shallcross DRBCcalled to order at 2:06 Central time.
  • Introductions of Participants on the call:  Amy Shallcross, DRBA, Brian Atkins and Tom Littlepage, AL OWR; Sue Lowry, ICWP Executive Director; Adel Abdallah, WSWC; Peter Gill, WWDO; Matt Unruh; KWO. 
  • Support letter for Modernization of NWISWeb to USGS leadership
    • Request for input was sent to full ICWP membership earlier in July to see what the membership is interested in seeing from NWIS modernization. KWO sent in comments in response. Some changes in format can impact those who have automatic updates in place.  Need to minimize these impacts. Doing analysis on nearby gages would be a good expansion.  Graphically sometimes it’s difficult to select the gage you want if there are several in the area.  There may be improved mapping interfaces already developed.    Getting partners’ data more accessible and integrated.  How the modernization will fit with the clearinghouse aspects of IoW.   Adel will send out the draft agenda and invitation to the Ft. Collins WIMS meeting in September. Tom uses a CoE tool and we should make sure that the mass data retrievals and plug-ins continue to work. Adel mentioned that a few states have developed their use cases to help the design lead to most useful design. 
  • ICWP will be seeking issues prioritization from full membership at Annual Meeting
    • Discussion on topics to add to the list from this committee—Develop a question or two from the committee Workplan list generated.  Water Use should be on for sure.   
  • Workplan development for the Committee
    • Review of earlier list developed by members (new actions are captured on summary on 2ndPage)
  • Announcements/Upcoming Events
    • Western States Water Council’s Water Information Systems workshop –Set for September 16-19 in Ft. Collins, CO
    • NASA Western office holding a joint meeting with WSWC on Aug. 5-7.
  • Recap of any action items
  1. Sue and Amy will work on a letter to Don Cline requesting that adequate resources be directed to the NWISWeb modernization effort (include some examples of why NWIS is of great importance to our members). A second letter will be directed to Jim Kreft with the more technical suggestions that were received to improve NWISWeb. 
    1. Future webinars:  
      1. Tom will reach out to Dr. Chirsty, AL State Climatologist—He will touch on both the Flash Drought topic as wells as baseline for determining climate change
      1. Paleo-analysis of past drought extremes
      1. National Water Model—Peter will contact the USGS for best person to present on NHD-HiRes+ and its relationship to the NWM
      1. After the WIMS meeting in September, there may be other topics to add
    1. Peter Gill will share a NASA report

(Post-meeting note:  Sue met Mark Glaudemans at the National Drought Forum July 31.  Mark works for Tom Graziano as one of the modelers and said he would be happy to present on the NWM at one of our future committee meetings. )

  • Next call or webinar—Set for August 27 at 10 a.m. Central. Dr. Christy, Alabama State Climatologist will speak on Flash Drought and weather extremes. 

Topics Identified by the Committee for Future Work:(Updated list based on 7/25/19 call)

Potential Work Plan Items (list provided as a reminder of issues raised by committee members as important to ICWP membership)

  1. Potential ICWP Support of USGS Efforts
    1. USGS Next Gen System
    1. Water-Use Data and Research—Remains a high priority
    1. Review of NAS Study on USGS Water Discipline
    1. Multi-Signature support letter for Streamgaging Programs
      1. Early spring letter signed by stakeholders
      1. Letter in the fall signed by states/interstates/tribes
    1. WD & S Committee participation with the Streamflow Information Collaborative Workgroup of the Advisory Committee on Water Information
    1. Climate/Weather Extremes
      1. Flash Droughts
      1. NIDIS/NDRP
      1. Baseline for determining Climate Change
      1. Paleo-drought studies
    1. Position Paper or other action to counter the current attacks on science and science’s role in decision making
    1. Other items the Committee could explore:
      1. Internet of Water
      1. Data Portals/Data Exchange
      1. Support for NRCS Snow Survey Program
    1. National Water Model Priorities
      1. Especially understanding the underlying models and how those could be used by others
    1. Tracking of Emerging Tools or Trends in Water Data/Science
      1. Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations
      1. Seasonal to Sub-Seasonal Forecasting
      1. NASA Western Water Office—Peter Gill and Adel will keep the committee apprised of any activities of interest beyond the western states. 

Committee Accomplishments:

Letter supporting WUDR and requesting analysis to Molly Maupin

GOES Support letter to FCC

            Committee mission is to educate ICWP members on current data and science trends and to advocate support for data and science programs at the national level.