Overview

1
WR HPM Breakout
July, 2007

• Overview
• Hydrology Vision for the Western Region
• WR Climate Change Committee
• WR GIS Committee
• NOAA West Integrated Water Resource Services

2
HCSD Personnel

• Dave Brandon Division Chief
• Scott Dummer Deputy Chief
• Dan Matusiewicz Hydrology Services Program
  Manager
• Andrea Bair Climate Services Program
  Manager
• Jenna Meyers GIS Program Manager
• Climate Services Specialist
• Susan Nelson Data/Observing Sys Program Manager

3
HCSD Programs

• Hydrology Services
• RFCs River Forecast Centers
• WFOs Weather Forecast Offices
• ( OCWWS-HSD, OHD ) NWSH Climate Weather Water
• Climate Services
• RFCs
• WFOs
• ( OCWWS-CSD ) Climate Services Division
• Data and Observing Systems
• WFOs
• RFCs
• ( OCWWS-OSD , OST NERON Project Office )

• GIS

4
VISION Widely recognized as the authority and
source for reliable water and river forecasts in
the Western US. We value customer service,
strong partnerships, sound science, innovation,
effective use of public resources and the
well-being of all who contribute to our mission.

• Five interconnected Focus Areas
• Connected to national programs (e.g. AHPS, NOAA,
  etc.)

5
Outreach

• Robust outreach and customer service that
  leverages modern technology including customer
  and hydrology databases, dynamic web sites to
  leverage the databases, and a coordinated effort
  from NWS Hydros and Mets.
• More Emphasis on Water/Water Resources
• Expand outreach by prototyping the Service
  Coordination Hydrologist at the RFCs and leverage
  RFC expertise in WFO outreach activities
  collaboratively with WCMs and SHs
• Leverage product suite
• Strong partnerships across NOAA Other Groups
• Utilize Focus Groups to set requirements

6
Outreach Activities

• Outreach Workshop
• Mix of WCMs, SSHs
• Brought in Leader of Hydrology Program for both
  NWS and NOAA Gary Carter
• Reinforcement of the importance of Water and
  Climate
• Displays
• AHPS Funding to support buying Hydrology Pop-Up
  display for every field office

7
Verification

• Meaningful hydrologic and hydrometeorologic
  verification information readily available to
  managers, forecasters, and customers to foster
  better decision making
• Categorical text products including watches, and
  warnings
• Hydrograph forecasts including deterministic and
  probabilistic
• Hydrometeorology forecasts including
  precipitation and temperature

8
Verification Activities

• WR Recently Chartered a Hydrology Verification
  team
• OHD Chartered Hydrologic Verification System
  Requirements Team
• River Forecast Verification Tools Identified and
  being developed
• New team chartered to develop operational
  expertise-develop standard verification

9
Innovation

• Innovative and powerful collection of software
  used at both WFOs and RFCs
• Nationally supported tools (e.g. WHFS, FFMP)
  where available and appropriate
• Integrate promising new technologies including
  GIS
• Move toward a modular system to foster rapid
  prototyping and implementation at field offices,
  e.g. CHPS
• Develop and adapt a WR Hydrologic Services
  Evolution that meshes with agency priorities
• Leverage products produced at the finer time and
  space scales
• Where possible, adopt modeling technology
  consistent with other NOAA line offices and
  partners outside of NOAA.
• Finish / polish existing tools and products

10
Innovation Activities

• CHIPS meeting at NWRFC Prototype to begin
• Distributed model set up and running at CBRFC
• RFCs are moving toward shorter time steps
• Get WR slant into Nationally supported tools
  (e.g. WHFS, FFMP, MPE)
• Created WR GIS Technical Advisory Group
• Field Seminar Series

11
Services

• Flexible product suite to address forecast
  problems across timescales from minutes to years
• drought and low flow
• water supply
• flash flood, flood, recreational
• Ensemble and probabilistic forecasts
• Support Ecosystem Management
• User feedback mechanism

12
Services Activities

• WR Water Supply Web Page
• New probabilistic forecast displays
• WR RFC Web Pages
• All have creative ideas to support customers

13
People

• Integration of our cohesive work force,
  technology, and processes that maximize the
  response to high impact events within the
  hydrology program
• In accordance with existing agreements, adjust
  workload and resources as it becomes necessary
  due to increased workload, or as a decrease in
  capacity occurs at an office.
• Quickly utilize resources between RFCs, WFOs, and
  WRH to respond to needs
• Develop virtual RFC concept not inhibited by
  physical locations
• Streamline and improve hydrology program
  oversight

14
People
Outreach
Verification
People
CUSTOMERS
Services
Innovation

• Retool training program to holistically support
  hydrology program
• Promote SH / RFC personnel pairs to promote
  interaction between field offices
• Revitalize Hydro Intern Program

15
People Activities

• Continue to push for SCH at the RFC
• Emphasis on Hydrology Training-New Comet Modules
• First region to hire 3 Hydrology Interns
• Increased station visits-Hydrology Program
  Reviews

16
What Else are we doing?

• Formed WR Technical Advisory Committee on Climate
  Change (great response)
• Base outreach information on Intergovernmental
  Panel on Climate Change-4th Assessment (IPCC4)
• Provide information/guidance to field offices
• Interface with Climate Program Office and CSD

17
What else are we doing?

• Host Gotos on climate change/variability
• Coordinating/producing facts sheets on drought
  and climate change
• Connect with other NOAA Line Offices through
  NOAA-West to present consistent messages on CC
  and Impacts

18
What Else are we doing?

• Formed WR GIS Technical Advisory Group (great
  response)
• Purchased ESRI licenses for shared pool
• Planning on GIS Training/Workshop
• Produced WR skills matrix
• Purchased ESRI DVD Technical Sessions for field
  use
• Participate in OSIP Enterprise GIS in NWS