Department of the Interior
Departmental Manual
Effective Date:
1/2/08
Series: Organization
Part 120:
Chapter 9: Office of the Associate Director for Water
Originating
Office: U.S.
Geological Survey
120 DM 9
9.1 General Functions. The Office of the Associate Director for Water
provides executive-level leadership to ensure the quality and scientific
integrity of U.S. Geological Survey investigations of the occurrence, quantity,
quality, distribution, uses, and movement of surface and ground waters. These investigations allow the USGS to
develop and disseminate scientific knowledge and understanding of the Nation's
water resources. Activities include data
collection, resource assessment, research, and coordinating the activities of numerous
other entities involved in water‑resources research, data acquisition, or
information transfer. These activities
are carried out through specific Federal programs, or in cooperation with State
and local governments or other Federal agencies.
9.2 The
Associate Director for Water
exercises the authority delegated by the Director to provide leadership and
nationwide guidance for the establishment of water resources programs and
priorities, and for the scientific efficacy of all bureau activities in the
hydrologic discipline. The Associate
Director for Water provides executive direction and oversight to ensure
effective and efficient program planning, management and execution of the
bureau’s nationwide water resources programs, including the development of
methods and tools, research, and quality assurance. The Associate Director provides programmatic
oversight in the following discipline and functional areas.
A. The Chief Scientist for Hydrology
exercises principal responsibility for the planning and development of national
basic and applied research programs related to the hydrologic environment. In addition, the Chief Scientist develops
policy, identifies priorities, oversees the execution, and evaluates the
results of research efforts conducted in-house by the staff of the National
Research Program and by universities under the mandates of the Water Resources
Research Act of 1984. The Office of the
Chief Scientist for Hydrology coordinates the Hydrologic Research and
Development Program and the Water Resources Research Institute Program.
B. The Cooperative Water Program Coordinator exercises the authority delegated by the Associate Director to provide leadership and nationwide guidance for the Cooperative Water Program and for the scientific efficacy of all projects funded through this Program. The Cooperative Water Program provides reliable, impartial, and timely information needed to understand the Nation's water resources through a program of shared efforts and funding with State, tribal, and local partners to enable decision makers to wisely manage the Nation's water resources.
C. The Office of Ground Water provides
leadership in the development of techniques for the collection, analysis, and
interpretation of ground‑water data, as well as policy and technical
guidance to field employees on matters pertaining to the Nation's ground‑water
resources. The staff exercises bureau
wide responsibility for designing, establishing priorities, and developing
guidance and standards for the national ground water data collection program; maintains
a system of quality assurance and quality control to assure the technical
excellence of field programs and human resources with respect to ground water; manages
the Branch of Geophysics; and coordinates the Ground Water Resources Program.
D. The Office of Surface Water
provides leadership in the development of techniques for the collection,
analysis, and interpretation of surface‑water data, as well as policy and
technical guidance to field employees on matters pertaining to the Nation's
surface‑water resources. The staff
exercises bureau wide responsibility for designing, establishing priorities,
and developing guidance and standards for the national surface water data
collection program; manages the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility at the
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi; manages the Federal Interagency
Sedimentation Project in Vicksburg, Mississippi; maintains a system of quality
assurance and quality control to assure the technical excellence of field
programs and human resources with respect to surface water; and coordinates the
National Streamflow Information Program.
In addition, the Chief of the Office of Surface Water acts as the
Delaware River Master according to the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decree.
E. The Office of Water Quality provides leadership in the development of techniques for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of water‑quality data, as well as policy and technical guidance to field employees on matters pertaining to the quality of the Nation's water resources. The staff exercises bureau wide responsibility for designing, establishing priorities, and developing guidance and standards for the national water quality data collection program; manages the National Water Quality Laboratory in Lakewood, Colorado; maintains a system of quality assurance and quality control to assure the technical excellence of field and laboratory programs and human resources with respect to quality of water; manages the Branch of Quality Systems; coordinates the National Water Quality Assessment; and coordinates the Toxic Substances Hydrology Program.
F. The Office of Water Information
ensures the timely and accurate dissemination of water information. The staff is responsible for satellite data
relay activities; the Federal water information coordination program; the
public hydrologic software program; the design, installation, maintenance,
operation, and continuing evaluation of a National Water Information System for
the storage and manipulation of water data in a distributed environment,
including NWISWeb; collaborates with other Federal agencies and their
representatives to improve dissemination of USGS water data for emergency
management, recreation, engineering design, and scientific analysis; and coordinates
the International Water Program.