Function: The Hydrologic Services Division oversees National Weather Service plans, policies, and procedures for hydrologic warning and forecast operation. HSD staff identify and validate service needs and establish operational requirements for hydrologic observations and forecasting applications. The Division manages and supports hydrologic services to the nation. The Division also helps prioritize requirements-driven science and technology development to improve products and services. Staff oversee and coordinates requirements for hydrologic training in the NWS. The Division represents the NWS on interagency, national and international groups and at forums on hydrology and water management.

Structure: HSD is comprised of three branches.

• Hydrologic Services Branch
• Hydrologic Support Branch
• National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center

Hydrologic Services Branch: W/OS31, (WB0310)

The Hydrologic Services Administration Branch oversees the NWS hydrologic warning and forecast program. Staff set operating policy and procedures and coordinates the design, validation and implementation of new products and services, establishes and maintains customer partnerships, and designs the strategic vision for hydrologic services. This Branch represents NWS on interagency and national forums on matters concerning hydrology and water management. The Branch coordinates NWS hydrologic training and works with other groups to support hydrologic customer awareness and education, including the:

• Hydrologic Information Center
• Service Hydrologist Program

Hydrologic Support Branch: W/OS32 (WB0320)

The Hydrologic Field Support Branch provides real-time, operational support and maintenance for nationally-delivered hydrologic applications. Staff define and establish operational requirements for hydrologic observations and forecasting applications. The Branch works with NWS field offices to solicit user-feedback on forecast applications techniques and to prioritize requirements-driven science and technology developments to improve products and services. The branch is responsible for the Weather Forecast Offices Hydrologic Forecast System (WHFS) Field Support.

National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center: W/OS33 (WB9330)
Director: Dr. Thomas Carroll

The National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC) provides satellite and airborne remote sensing services. NOHRSC provides remotely sensed and modeled snow cover data sets and products for operational, developmental and research hydrology programs conducted at local, regional and national scales. The NOHRSC provides products and services to NWS field offices and to other federal, state and local officials responsible for hydrologic forecasting, water resource operations and public safety.

The NOHRSC operates and maintains the Airborne Snow Survey and CoSatellite Snowver Estimation Programs. This service includes the real-time ingestion, processing, analysis and assimilation of satellite, airborne, and ground-based data. The Center produces numerous snow products for the U.S. and portions of southern Canada that drain into the U.S. The NOHRSC delivers these products electronically, in near-real time, to numerous federal, state, and local agencies; and to the public.