As Director for the U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources
Discipline, Ohio Water Science Center, I am committed, along
with the rest of the Ohio staff, to help provide the
hydrologic information and understanding needed for the
optimum use and management of Ohio's waters.
The USGS is unique among Government organizations because we
have neither regulatory nor developmental authority--our
sole product is impartial, credible, relevant, and timely
information, equally accessible and available to all
interested parties.
I would like to take this opportunity to explain some of our
programs. Water-resource activities of the Ohio Water
Science Center are conducted Statewide from two offices by a
highly trained staff that consists of more than 60
hydrologists, geologists, engineers, biologists, physical
scientists, hydrologic technicians, and a variety of support
personnel. Our activities include (1) maintenance and
analysis of long-term quantitative and qualitative data for
streams, reservoirs, and ground water; and (2) shorter-term
interpretative investigations of specific water-resource
issues, such as: ground-water contamination, availability,
and protection; pathogen and fecal-indicator contamination
and transport in surface water and ground water; analysis of
floods and flood potential; and ground-water supply and
movement.
Funds to support our work are from three sources, including
joint-funding agreements with State and local agencies,
Federal funds from the USGS appropriation, and reimbursable
funding from other Federal agencies. Jointly funded programs
(programs that may be matched by up to 50 percent federal
dollars) are considered when the study is mutually
advantageous to the USGS and the State or local agency.
These cooperative, jointly funded programs are reviewed and
renegotiated annually to ensure that they are responsive to
the needs of the State and localities and to the national
priorities of the USGS.
We are very interested in hearing about your water-resource
needs and working together to help you make decisions based
on objective and credible information in your roles as
managers, scientists, policy makers, and other interested
citizens of the State. If you would like more information,
please contact me or any of the Ohio staff.
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
Ohio Water Resources Council
