NOAA AWARDS CONTRACT TO EXPAND ITS ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced today that it awarded a contract to Riverside Technology, Inc. of Fort Collins, Colo., to support the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) and improve NOAA’s capability to respond to the nation’s growing need for water resource forecasts and information. The five-year, $40 million contract contains five one-year award term incentive options for annual awards of $8 million. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

NOAA provides river, flood and drought forecasts for the United States and its territories. AHPS activities are managed through NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) Office of Hydrologic Development (OHD) in Silver Spring, Md.

AHPS provides better predictions of river levels, ranging from droughts to floods, to reduce loss of life and property. It uses a combination of remote sensing data and sophisticated weather, water and climate computer modeling to produce state-of-the-art river and stream forecasts.

“Once fully implemented, AHPS will significantly improve river predictions and water resource management in the United States for lead times of as little as an hour to as much as several months,” said Gary Carter, OHD director and manager of NOAA’s Hydrology – Rivers, Lakes and Floods Program. “AHPS information is provided in a timely and user-friendly manner, including a suite of information rich visual displays.”

NOAA’s National Weather Service is the nation’s source for weather, water and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. The National Weather Service operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the National economy.

The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through research to better understand weather and climate-related events and to manage wisely our nation's coastal and marine resources.

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NOAA National Weather Service: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/