Background and Strategy

The Methods and Data Comparability Board (Methods Board) is a partnership of water-quality experts from federal agencies, states, tribes, municipalities, industry, and private organizations who all share a commitment to developing water-quality monitoring approaches that facilitate collaboration and comparability amongst all data-gathering organizations.

Both the Methods Board and its parent organization, the National Water-Quality Monitoring Council (National Council) are co-chaired by USGS and U.S. EPA and are Workgroups under the Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI), chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The Methods Board and the National Council are multi-agency committees charged with developing a voluntary, integrated, and nationwide water quality monitoring strategy.

Through inclusion, sound science, and consensus, the Methods Board identifies, examines, recommends, and fosters monitoring approaches that facilitate collaboration amongst all data-gathering organizations. The Board develops products that enhance our ability to achieve real environmental gains while making the best use of the limited resources available for water quality monitoring.

• Authority--The authority for the Methods and Data Comparability Board, theNational Water-Quality Monitoring Council (National Council), and theAdvisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI) is the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum No. M-92-01. This memorandum requires Federal executive agencies to collaborate with all levels of government and the private sector in conducting water-information activities.
  
  
• Terms of Reference
  
  
• Data Comparability Policy Paper
  
  
• ITFM Summary
  

ACWI - NWQMC


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Page last modified: January 4, 2010 4:11 PM