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Subcommittee on Hydrology -- Terms of Reference
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I. OFFICIAL DESIGNATION: The Subcommittee on Hydrology
of the Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI). |
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II. Purpose, scope, applicability, and functions
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A. PURPOSE: The overall goal of the
Subcommittee on Hydrology (Subcommittee) is to improve the
availability and reliability of information needed for hazard
mitigation, water supply and water use management, and environmental
protection. Precipitation and stream flow information are required to
support water-supply planning, water allocation, flood-control
operations, water-quality management, navigation, recreation, flood
forecasting, emergency management operations, and other decision
making at local, State, Tribal, interstate, and national scales. The
purpose of the Subcommittee is to analyze relevant issues and facts
and to draft proposed position papers or recommendations for improving
the availability and reliability of surface-water quantity
information. The Subcommittee forwards the draft papers and
recommendations to the ACWI for deliberation and approval as advice to
the Federal Government. |
B. SCOPE: The Subcommittee considers all
quantity aspects of the surface water component of the hydrologic
cycle including precipitation, streamflow, lake and reservoir storage
and estuaries. Also, the Subcommittee recognizes the relationships of
surface-water quantity to other components of the hydrologic cycle and
to the institutional aspects of water resources management. The
Subcommittee considers policies, programs, and activities for the
collection, analysis, assessment, archiving, distribution, reporting
and use of precipitation, streamflow, and related information.
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C. APPLICABILITY: As resources are
available and consistent with applicable legal requirements,
organizations that participate in Subcommittee activities will
implement recommendations and voluntarily use the guidelines and
procedures developed by the Subcommittee and approved by the
ACWI. |
D. FUNCTIONS: The Subcommittee will foster the
availability and effective use of precipitation and streamflow
information for hazard mitigation, water-supply planning, and natural
resources management in the United States through the following
mechanisms.
- Institutional partnerships--Foster collaborative partnerships
of relevant organizations at the national, river basin, State, Tribal,
and watershed levels for the support of a national program of
precipitation, streamflow, and related monitoring
activities. Collaborate with the National Water-Quality Monitoring
Council on surface-water monitoring issues.
- Data acquisition and reduction--Develop guidelines for planning, designing, an operating precipitation and streamflow data programs of institutional
partners. Develop procedures to improve the interpretation and
integration of data needed to describe surface-water resources and to
understand the factors that affect the spatial and temporal
distribution of the resources.
- Information management and sharing--Create links among
information systems to support easy access and to share precipitation,
streamflow, and other related data. Adopt common terminology and
definitions for documenting surface-water data. Establish a mechanism
that uses modern information technology to make data available to all
interested parties.
- Methods and data comparability--Provide coordination necessary to develop,
distribute and implement recommended methods, guidelines and consensus
standards for collecting and analyzing precipitation, streamflow, water use and
related data.
- Reporting and public education--Foster a better understanding of
surface-water conditions, trends, and issues among hydrology
professionals, decision makers and the general public. Sponsor
conferences and other forums to encourage the transfer of information
among professionals in surface-water hydrology.
- Training--Identify training requirements and recommend
collaborative training activities to make the most effective use of
monitoring resources and to facilitate data quality, comparability,
and sharing among institutional partners.
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III. MEMBERSHIP: |
A. The Subcommittee will have a membership of Federal,
interstate, State, Tribal, and local government agencies and private
organizations. The membership will include organizations that
collect, analyze, disseminate, or use precipitation, water use,
streamflow, and related data as well as those that develop monitoring
technology, guidelines, and (or) standards. |
B. Organizations that pledge to actively support the
functions of the Subcommittee may become voting members by: (1)
informing the Chair in writing of their desire to participate and (2)
providing information that is needed to communicate with them. Active
support includes attending meetings, drafting documents, reviewing and
commenting on documents, making presentations, and other contributions
of staff time, funding, or other resources. During meetings the Chair
will announce membership applications received up to two weeks before
the meeting. Applicants will become members at the next meeting. |
C. Each member organization will designate a representative and alternate to the Subcommittee. |
D. The Chair and Vice Chair will be selected from among
the representatives of the member organizations. At the first
Subcommittee meeting, the members will elect a Chair and Vice Chair.
The Chair and the Vice Chair will serve until September 30 of the
full year after the Subcommittee is formed. Biannually thereafter,
the Vice Chair will become Chair and the members will elect a new
Vice Chair to replace the Chair after two years. Also, the Vice
Chair will serve in the absence of the Chair. A special election
will be held if either the Chair or Vice Chair terminate their
association with the Subcommittee before their terms
expire. |
E. Representatives or alternates of member organizations are
expected to attend all meetings of the Subcommittee. If a member
organization is not represented at 50 percent of the meetings in any
fiscal year (October 1 to September 30), the Chair will remove the
organization from the membership rolls. An organization can be
reinstated one year later by informing the Chair of their desire to
renew their participation as a member of the Subcommittee.
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IV. MEETINGS AND PROCEDURES: |
A. The Subcommittee will meet every three months and at other times
as designated by the Chair. At least three meetings each year will be
held in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Chair will
determine the dates, times, and locations of the meetings in
consultation with the members. The Chair alsowill be responsible for
announcing meetings and distributing agendas and information about
meetings to all members at least two weeks in advance of the
meetings. |
B. The representatives and alternates of the Subcommittee will
receive no pay,allowances, or benefits from the Subcommittee or the
ACWI. All travel expenses will be borne by the individual member
organizations. |
C. The Subcommittee will conduct business in an open fashion by
discussing and attempting to resolve all issues through consensus and by
recognizing the legitimate interests and diverse views of the
Subcommittee participants. If complete agreement cannot be reached on a
specific issue, then the following procedures will apply:
- A consensus will exist unless a representative (or alternate) of one or more member organizations requests a vote.
- Once a vote is requested, then Robert's Rules of Order apply, and the Chair will poll the voting member organizations of the Subcommittee. An
affirmative vote of a majority of the member organizations present
will constitute approval of a motion. Each member organization,
except for the Chair, may cast one vote. In the event of a tie, the
Chair will cast the deciding vote. Two thirds of the representatives
(or alternates) of the members organizations will constitute the
quorum necessary to vote.
- The Chair will sign and forward to the Chair of the ACWI, through
the Executive Secretary, decisions of the Subcommittee on Hydrology
that are proposed advice, guidance or recommendations intended for
implementation nationwide or by the Federal Government. Members may
prepare minority reports and provide them to the Subcommittee Chair
within 3 weeks of a decision. Such minority reports will be included
in the final majority reports.
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D. Meetings of the Subcommittee will be open. Each meeting
will include time for individuals who are not representatives or
alternates to make statements at the discretion of the chair. |
E. Before proposing consensus guidelines, methods, or
standards for voluntary implementation nationwide, it is appropriate
for the Subcommittee on Hydrology to announce proposed guidelines,
methods or standards in the Federal Register for the purpose of
obtaining public review and comment on the technical aspects of the
guidelines. As it deems appropriate, the Subcommittee will revise its
proposals and products based on the public review comments. The
Subcommittee will document the results of the public review, comments
and revisions in the final draft information submitted to the ACWI for
deliberation and approval. |
F. Decisions by the Subcommittee may be reached in formal session
or in writing on an individual basis after the Chair advises every
representative of the member organizations about the issue at least 10
working days in advance. |
G. The Chair will prepare and distribute minutes with action
items of Subcommittee meetings to members and to the Executive
Secretary of the ACWI. |
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V. TERMINATION: |
The Chair of the ACWI has the authority to terminate the
Subcommittee in consultation with the member organizations of the ACWI
and the Subcommittee. At least 60 days notice must be provided in
advance of termination. |
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VI. SUBORDINATE GROUPS: |
For assistance in conducting its business, the Subcommittee may
establish subordinate groups. Such groups will gather information,
conduct research, analyze relevant issues and facts, and draft
proposed position papers and recommendations for deliberation by the
Subcommittee. These groups will be established by the Chair and will
have the balanced perspectives and knowledge necessary to perform
their assigned functions. Representatives that serve on subordinate
groups may include organizations or experts that are not members of
the Subcommittee or the ACWI, but that provide knowledgeable and
interested individuals needed to carry out the assigned tasks. All
subordinate groups will serve for the time necessary to complete the
actions for which they were formed. The Subcommittee will review the
status of subordinate groups each year and terminate those that have
completed their assignments.
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VII. AUTHORITY: |
The Subcommittee is part of the Water Information
Coordination Program mandated by OMB Memorandum No. 92-01, dated
December 10, 1991. The Subcommittee reports to the ACWI that operates
under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The Subcommittee is
not separately chartered under FACA. |
Dates of Approval: |
ACWI: August 18, 1998 |
Subcommittee: July 22, 1998 |
Signed: |
Nancy Lopez
Executive Secretary, ACWI |
Donald Woodward
Chair, Federal Subcommittee |
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