BRT Insights - WW Kayaking & Hiking

Support full funding of the National Streamflow Information Program by contacting your representatives in the U.S. Congress.

Streamflow gages are critical for planning whitewater paddleboating trips, but also for all of the government agencies and businesses that manage, conserve or utilize our water resources.

"Dozens of critical sensors tracking temperamental Central Valley rivers could blink out next year because of California's budget problems. Some of the sensors, known as streamflow gages, have operated for more than 100 years, providing vital real-time data on river elevation and flow volume that are vital to flood safety, environmental protection and water supply." Vital Central Valley water sensors at risk from budget cuts - Sacramento Bee 04aug2009.

List of 54 stream flow gages in California that are threatened with discontinuation after October 2009. California Threatened Streamgages - Office of Surface Water usgs.gov.

ChrisS wrote "some USGS California gauges ... scheduled to be discontinued ... The ones of biggest concern to paddlers appear to be the Smith, SF Eel, Mill Creek, Deer Creek, Butte Creek, NF Yuba below Goodyears ..." Discontinued gauges California 2009 - Dreamflows Bulletin Board 02aug2009.

All whitewater boaters and river lovers should contact their federal legislators to support full funding of the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP).

Jim Kolva, Office of Surface Water, wrote in an email to Brendan "Two of the streamgages on your list (10296000 and 11383500) are part of the designated National Streamflow Information Program. You can find out more about this program at this URL: http://water.usgs.gov/nsip/. Basically the program is designed to provide a "backbone" network of federally funded streamgages so that local budget woes do not threaten continued data collection. Currently NSIP is funded at about $20 million but full funding would cost about $140 million/year. You could contact your Congressman and Senators and urge full funding of NSIP." Discontinued gages - boof.com, the california whitewater community forum.

"U.S. Geological Survey's National Streamflow Information Program ... operates and maintains approximately 7,500 streamgages which provide long-term, accurate, and unbiased information on streamflow to meet the needs of many diverse users." National Streamflow Information Program - usgs.gov.

The link below provides information about how to contact your legislators to express your support for full funding of the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP). In the midst of a drought it seems wrong to economize on collecting the data needed to efficiently manage our precious water supplies. California residents contact your legislators about water supply policy issues - BRT Insights.

More about paddleboating trip plans and water supply policy issues:
• Whitewater River Kayaking Trip Plans & Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
• River Conservation & Water Supply Policy Issues in California - BRT Insights.

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Technorati Tags: California, river, river conservation, environment, water policy, water supply.

Labels: conservation, trip