Bush Budget will Terminate North Fork Payette, Bois Brule & 127 other Gauges

posted February 6, 2002

by Jason Robertson

USGS Budget Threatened for FY03

HELP!

Streamgaging FY03 Whitewater Threats Water Quality Cuts
129 Gauges at Risk State Listings FY03 Water Highlights AW's History with USGS

STREAMGAGING BUDGET February 4, 2002 President Bush unveiled his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2003. The Administration has recommended cutting the USGS Streamgaging program by $2.1 million (15%) from the 2002 enacted level of $14.3 million. If approved by Congress, this will result in the effective termination of 129 streamgages. Unless alternative funding is located, these gauges will be terminated in October 2002.

The 13 Most Popular Whitewater Gauges at Risk of Termination

GAUGE NAME

GAUGE NAME	STATE	USGS ID	AW ID
NF Payette River at Cascade	ID	13245000	5024
BOIS BRULE RIVER AT BRULE	WI	4025500	1819
Aroostook R. at Washburn	ME	1017000	9
*Potomac R/Shepherdstown, WV	WV	1618000	558
Lake Fork at Gateview CO.	CO	9124500	4172
Blacksm Fk ab Ut Power Dam	UT	10113500	4430
Entiat R nr Ardenvoir	WA	12452800	4929
PIGEON R NR GRAND PORTAGE	MN	4010500	1814
RIO GRANDE AT PIPELINE XING BELOW LAREDO, TX	TX	8459200	4120
Bear R at Evanston	WY	10016900	4426
FORT PIERCE WASH NEAR ST. GEORGE, UTAH	UT	9408195	6608
Gardner River near Mammoth	WY	6191000	2656
SIUSLAW RIVER NR MAPLETON, OR	OR	14307620	5141

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NAWQA Think the streamgaging budget looks grim? The proposed cuts in the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program are even worse. The Administration has proposed reducing NAWQA's funding level by $5.8 million (9%) in FY03. This program is important because it provides primary baseline data on long-term trends in water quality of streams, ground water, and aquatic ecosystems. This data is used to ensure the current and future security of you drinking water.

In early 2002, the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences observed that "NAWQA has already become the premier program assessing status and trends of water quality at a national level." The Council continued "[NAWQA] cannot continue to downsize and still be considered a national water quality assessment."

USGS Map of Streamgages at Risk

"It's hard to stand up here and be cheerful about the Administration's proposed budget."
Dr. Charles G. Groat, USGS Director

State Termination Lists

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Back to top Streamgaging FY03 Whitewater Threats Water Quality Cuts
Help! 129 Gauges at Risk State Listings FY03 Water Highlights AW's History with USGS

Highlights of USGS Budget Changes for Water Programs in FY03

Toxic Substances Hydrology Research	-$13,919,000
Water Resources Research Institutes	-$6,000,000
National Water Quality Assessment Program	-$5,796,000
Streamgaging	-$2,096,000
Hawaii Water Monitoring	-$449,000
Lake Champlain Water Quality Monitoring	-$299,000
Berkeley Pit Lake, MT	-$200,000
Noyes Slough study, AK	-$195,000
Southern Maryland Groundwater Study	-$105,000
TOTAL NET CHANGE FROM FY02 ENACTED	-$29,000,000

American Whitewater Articles & Resources

USGS Streamgaging Needs $40M Budget Overall (2001)

AW Delivers Tellico Gauge (2001)

Bush Recommends 40% Cut in Streamgaging (2001)

AW Helps USGS Get $9.9M Increase for Streamgaging (2000)

You Can Help!

You can help by writing, emailing, faxing, or calling your Congressional Representative.

1. Identify yourself as a whitewater boater; mention your affiliation with American Whitewater, and briefly explain why you want to see the USGS Streamgaging program fully funded at the $40M level supported by American Whitewater.

2. Ask your Congressional representative to support increased funding for streamgaging, or at a minimum maintain the program at FY2002 enacted levels ($14.3M).

3. Provide additional details about how the loss of streamgages directly affects you, and why your representative should help you. Emphasize the public interest behind your request, cite how often you check the gauges, and how much you spend on a typical day of travel for boating.

4. Finally, sign, date, and mail your letter and provide a return address. If you have an extra moment send a copy to American Whitewater so we can reference it when we visit your representative on the Hill.

5. We are also looking for photographs of these river sections for our website. If you have pictures that you'd like to share, please post them.