Sediment Related Links

USGS Water Mission Area

The USGS Water Mission Area works with partners to monitor, assess, conduct targeted research, and deliver information on a wide range of water resources and conditions

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

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FISP Mission Statement

Provide, identify, and evaluate tools and techniques for accurate, standardized, calibrated, cost-efficient, and safe measurement and analysis of fluvial sediment properties and transport.

Vision

FISP is the national leader in the identification, evaluation, and development of standardized, calibrated equipment and methods for consistent, accurate quantification and analysis of sediment characteristics and transport in surface waters, which support the proper characterization and management of natural resources.

Scope

Activities focus on measurement and analysis of suspended sediment, bedload sediment, bed material, bed topography, adsorbed constituents, and sediment characteristics and surrogates for their measure.

Purpose and Need

The Nation faces critical water resources concerns that include the influence of fluvial sediment on the navigation of rivers, reservoir storage, aquatic environments, municipal water treatment, streambed and bank stability, and flood impacts. Accurate knowledge of sediment characteristics and transport vitally affects the ability of public agencies to properly respond to sediment related impacts.

FISP identifies and seeks solutions to tractable sediment measurement and analysis problems common to participating Federal agencies. Sponsoring agencies and the public gain a distinct advantage from cooperative action that leverages resources and leads to common standards, methods, equipment, and procedures for the measurement and analysis of sediment characteristics and transport.

Guiding Principles

• Works under the guidance of the FISP Technical Committee (TC), an independent Federal committee comprised of representatives from participating agencies under authority granted by the Office of Management and Budget issued OMB Number Memorandum M-92-01
• Serves as the primary Federal resource for quality-assured equipment and techniques for acquiring sediment and sediment-based water-quality data
• Develops standardized, calibrated sediment samplers and associated equipment that are noncontaminating and suitable for water-quality sampling
• Identifies emerging direct or indirect measurement technologies and provides recommendations to the TC regarding their applicability to mission goals and agency needs
• Based on the priorities set by the TC, tests selected promising sediment sampling and analysis technologies using standardized criteria under laboratory and field condition, and recommends appropriate use
• Interacts with other organizations including academia and private industry on research and development to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of sediment-based data
• Builds and maintains institutional knowledge and expertise through staff development, publication of technical reports and user's manuals, and public technology transfer

Background and History

In the mid-1800's, flow from the Mississippi River was first sampled for sediment discharge. At first it was assumed that surface samples represented the full depth of the river; therefore, it was unnecessary to develop special sampling equipment. However, this was proven to be incorrect by collecting samples at discrete depths. In the late 1800's sediment sampling activities increased rapidly as Federal agencies organized civil works programs. By the 1930's, agencies had started to develop their own equipment, but there was no consistency or standardization among equipment developed.

The Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) was created in 1939 by the following agencies: the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), the Office of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The FISP was created to unify the research and development activities of Federal agencies involved in fluvial-sediment studies. The FISP was originally based at the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research and later moved to St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Laboratory, Minneapolis, MN. In 1992 FISP relocated to the Hydraulics Laboratory at the Waterways Experiment Station (WES), Vicksburg, MS.

Research conducted by FISP originally focused on hydraulic and mechanical aspects of sediment sampling, but has expanded to include development of sample-analysis methods, development of automatic in-situ analyzers, and sampling techniques and equipment for sampling water quality in streams and rivers. The equipment and techniques of FISP are the standards used by most Federal, State, and local governments, and private organizations collecting sediment samples in the United States. FISP-developed samplers have been used by the World Meteorological Organization as controls for comparison with suspended-sediment samplers developed in several foreign countries. In its 50-plus-year history, FISP and its staff have produced over 80 reports and papers.

Organization

The FISP is an independent, interagency project responsible to the FISP Technical Committee. The Technical Committee provides executive direction to the technical phases of FISP. Membership of this committee is limited to contributing agencies (agencies making substantial direct contributions of funds, personnel, or services to FISP). Each member agency is entitled to one representative, one alternate, and one vote. Besides project contributions, member agencies pay transportation costs, per diem, and salaries of their representatives or alternates. The chair of the Technical Committee rotates annually among the representatives of the contributing agencies.

The Technical Committee responsibilities include:

1. Approval or acceptance, by a majority vote, of new equipment or methodology recommended for Federal agencies in sedimentation and water quality data collection or analysis.
2. Holding two regular meetings annually and additional ones as needed.
3. With FISP input, develops FISP research and development priorities and provides general guidance.

Any cooperative projects proposed by the Technical Committee for FISP must be acceptable to participating agencies. Proposals are submitted in writing, by the chairperson, to each member agency for concurrence. When the members reach formal agreement, they are responsible for obtaining funds, personnel, and arrangements as required to carry out the plan. All funding is subject to agency authorization and appropriations.