Contingency plans for the data program Date: Thu, 28 Dec 1995 21:22:10 GMT To: "A - Division Chief and Staff", "B - Branch Chiefs and Offices", "DC - All District Chiefs", "Bruce K Gilbert, DACH/Operations, Reston, VA" , "Robert R Mason Jr., Hydrologist(Engr), Reston, VA" , "Ernest F Hubbard, Assistant Chief, OSW, Reston, VA" , "Gail E Kalen, Computer Specialist, Reston, VA" , "Anna M Lenox, Chief, Intl Water Resource, Reston, VA" , "Thomas C Pierson, Geologist, Vancouver, WA" , "S. Ernest Dreyer Jr., Hydrologist, Reston, VA" , "Kenneth J Lanfear, Network Info Products Coord., Reston, VA" , "Kathleen R Wilke, Supervisory Hydrologist, Denver, CO" , "Rodger F Ferreira, Associate District Chief (Bio), Albuquerque, NM" , "John P Borland, Supervisory Hydrologist (Eng.), Albuquerque, NM" , "Joel R Schuetz, Supervisory Hydrologist (Chem), Cheyenne, WY" , "Theodore C Bartke, Physical Scientist, Cheyenne, WY" , "William J Kratz, Admin Off, Carson City, NV" , "George S Outlaw, Hydraulic Engineer, Nashville, TN" , "Mary J Schlotfeld, Admin Off, Lincoln, NE" , "Glenn B Engel, Supv Hydrologist, Lincoln, NE" , "Harry C Rollins, Assistant District Chief, Louisville, KY" , "Dennis A Wentz, Willamette NAWQA Chief, Portland, OR" , "Richard A Hollway, Computer Scientist, Portland, OR" , "Marjorie S Davenport, Supv. Hydrologist, Columbia, SC" , "Paul M Buszka, Supv Hyd (GeoChem), Indianapolis, IN" , "Charles G Crawford, Supv Hyd (EnvSci), Indianapolis, IN" , "Stephen W Lipscomb, Supvy Hyd, Boise, ID" , "John J Vaccaro, Supervisory Hydrologist, Tacoma, WA" , "Gary L Turney, Hydrologist, Tacoma, WA" , "Alex K. (Sandy) Williamson, Central Columbia NAWQA Ch., Tacoma, WA" , "Merle F Wyant Jr., Administrative Officer, Tampa, FL" , wholmbs@srv1rvares.er.usgs.GOV, "Geoffrey Freethey, Supv. Hydrologist (Engr Geol), Salt Lake City, UT" , "Kidd M Waddell, SUPERVISORY HYDROLOGIST, Salt Lake City, UT" , "James R Kolva, Supervisory Hydrologist (Engr), Salt Lake City, UT" , "Kenneth W Toppin, Supv Hydrologist, Bow, NH" , "George A Irwin, Hydrologist (QW Spec), Tallahassee, FL" , "Clifton F Bell, Hyd(Geol), Richmond, VA" , "Hugh W Lowham, Supervisory Hydrologist(Engr), Cheyenne, WY" , "Kimball E Goddard, District Chief, Utah, Tucson, AZ" , "Robert E Davis, Supv Hyd (Geol), Helena, MT" , "Claude O Geiger, Supv Hyd (Engr), Lawrence, KS" , "Russell A Gadoury, Supv Hydrol(CivEng), Marlborough, MA" , "Louis C Murray Jr., Supv Hyd(Engr), Altamonte Sprg, FL" , "Brian J Granneman, , Sioux Falls, SD" , "George E Harlow Jr., Hyd(Geol), Richmond, VA" , "Allen R Brockman, Hyd(Geol), Richmond, VA" , "William D Mcfarland, Assistant District Chief, Portland, OR" , "Rafael W Rodriguez, HYDROLOGIST, San Juan, PR" From: "Robert M Hirsch, Chief Hydrologist, Reston, VA" (Robert M. Hirsch) Subject: Contingency plans for the data program TO: District Chiefs FROM: Robert M. Hirsch (signed) Chief Hydrologist SUBJECT: Contingency Plan for Maintaining Continuous Hydrologic Monitoring Stations Data from about 4000 of the 7200 gaging stations that we operate are used by the National Weather Service (NWS) for flood forecasting. Other stations are part of local flood alert systems, and they provide critical data for local emergency management and law enforcement authorities. The NWS River Forecast Centers are fully staffed during the Federal government furlough as are the local agencies. We must ensure that we continue to meet the emergency needs of NWS and our cooperators by providing reliable real-time streamflow data. We also must safeguard the integrity of the hydrologic data system and ensure that irretrieveable data are not lost because of temporary funding deficiencies. We have been able to maintain the network during the early stages of the current furlough by recalling a few employees to repair gages that have malfunctioned. As the furlough continues, there is an increased risk of furnishing erroneous data or having equipment fail during a flood emergency. Although we are hopeful that the budget impasse will be resolved very early in 1996, we must maintain the reliability of our streamflow data and protect data that have already been collected. I am requesting that each District prepare a plan to begin recalling employees to review telemetrydata and initiate regularly scheduled field trips to service all continuous monitoring stations (streamflow, ground-water levels, and water-quality monitors) and make discharge measurements and other calibration measurements as needed. Data collected from stations without telemetry should be filed in the office for subsequent processing after the budget impasse is resolved. Data from stations with telemetry that are used by the National Weather Service or local agencies for flood forecasting, reservoir operations or other operations related to protecting aquatic resources should be processed. The stage-discharge relations or calibration curves should be analyzed and updated to ensure that accurate real-time data are available to emergency officials and resource managers. The plan should represent the District's requirements to maintain the integrity of its data system only; it cannot be a plan to do business as usual. It should include a list of employees that will be needed to service all continuous monitoring stations and to analyze and update the stage-discharge relations or calibration curves of stations that have real-time data capability. The plan should include an estimate of the actual calendar days that each employee will need to work over the next 30 days. It also should include support personnel for maintaining computer systems and clerical support for preparing travel authorizations and making travel arrangements. A brief sample plan is attached. The staff included in the plan should be very lean. This is not a directive to put the entire data section back to work full time. Revisions of the plan may be made as time passes, but it is imperative that no one work on any day if they are not listed as working on that day. Employees recalled will have the same status as the District Chiefs. That is, they will be excepted exmployees and will be paid for actual days worked if all employees are paid. If all employees are not paid, the excepted employees can file a claim for reimbursment of salary and travel, if appropriate, for days worked. Although it is our understanding that these claims will not be contested by the government, we do not know how long the reimbursement process could take. Employees in travel status will be able to use their American Express cards for lodging, meals, and ATM advances. However, travel vouchers will not be processed until we return to normal operations. This suggests that overnight travel would be unwise from the standpoint of the employee's short-term financial situation. You are authorized to recall the Data Chief and one other individual to help you develop the plan. Submit the plan to the Office of Surface Water (thyorke, ehubbard, and rrmason) by email as soon as possible. Our intent is to resume regular field trips for servicing continuous monitoring stations by January 2. Please include your office and home telephone numbers with your email message. One of the representatives from the Office of Surface Water will approve your plan with an email response or contact you by telephone for clarification. We realize that continuous monitoring stations are just one part of our hydrologic data and investigative programs. We will be looking into the need for contingency plans to address other programs if the furlough continues into 1996. It remains our hope that none of the procedures described in this memorandum will be necessary, but prudence suggests that we must begin now to make contingency plans Attachment: Sample contingency plan for the XXXX District ASSIGNMENT EMPLOYEE WORK DAYS Northwest Field Trip John Streamgager January 2-5, 8-12. Northeast Field Trip Jane Streamgager January 8-12, 16-17 Southeast Field Trip Manny Monitor January 22-26, 29-31 Review Real-time data Bill Dataperson January 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31 Travel arrangements Joe Clerk January 2, 8, 16, 22, 29 Maintain computers Mary MacIntosh January 4, 11, 18, 25 ********************************************************** * Robert M. Hirsch Phone: 703/648-5215 * * Chief Hydrologist Fax: 703/648-5002 * * 409 National Center Internet: rhirsch@usgs.gov * * U.S. Geological Survey * * Reston, VA 22092 * **********************************************************