New Projects for FY-98

Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 14:58:17 -0400
To: "Jonathan M Nelson, Hydrologist, Denver, CO "<jmn@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Judson W Harvey, Hydrologist, Reston, VA "<jwharvey@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "Mary C Hill, Hydrologist, Denver, CO "<mchill@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Gregory J McCabe, Physical Scientist, Denver, CO "<gmccabe@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Kevin A Thorn, Research Chemist, Denver, CO "<kathorn@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Larry B Barber II, Geologist, Denver, CO "<lbbarber@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Pierre D Glynn, Hydrologist, Reston, VA "<pglynn@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "Richard W Healy, Hydrologist, Denver, CO "<rwhealy@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>
From: Mary Jo Baedecker <mjbaedec@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov> (by way of "Paula A. McMahon" <pamcmah@usgs.gov>)
Subject: New Projects for FY-98
Cc: "Mary J Baedecker, ACH for Research, Reston, VA "<mjbaedec@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "Steven E Ingebritsen, Chief, Br. of Regional Resrch, Menlo Park, CA "<seingebr@dcrcamnl.wr.usgs.gov>,
        "G. Richard Marzolf, Chief, BRR, ER, Reston, VA "<rmarzolf@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "John B Weeks, Chief, Branch of Reg. Res., Denver, CO "<jbweeks@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Andrea E Alpine, Asst. Chief, BRR, WR, Menlo Park, CA "<aealpine@dcrcamnl.wr.usgs.gov>,
        "David J Shultz, Asst. Chief, BRR, ER, Reston, VA "<djshultz@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "Edmund D Andrews, Hydrologist, Boulder, CO "<eandrews@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Edward R Landa, Hydrologist, Reston, VA "<erlanda@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "Paul C Milly, Hydrologist, Princeton, NJ "<cmilly@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "Christopher E Neuzil, Hydrologist, Reston, VA "<ceneuzil@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "Richard L Smith, Hydrologist, Boulder, CO "<rlsmith@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Eric T Sundquist, Geologist, Woods Hole, MA "<esundqui@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "George R Aiken, Hydrologist, Boulder, CO "<graiken@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Richard W Healy, Hydrologist, Denver, CO "<rwhealy@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Jonathan M Nelson, Hydrologist, Denver, CO "<jmn@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "David L Parkhurst, Hydrologist, Denver, CO "<dlpark@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Rob Striegl, Hydrologist, Denver, CO "<rstriegl@servrcolkr.cr.usgs.gov>,
        "Linda C Friedman, Hydrologist, Reston, VA "<lcfried@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "Paula A McMahon, Secretary, Reston, VA "<pamcmah@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov>,
        "  WRD Archive File, Reston, VA "<wrd-archive>


This memorandum is being transmitted via electronic mail only.


In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 436

                               MEMORANDUM


                                                         June 24, 1998


To:       NRP Scientists Submitting Proposals for Projects

From:     Mary Jo Baedecker
          Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Research

Subject:  New Projects for FY-98

I want to report my decision regarding the start of new projects for 
FY-98.  Because we have not started new projects for many years, it is 
difficult to restart the process.  There are many scientists in the NRP 
who are fully qualified to serve as project chiefs, yet, in our present 
"no growth" condition for the past 5 or so years, we have not started 
new projects.  It is not fully clear that we should do so now, nor is 
there consensus about whether the NRP should continue to have mostly 
small, and some large, projects or whether we should have large projects 
and move away from small projects.  Even though these issues are not 
fully resolved, NRP management decided to start one or two projects in 
FY-98 in areas identified as critical needs.  Areas of critical need 
were identified as sub-disciplines where we have lost so many 
researchers that we are not capable of meeting the needs of the Division 
or where new scientific challenges have emerged that are not being 
addressed.  Thus, in the memo dated March 24, 1998, the areas listed 
below were identified as having top priority for starting new projects:

         -Surface water and sediment transport modeling
         -Coupled water movement/water chemistry modeling (especially 
            surface water and soils/unsaturated zone)
         -Surface water/ground water interaction modeling 
            (including chemical and biogeochemical interactions)

I have decided, with the concurrence of the Branch Chiefs, to start two 
new projects in surface water hydrology with Jud Harvey and Jon Nelson 
as project leaders.  All of you who submitted proposals are very well 
qualified to work independently, and I want you to know that your 
technical ability and accomplishments were not in question during the 
process.  In the next few months you will receive some comments on your 
proposal.  I know that we don't have a perfect process in starting and 
ending projects, and I hope to continue discussions with NRP researchers 
to refine the process. 

****************************************
Mary Jo Baedecker
436 National Center
Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Research
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, Virginia 20192
mjbaedec@usgs.gov (703-648-5858)
***************************************