Information Concerning the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project

In Reply Refer To:                                   December 20, 1994
Mail Stop 415

OFFICE OF SURFACE WATER TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 95.01

Subject:  Information Concerning the Federal Interagency
          Sedimentation Project

The Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) is now operating 
from its new home at the Hydraulics Laboratory of the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers (USACE) Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, 
Mississippi.

The FISP functions as an independent interagency project responsible 
and responsive to the Technical Committee of the Subcommittee on 
Sedimentation of the Interagency Advisory Committee on Water Data 
(IACWD).  The IACWD is an advisory committee to the Secretary of the 
Interior and the entire Federal government on all aspects of water 
information. It is administratively organized by the U.S. Geological 
Survey's (USGS) Office of Water Data Coordination, having 
representatives from about 30 Federal agencies.

The Technical Committee, with FISP input, develops the FISP research 
and development priorities and provides general guidance.  The 
Technical Committee currently consists of representatives from the 
USGS, USACE, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Land 
Management, the Agricultural Research Service, the U.S. Forest 
Service, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.  Harvey Jobson, the USGS 
representative on  the Technical Committee, is responsible for 
representing the USGS interests, goals, and priorities for FISP to 
the Technical Committee. You are encouraged to contact Harvey if you 
have special concerns or questions about FISP.

The FISP mission is to seek solutions to problems within the field of 
sedimentation that are of common concern to the participating 
agencies and that are of a nature that solution through cooperative 
action by the interagency group offers distinct advantages.  Areas of 
interest and activities include, but are not limited to, the 
following:  development, modification, and testing of surface-water 
sediment and water-quality sampling equipment; procurement and 
calibration of this equipment; development of sediment and water-
quality sampling methods; specification of laboratory-analysis 
techniques for surface-water samples; and research into automatic 
measurement of sediment concentrations and water-quality parameters 
in streams.

Wayne O'Neal (woneal) is the Chief of the FISP.  He transferred to 
the USGS from USACE in March 1994.  The FISP staff consists of  
O'Neal, Bernadette Ward (USGS), Johnny McGregor (USACE), and Joe 
Farrar (USACE).  An additional USGS hydrologist, to do research and 
development, is currently being recruited for the FISP team.  John 
Skinner, who was Chief of FISP for many years and retired in 1994, is 
working with FISP as a rehired annuitant.  His office is in Mounds 
View, Minnesota, at the District Office.  Dallas Childers of the 
Cascades Volcano Observatory Project in Vancouver, Washington, who 
served as interim Chief of FISP after Skinner retired, is working 
part time with FISP.

Wayne and the FISP staff are organizationally attached to the Office 
of Surface Water

During its more than 50 year history, FISP staff memebers have 
produced over 80 reports and papers.  Its equipment and techniques 
are the standards used by most Federal, State, and local agencies, 
and by many private concerns collecting surface-water sediment and 
water-quality data in the United States.  Samplers developed by the 
project have also been used by the World Meteorological Organization 
as controls for comparing suspended-sediment samplers developed by 
several countries.

FISP currently has a number of projects underway.  A new water-
quality sampler is being developed.  It will have a one liter 
capacity and will be suspended from a hand line.  The BL-84 bedload 
sampler (Helley Smith style sampler with a 1.44 flare nozzle) will be 
put into production and will be available in 1995.  A new 
rechargeable battery pack, will be available in 1995 for the US-P-61 
and other electrically actuated samplers.  Calibration data for the 
frame-type bag sampler is being analyzed to establish its sampling-
velocity limitations.

In addition to the projects listed above, FISP supplies and repairs 
surface-water sediment and water-quality sampling equipment.  The 
phone number, 601-634-2721, is provided for obtaining information on 
availability, pricing, and ordering for equipment and repair work.  
It is highly recommended that individuals call this number and speak 
to one of the FISP team prior to placing orders for any of the 
services that FISP provides.  The members of the FISP team will be 
happy to be of assistance, answering any questions related to FISP 
services and equipment that you may have.

                                 Ernest F. Hubbard
                                 Acting Chief, Office of Surface Water

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