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
WRD Distribution: A, B, FO, PO