2006 ITAC Goals

Goal 1—Identify and address emerging IT issues to promote technology exchange.

• Keep abreast of GIS technology/issues with the goal of promoting technology exchange among WSCs.

• Explore options for communication with other Water IT interest groups (ICOM, SUNTAC, FCIG, NWIS user groups) with the goal of identifying new or common interests and avoiding duplication of effort.

Goal 2—Assist WRD in standardizing IT technologies and prioritizing expenditures

• Separation of credentials—WSCs are taking various approaches to implementing field laptop security: some are too restrictive and others not restrictive enough. Communication to WSCs is needed to clarify the issue and standardize the approach.

• Mobile Computing—Mobile Computing has proven invaluable to the hydrologic data collection community in WRD. It is enabling data collectors to acquire data--be it from instrumentation or via field forms--in the field and upload it efficiently into NWIS in less time and with greater accuracy than past, manual methods. ITAC supports mobile computing, will continue to monitor the progress of the Field Computer Interest Group (FCIG), and will continue a sponsorship role.

• DRGS—The NESDIS facility at Wallops Island is a single point of failure in the data flow between USGS stage/streamflow gages transmitting satellite telemetry and NWIS. A backup facility is required. Ernest Dreyer represents the USGS on the Satellite Telemetry Interagency Working Group, a multi-bureau/agency team addressing this problem. ITAC has an important role in communicating the high priority of USGS participating/funding a solution to this problem. Ref: http://water.usgs.gov/datarelay/stiwg/workgroups/bup/index.html

• Dynamic Web Pages—Promote a dynamic web page strategy to be included in Natweb using Cold Fusion and ARC IMS as the basis for such.

Goal 3—Represent WRD IT needs and interests to other parts of USGS

• Communicate to Bureau the needs of WRD users (issues of IT security, network capacity, MS Exchange, cell phones, EWeb, C&A, AD, wireless, separation of credentials)

• Assist communications regarding National Geospatial Program Office

• SA priorities—Assist WSC directors and GIO in prioritizing various demands on WSC IT staff

• C&A streamlining—Assist Bureau in streamlining C&A process