Meeting Expectations and Concerns

CPAC Meeting Minutes

• Tuesday, August 22, 2000
 November Meeting

Please mark your calendars for the November CPAC meeting.  Aloha!

What:	CPAC Meeting
When:	Tuesday, October 31 at 8:00 AM to Thursday, November 2 at NOON
Where:	U.S. Geological Survey Honolulu, Hawaii District Office



• Lew Wade -- described the status of the USGS reorganization. All of the following of Lew Wade's remarks are the status of current plans and are subject to change.
• Lew Wade -- describes his future role as the Water Discipline Office of Information:  Senior Information Chief.
• Karen Siderelis -- USGS hopes for her approval as USGS GIO by end of September.
• Lew Wade -- talked to Karen about CPAC.
• Barb Ryan is the acting GIO until the GIO role is filled.
• GIO will have policy responsibilities and not operations/day to day.
• OWDC, NWIS, HASS and AIS will remain in the Water Discipline.
• Pubs/Reports reorg plans are shelved right now and will stay with the Water Discipline for the short-term.
• First wave -- DIS will go as a self-contained unit to OPS dedicated to the support of WRD.
• Hirsch is seeking service level performance agreements for DIS in OPS.

The recommendation is that the Computer Support Team will report to DIS.

• Geographic Information Program Office -- will go to the Bureau GIO Office. Linkage is tight to GIO function.
• Lorna Schmid will stay with the Water Discipline issues. The plan is that Lorna's staff would go to OPS.
• FOIA and Environmental Affairs are planning to be elevated to the Bureau level, but speculation is that it will stay in the Water Discipline.
• Debbie McLean and Nancy Bowen, WRD Administrative personnel, will move to budget administrative positions in Headquarters and Regional offices.
• The remaining WRD Information activities will stay under Lew Wade.
• Technical offices of OGW, OSW and OGW and NAWQA will under Mary Jo Baedecker.
• Changes to OPS for DIS, GIPO and CST are targeted to occur on October 8.
• Computer support of the Eastern Region in Reston continues to be an issue.
• WRD RCSers would stay with the Water Disciplines, Bonnie McGregor agrees.
• Other USGS Divisions will look at the formation of Regional Computer Specialists for their disciplines.
• There are no counterparts to the WRD DIS Office in other HQ Division offices. This is of concern to WRD.

• WRD Strategies:
1. The only thing that matters is the work:  Keep to the CPAC work.
2. CPAC needs to posture itself as a model to the USGS and educate others in the Bureau about the CPAC model. CPAC to focus on the discipline issues, rather than Bureau issues.
• Nested Bureau level CPAC type committees are suggested.
• Communication in a matrix organization will a challenge.
• If matrix management activities are not successful, WRD personnel should report on improvements needed to activities.
• No whining.
• Bill Carswell indicates that IT shadow support activities in Divisions will raise the cost of doing business.

DIS and CPAC are the envy in the USGS. People in USGS always look to WRD for IT activities.



• Briefing by the USGS Information Chiefs of BRD, GD, NMD and OPS
  Briefing by non-USGS Information Chiefs: DOI

• What is the result of the USGS reorganization on the water discipline?
• Water science Responsibilities remain in the Division.
• NWIS will continue to report to Lew Wade and Bob Hirsch.
• Gateway concept will have a template on NWIS.
• But the guts of the NWIS is managed by the discipline or sub-discipline.
• NWIS will plug into the template.
• HASS:  models etc are in purview of the discipline.
• Enterprise activities are generic computing will move to a corporate support, such as:
• Email
• Graphics
• Communications
• Business software
• These enterprise activities would include the transition of DIS and AIS to OPS.
  Is the mission of DIS essential to the water discipline?  or the Bureau activities?
  - If the DIS Office supports WRD, then it should be funded by WRD.
• There are fundamental differences between Division in USGS.
• District Office in WRD can be viewed as franchise organizations; same suite of services are provide to these franchises. This pattern is unique in USGS. Other divisions have other types of organization structures. BRD and GD have science centers and teams, respectively.
• Computer security, especially with respect to the WWW is of concern to WRD.
  - Rapid Detection is important.
  - Good recovery systems are critical after security breaches.
• Hirsch is concerned about the cultural and cost issues (people times) of data quality -- keeping bad data off WRD web pages.
  - Spikes in discharge records can be screened automatically (screen software is needed).
  - A gap should be shown instead of the bad data.
• An example of the other side of the coin is detecting the situation of a dam break.
  NWIS priorities:  water-quality NWIS activities was lagging and has been our highest priority.
  - a reassessment on the other disciplines will be needed. NWIS has been underfunded.
  - mid-year resources have been give to NWIS. Retirement of Gary Rogers was a sobering event for WRD. This needs to be rectified so that more than one person holds the knowledge base.
• The World Wide Web (WWW):  be prepared for lots of headaches. Stay tuned. Kudos to the NWISWeb group.
  - two competing groups for Web presentation including the Sandy Williamson Oracle approach.
  - an unbiased view will be required to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches.
• An issue discussed at the most recent WRD Senior Staff meeting.
  - Field Computers:  Vision is that Every hydrologist and technician have a device to carry in the field that will interface the field activities to the NWIS data base.
  - Each discipline should not have palm pilots vs laptops, for example.
• Charlie Merk to survey where we are on field computers and portable computing technology.
  - Small monies to Districts to do prototypes.
  - Rapid technology makes the decision making process difficult.
  - we need to look at other organizations.
  - we need to think about how we want to operate.
• Unit Values:  another issue discussed at WRD Senior Staff.
  - Vision is to identify a District who has developed an approach to warehouse for unit values. Bring together the recent unit values at our fingertips (online/near online).
  - Some money can be provided to such a District.
  - Tell Charlie Merk, Bill Carswell or Lew Wade.
• CPAC is a committee analogous to ICOM, Safety,etc.
  There will always be a need for water discipline specific forums to discuss issues to include the service providers and customers.
• Ensure that USGS create a forum for the generic business functions and activities; such as word processing,
  - Forums will exist for Bureau, such as training, safety, etc.

Question:  Retaining Site Administrators: no great magic -- use of contractors is one solution.

• Effort is underway to investigate OPM and retention issues.
• USGS says statistics indicate retention is not an issue. This will need to be studied.
• WRD computer staff should have PD's that are unique to the water discipline - going beyond the Site Administrator "binning". To reflect generic but also real-time, modelling, GIS etc that are unique to WRD computing environment.
• OPM is looking at specialized PDs - not going to get us anywhere. Our SA's are handling more complex activities. Getting SA's to a GS-13. Bill Carswell put this on the HRMC committee. (for District Chiefs, AO's and SA's - setting a higher ladder for these jobs).
• We are not building the cadre of SAs - WRD SAs are aging. Students need to see a greater grade level.

Question:  Will the role model of WRD's CPAC be used by the other Divisions? This kind of committee may not make sense in other Divisions.

• Separating Enterprise and Water Discipline activities would provide more support to the other division. WRD already supports enterprise activities using by DIS. Missionary activities can be conveyed to the Bureau, especially in the area of DIS and AIS.

Question:  Historic discrete data:  Opposing issues:  immediate vs. after publications.

• As the Web processing began to emerge, Hirsch was not looking for serving QW data to the web until the data is approved.
• District office must be comfortable with the data quality before it is served.
• The other extreme when the District's QW data is being served at one burst --- after publication.
• There is some happy medium. The time should be putting data on the web in matter of weeks rather than after 15 months. In the past, it took time to produce the final records. Tools are available now, especially graphic tools, to producing final records in the short-term. The danger is that other organizations may be able to provide final record before USGS does.
• The finalization of data records is in the hands of the District office. This finalization of data records issue is related to the publishing the Annual Data Report.
• Paper copies will become obsolete, if they are not already.
• Bill Carswell suggested that SW records should be worked in the short-term rather than at the end of the year.
• Major training for producing final data records using modern tools needs to be undertaken.
• Field data collection for QW records has been undertaken. This is needed for surface-water records.
• Mike Norris is chairing a committee to look at revising how we work records; workflow, tools, ADAPS, record computations activities are all a part of the data issue.
• WRD must be cautious to not sacrifice the quality of the data.

Question:  Funding issues for DIS

• There must be a staffing commitment if the DIS functions before national in scope.
• Lew Wade and Bob Hirsch continue to remind the Director's Office of the scope issue.

Question:  What can CPAC do during the reorganization?

• Let Bob Hirsch know when things are off the tracks.
• 
  - Example is the Regional Computer Specialist issue in the Central Region.
• Ditto to the Central Region Safety Officer position.

- Some Regional Directors are becoming advocates for WRD District offices.
- They arespending time discussing issues with the District Chiefs and Regional Hydrologist.
• Include the Regional Directors know when things are off the tracks.



• WRD Headquarters Welcome to CPAC by the Chief Hydrologist, Bob Hirsch

Briefing by the USGS Information Chiefs of BRD, GD, NMD and OPS
Briefing by non-USGS Information Chiefs:  DOI

• BRD -- Tom Lahr made the BRD Information Office Briefing.
  BRD considers itself smaller than WRD, but there are similarities.

A small staff in HQs and Denver supports central national information systems.
Such as:  NBII and vegetation mapping program, map analysis program, etc.

The BRD IRM functions were not centralized; but they consider that BRD has virtual IT/IM committees. There are sixteen BRD Science Information Centers. The IT/IM functions are funded by the individual centers. Big centers have an IRM coordinator. Small office may have only one person for IT/IM. Three regional reps and the larger office IRM coordinator form the IRM Council to discuss IRM issues, such as the telecommunication conversion to MCIW.

URL for BRD IRM Council Charter is:   http://biology.usgs.gov/irm/documents/charter.html and the Council Members URL is:   http://biology.usgs.gov/irm/focalpts.html

• GD -- Carolyn Lumb made the GD Information Office Briefing.
  Current GD Organization URL is:  yet to receive

Computer desktop support staff will be located in OPS Headquarters and Regional Office.
Geologic Division Information Council was abolished in August 1999. (started October 1995)

One representative from each GD Program, Library, Regional reps and Chief of the Office of Information. About 325 Projects exist in GD, analogous to NRP in WRD. Requirements are set by the projects. UNIX, NTs and MACs exist in the project. This is a project choice.

MS Office is used throughout the Division, 75% using Domino Servers.

Dave Soller is acting for Jan Morton, GD Information Chief.
Lester North is working on information technology and Lotus.
GD Projects select DBMS, all varieties exist; such as ORACLE, Ingres, SQL, Informix, etc.
Telecommunications is provided by OPS, both LAN and WAN.
Applications data bases are project oriented; such as Geologic Map Data Base, Mineral Resources Data System, etc. and don't need to interface too often. There is interest to have interdisciplinary data bases; but no plans exist. GD Eastern Region support the following:

NOVELL, NOTES and MICROSOFT products and minor telecom problems.

GD Western Region have contractors to support. Teams have site administrators on each project.

• NMD -- Joan Szeide made the NMD Information Office Presentation.
  NMD IRM Slide presentation URL:  {insert URL here}

  "We all know that COTS doesn't mean Plug and Play."

• OPS OIS -- Donna Scholz made the OPS OIS Information Office Briefing
  OPS OIS Slide presentation URL: /cpac/minutes/OPS-OIS_000822.htm
• OIRM -- Bill Pfancuff DOI OIRM Office Briefing
  Bill Plancuff's presentation URL:   /cpac/minutes/Phancuff_CPAC000822.htm

  About thirty DOI work groups are staffed from the Bureaus, including USGS.

  Life Cycle Management
  e/Government
  Fall IT Conference

  Bill Pfancuff hopes all CPAC members will attend the Fall IT Conference(this is the same week as the next CPAC meeting in November) and bring one or two WRD.

  Bill Pfancuff suggests that all in USGS and DOI clean up their Web sites in anticipation of the transition teams that will be formed after the election.

Question to Donna Sholz:

• Will DIS support WRD in the short term?

Donna indicated that support teams that work now must continue to function.
• NWIS depends on DIS - NWIS has a concern about how NWIS voices will be heard.

Donna indicates that programmatic concerns will be supported. And resources will need to be expanded, as well.
• DIS needs to be factored into a Bureau wide function.

"WRD has the best model,&uqot; indicates Donna. This model should be used for the Bureau.
• CPAC is concerned about the continuation of the DIS coordination and funding of IRM activities.
  Donna indicates that she has been fighting for the concept of funding. And Donna presented her Proposed Bureauwide Helpdesk Model.

  • WR, CR and ER Helpdesk in Regions as well as a Bureau Helpdesk.
  • The Regional and Bureau Responsibilities include the following:

    • Regional Responsibilities
    • Regional Campus Desktop support
    • Coordination with other Regions' Helpdesks
    • Coordination/Consulting for Field Locations
    • Bureau Responsibilities
    • National HelpDesk Policy
    • Bureauwide Application Desktop
    • Bureauwide Licensing
    • Regional Helpdesk coordination

    Helpdesks in WRD can be considered Help Groups.



• WRD Headquarters' Town Meeting was held and consisted of briefings by WRD Headquarters Staff

• WRD Computer Policy Advisory Committee (CPAC):  Carl Goodwin presented the WRD CPAC Charter and introduced the CPAC members.
• WRD Administrative Information System (AIS) Status and Plans:  Isabelle Halley presented the status and plans for AIS.
AIS started in 1993 and ends in October, 2001. Kansas staff supports AIS activities in addition to the Headquarters staff.

AIS 7.1 scheduled for September 2000. Includes budget modules and includes link between AIS and RTS 1980 to 1996 and then 1996 to present. Only published reports are included. NT client is just about ready as long as you don't run background processes.

AIS 7.2 scheduled for November, 2000.

• WRD Distributed Information Program:  Tom Wood presented the status of DIS programs.
DIS Program Office Briefing by Tom Wood

Topics include:

• Vision Statement
• DIS Staffing
• Critical DIS "Extended Staff"
• DIS Program Office Directions

• WRD Headquarters Computer Support Team:  Doreen Lucas introduced the CST members and presented the overview of the Computer Support Team.
  • There are 36 servers of all varieties and about 180 network printers.
  • There are four ways to communicate with the WRD CST.

• WRD Computer Support Team (CST) Customer Advisory Board (CAB):  Linda Geiger introduced the CAB members and presented an overview of the CAB.

Dave Schulz suggested that WRD staff members suggest topics for brown bag seminars.

• WRD Geographic Information Program Office:  Mark Negri introduced the GIPO members and presented an overview of the GIPO.
  {insert Mark Negri's slides here from ITEM Team Meeting}

  The slides are title as follows:

  • ESRI Products
  • ESRI GSA BPA
  • Hardware/OS Info(i)
  • ARC * Hardware/OS info (iiii)
  • ArcView Hardware/OS info (iv)
  • WRD Arc 8.0.2 Release

  As a Bureau, WIN 2000 Enterprise licenses can be expected around March, 2001.

• WRD NAWQA Data Issues:  Sandy Williamson presented an overview of the USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Data Warehouse.
  {insert Sandy Williamson's ppt slide presentation here}

  The topics are as follows:

  • Software Development Philosophy
  • Diagram of DW Users and Sources
  • High Level Star Schema
  • NAWQA Public Web Site

  The Web Tool that NAWQA uses is featureful and takes 7-10 minutes to download the JAVA interface.

• WRD National Water Information System NWISWeb:  Alan Lumb presented an overview of the NWIS data flow and the status of NWISWeb.
• NWISWeb is about ready to be released to the public. NWIS data will be easier to get after the release. Questions were asked about a release NWISWeb before all Districts were ready. Data cleanup must be completed. All States must say they are ready.
• Question about the status of the NWIS DISPLAA COTS graphics replacement license issues.
• The DISPLAA license will expire January 2001. Options for replacement are being evaluated. More of this graphics topic is discussed in the CPAC NWIS Agenda Item this meeting. (August 2000).
• WRD National Water Information System NWISView:  Dave Stewart presented an overview of the NWIS NWISView product.
• NWISWeb is used to clean up the site file. Sites are flagged if the state, county, hydrologic unit or latitude/longitude are wrong.
• An interactive cleanup is available.
• Train-the-trainer is scheduled for late August 2000.
• Needs ARC INFO to run.

Questions and Answer Period

• Question from Arlen Harbaugh:
  FORTRAN Compiler - Is there any effort to provide a national contract for FORTRAN compilers?
  The Lahey FORTRAN vendor has approached the DIS on license issue.
  Arlen agreed to serve on a FORTRAN compiler team.
• Question from OGW:
  March 2001:  Is there official guidance on Win 2000?

  If you buy a new machine, it will integrate nicely into the NT environment.
  Planned phase-in for Window 2000 server and Active Directory.

• Detailed discussion on the NT TAC web page on Win 2000 desktop.
  Windows 2000 is said to be very stable. It's good plug and play -- not plug and pray.
  Netscape is not compatible with Windows 2000. Need to be a power user (access rights on register needed) to run some packages like Reflection, SPLUS, etc.
  This is a Reston Computer Support Team problem and is being discussed by the



• Town Meeting Discussion -- (All CPAC Members)
Expected Outcome:  List of Action Items and Critique of Town Meeting



• Related Documentation:   Tom's presentation to CPAC

Topics include:

• CPAC Goal One Discussion
• Background
• Process/Expectations
• Summary of Proposed Support Changes (3 slides)
• DIS Funding Summary
• Proposed Support Increases(4 slides)

Related Documentation:   FY2000 Software Analysis spreadsheet (Tom Wood)

Questions on other DIS-supported Packages.

• Does DIS provide FFS support?
• What about TNA Support? All Divisions use different TNA versions. WRD's TNS uses Ingres. Other Divisions use other MS-Access.

Comments on Support for Microsoft Office Packages:

• Word, Excel and PowerPoint requires SA Installation procedures; testing procedures; security issues and patches.
• End-user support and training is handled by contractors; books; courses, etc.

Comments on SQL server:

• About six Districts have SQL servers because of LANDesk and web services.

Comments on Database TAC:

• DIS Database TAC may be needed soon. MySQL will be installed in District soon because of NWISWeb.



• Emerging Technologies:  Handheld Devices

Sandy Williamson presented information on table/palm tops over laptop and compared the different handheld devices. Insert Sandy's presentation slides here. Topics include:

• Tablet/Palm over Laptop
• Tablet/Palm Options
• Windows CE vs. Palm

Compared to a laptop, the hand-held device has advantages:

• 9-hrs battery life because no hard disk
• touch sensitive screen (with onscreen keyboard for some key input) alleviates need for keyboard & mouse, so can be used while standing outdoors like a clipboard-also only 28 oz. light
• windows ce is always 'on', so no 'boot-up'/shutdown time

Emerging Technology - Lotus Notes

Graig McHendrie presented the Lotus Notes Team Room product.
• Wednesday, August 23, 2000

• Continuing Discussion of Goal One Document -- Greg Shank proposes that CPAC simplify the Goal One Document Process that CPAC Gloria Stiltner used to date. Tom Wood's process for determining the funding levels will be used for FY 2001, and CPAC will work the "new voting" process for the FY 2001. The funding level for FY 2001 will be finalized at the November 2000 CPAC meeting.

Recommendations for increasing one software package funding level but a corresponding decrease in another software package must accompany the proposal. The entire software and hardware support list would include the suite of DIS-supported and non-supported items even though there is no funding.

Lew Wade suggests that CPAC is missing the point with respect to the visionary deliverables (such as FUTCOM) that CPAC should be working on. Is it time to commission the next FUTCOM? Should FUTCOM be incremental or issue-driven rather than a tome? Integration of DIS memos constitute the future direction? The suggestion is to work on the Strategic Oriented Strategic Direction. The focus could be on the Water Discipline; such as the HYDRO 21; field-data collection.

• Publishing Software Activities (Allord) -- Greg Allord will presented the status, direction, and course of action of publishing software activities followed by questions and answers.
  {insert Greg's Powerpoint presentation here}



• Conference call between CPAC and the Central Region Advisory Data Meeting (CRACD) -- Schedule conference call for 10:30 AM to 12:00 AM EST.
• NWIS Requirements from CRACD.

Both CRACD and the Data Chiefs' lists were similar. CRACD indicates that it is encouraging that many of these enhancements are on the list for NWIS 4_1 release.

NWIS 4_1 is planned to beta release in March 2001.

The CRACD had submitted suggestions for consideration to be included in the NWIS 5_1 release. CRACD provided to the three discipline user groups (GW, QW, & SW) and the Release Issues Team a prioritized list of NWIS 5_1 requirements and is included in the related documentation.

Related Documentation:  

• CRACD NWIS 5_1 suggestions by discipline from the CRACD Team provided by Ron Kuzniar.
• WRD CR Advisory Committee on Data Operations (CRACD) -- Attendees at the CRACD meeting in Lakewood, CO include:

• Ronald L. Kuzniar
• Melanie L. Clark
• Rene J. Freret
• David W. Grey
• Michael E. Dorsey
• Eric S. Wakeman
• Burl B. Goree
• Henry S. Hauck
• Robert B. Swanson

Michael E. Dorsey and William S. McEwen were not in attendance.

Jeff Christman and Colleen Babcock have looked at the CRACD requirements. Two of these requirements are in 4_1. A few more of these requirements are planned for an NWIS 4_1 patch. The others will need to be fed into the priorities of NWIS Surface-Water User Group Requirements.

Related Documentation:  

• DRAFT of CRACD Minutes - August 22-23, 2000. from Ron Kuzniar, 08/28/2000 02:38 PM
• Lotus Group Name is GS-W-CR ACD. -- The NWIS Surface-Water User Group will meet in September 2000. Melanie Clark indicated that the NWIS Water-Quality User Group will meet the last week in September 2000. The NWIS Ground-Water User Group will be meeting in November 2000 and will take these requirements for discussion and priorization.



• Suggestions for NWIS ADAPS ENHANCEMENTS TO SW DATA PROCESSING PROGRAMS -- were presented Barry Hill. These suggestions are based on input from WRD data chiefs, May-August, 2000.

Related Documentation:   Suggested Enhancement to SW Data Processing Programs

Eight (8) District Data Chiefs responded to Barry Hill's request ...

The enhancements are not in priority order:

GRAPHICAL RATING CURVE DEVELOPMENT
SHIFT-ADJUSTED RATINGS FOR REAL-TIME STATIONS
ADCP DISCHARGE MEASUREMENT DATA

Jeff Christman, NWIS, is getting detailed specs from Henry Hauck.
Jeff indicates that the ADCP may be an NWIS 4_2 release.
Jeff is working on a JAVA application for this enhancement at home.

STORAGE OF SW METADATA IN ADAPS
HYDRA SCALING PROBLEMS

Discharge reference calls on log scales are not dragging properly.
Verne Sauer is providing some additional enhancements (light table.)

UNIT- AND DAILY-VALUES ENTRY AND EDITING SUBROUTINES

This processing is cumbersome now. Hydra will replace these character-based functions in NWIS 5_1.

PERMANENT STORAGE OF DEFAULT SHIFT CURVES

Patterns can be stored as default.
This would be an advantage if paper goes away.
In NWIS 4_1 will lock down shifts and other ancillary data.

ADDITIONAL INPUT POINTS FOR SHIFTS

Limitation of three points is in the character based system.
This enhancement will not be in NWIS 4_1

SEPARATE SUBROUTINES FOR DATUM VS. GAGE-HEIGHT CORRECTIONS

This sets of correction curves are enhancements per water year will be included in NWIS 4_1

STATUS OF WRD SEDIMENT DATA SOFTWARE

What is the status of SLEDS?
SLEDS trouble shooting group was formed in June 2000 and includes reps from Iowa, Kentucky, CVO and John Gray. New Release is Version SLEDS 4_1.
What is the status of CONCALC? (Rename to GCLASS)
California is beta testing and training on CONCALC.
Time savings for basic computation from days to hours.
There is an issue with user documentation.
There is online HELP and a wizard within CONCALC.
CONCALC will be release in the FALL 2000.
No WRD requirement to force the use of CONCALC.


NWISWeb DATUM PROBLEMS EXIST

CONCERN ABOUT DISPLAA REPLACEMENT AND TESTING OF THIS REPLACEMENT:

TIMING WILL AFFECT DISTRICT RECORD COMPUTATION
(Refer to CPAC NWIS agenda for update on DISPLAA replacement.)

• Handheld Devices for USGS Data Collection

Background:  CRACD will participate in advancing the application of new technology for field data collection. Burl Goree will provide CPAC and ICOM with a proposed plan-of-action (see related documentation) to develop an automated electronic field-form hardware/software.
Coordination will be with Alan Lumb:

1. Burl will compile a survey to determine support for "DMX vision".
2. CRACD members will solicit DATANET response to the survey.
3. Burl will merge survey results with proposal and forward to CPAC and ICOM.

Related Documentation:   http://srv2flarst.er.usgs.gov/~bbgoree/handhelds.htm

Senior Staff is willing to fund some of this activity. Provide seed money to District. A meeting is planned with the Discipline Office in September 11, 2000.

For DCPs, data logger transactions in field. Crest Site Measurements. Web site shows proposal.

Innovation Districts will be solicited from Central Region Advisory Committee on Data.

Jeff Christman indicated that XML format would be the output format from the Sutron DMX software.



• Data & Records Archiving Committee -- Loren Kloft provided the plans for the Data and Records Archiving Committee.

Related Documentation:   Electronic Data Archival - Recommendations for NWIS- and project-related data files, presented by Loren Kloft.

Scott McEwen suggested funding will be solicited. Loren reported on the formation of a working group and the development of a "charge" for data archival.

The following are WRD technical office committee names:

Linda Geiger (OGW)
Kathy Fitzgerald (OWQ)
Bill Kirby (OSW)
Colleen Babcock (NWIS)


Related Documentation:   OFR 92-56, WRD Memo 92.59

Proposal:  That CPAC take ownership of completing the following two items.

Proposed lead:  Linda Geiger or Loren Kloft
CPAC liaison:  Loren Kloft:
1. NWIS - Assemble existing policy and procedures that pertain to archiving original record and unit values that are a part of NWIS. Write/review policy & procedures and distribute to NWIS DBAs and SAs.
1. What, exactly, is original record in NWIS? What specific files need to be backed up, in what format, with what meta data, and what frequency? Assume CD-ROM/DVD is THE media. Local copy and off-site copy.
2. Ditto for unit values. Uncompressed ASCII.
3. Ditto GW & QW
2. Compile district approaches for archiving completed projects.



• NWIS DISTRICT DATA BASE MANAGER TASK DESCRIPTION AND POSITION DESCRIPTION ISSUES -- Nelson Williams, Mark Nilles, and Alan Lumb.

  Expected Outcome:  The objective is to develop and share the list of NWIS data base management duties and tasks for successfully managing NWIS. This will be the basis for the development on the District NWIS Data Base Management Position Descriptions.

  Background:  Bill Carswell had provided CPAC with some background information from Western/Northeastern Region Data Base Management Committee. Includes District organization unit description, functions and list of duties. A review is needed on the current status of NATWeb duties, tasks in the Districts, and previous memos to ensure that the bases are covered.

  Related Documentation: Minutes from last CPAC meeting, URL /cpac/minutes/000516_stpaul_min.html#tues

  Also refer to Columbia CPAC Action Item FEB2000.SC.12 and CPAC Action item MAY2000.MN.16

  Nelson's DRAFT Management Duties for National Water Information System Databases, dated 7/24/2000 DBM List.

• Real-Time Data Acquisition From Non-GOES Telemetered Gages -- McEwen and Lumb.

This agenda item postponed until November 2000, because Scott McEwen was not in attendance.

• POLLING OF Non-GOES TELEMETERED GAGES -- Email to GS-W CPAC from Charles F Merk, 07/17/2000 02:18 PM

As you prepare for the August November CPAC meeting, summer reading follows:

Please reference the CPAC following action (FEB2000.SC.16) from the Columbia Meeting in February 2000.

Now that the statistics on stations counts are available; I will place this topic on the Reston CPAC agenda.

Person(s) Assigned:  Jim Kolva

Description of Action Item:  POLLING OF Non-GOES TELEMETERED GAGES:
-- Jim will produce an email to CPAC within two weeks with information of how
OSW will scope the issue that will result in a framework to be presented to NWIS.

Status/Comments:  Here is the status of the issue from OSW's viewpoint. OSW
will be collecting data from the current questionnaire to the Districts asking for
number of stations, number of stations with telemetry, and kinds of telemetry.
From that data we will be attempting to formulate recommendations to the
Districts regarding possible backup systems for non-GOES telemetry or perhaps
a policy that OSW recommends a primary system of GOES telemetry.

In the meantime, OSW feels that NWIS should be able to handle and serve on
NWISweb any DECODEd data available from the Districts. At current any backup
systems for the non-GOES telemetered data is the District's responsibility. We
may change our minds after we see how many and what kinds of systems are
being used, but we really don't have that information as yet. We should have a
better feel by the August CPAC meeting.  per Kolva's email of 5/9/2000

The following is am email response from Thomas J. Zembrzuski on 06/15/2000.

We had 100% of the Districts respond to the Data Station count request, and the results are in the attached excel files. There's a sheet for each State, and the last one, titled "WR", is the total for the whole Division. The responses appear to be complete except for a few districts that didn't indicate whether they included furnished records in their counts of previous years. We're trying to follow up on those.

This year's data call included a few extra "one-time" items to provide information to OSW, CPAC, and the ICOM.

For your reference, I'm also including the request memo that went out on April 14, and instructions for completing the forms. Refer to URL /usgs/itac/docs/dcp_stats000414.html

Related Documentation:

Station Counts for FY2000  and  Station Counts for FY2000 (continuation)



• NWIS -- Alan Lumb presented the status and plans for NWIS.



• NWIS Status and Plan
• Process for Suggested Enhancements
• Status of WRD Data Chief Suggested Enhancements
• Status of CRACD Enhancements
• NWISWeb district content verification
• Graphics replacement status
• AWUDS hardware requirements
• NWIS real-time reliability
• SUN Ultra 5 for NWISWeb
• Training efforts
• Communications provided
• Communications planned
• Field computer software
• NWIS-dependent district software
• NWIS target architecture
• Rebuilding NWIS teams
• Some NWIS discussion comments:

NWISWeb Rollout Issues - Is there a way to test (with a select group or a small set of Districts) NWISWeb before the announcement comes out. Should we filter out those who "wander in" to the NWISWeb?

• Lew Wade indicates that the NWISWeb should be made "public" as a National statement.
• Alan Lumb will talk to the Districts.
• Lew Wade will talk to the Regional Hydrologists. Then, NWISWeb will be opened up.

Related Documentation:

• NWISWeb opened to public Sept 18 - email from Alan Lumb, 9/8/2000
• EPA'S STORET & USGS' NWIS -- A Plan for better integration of the two systems, presented by Lew Wade.
• NWIS Graphics Replacement Comments

• Ease of Use and ease of maintenance is more important than the difference in costs among the packages.
• SPLUS is not the solution for NWIS graphics.
• Greg Shank asks: Is DIS-support a plus(+) for deciding on an NWIS graphics replacements?
• Kathy Fitzgerald suggests that the Piper diagram is the next graphic replacement to focus on completing.
• AWUDS hardware requirements

Another memo will be sent out to discuss the Windows Terminal Support for AWUDS, when the support agreement with Jeff Strause in Pa. District is finalized.

• NWIS real-time reliability

Isabelle asked for clarification on the contractual details of the Ingres Replication function.

• NWIS-dependent district software

DIS indicates that most District have a copy of SAS.

• NWIS Target hardware/software/network Architecture

• Architecture includes issues: Migration from FORTRAN
• Technology assessment of technologies including: Windows, Web, JAVA, network, DBMS, etc.
• A roadmap for NWIS 5_1 is needed within 3-4 months.
• Computer Oriented Strategic Direction -- Carswell

Expected Outcome:  Refresh CPAC Goals Document

Description of CPAC Action Item MAY2000.MN.3:

Discuss grass roots goals rather than strategic goals method

1. Discussed grass roots issues at August CPAC meeting.
2. Continue discussion of the grass roots issues in August meeting.
3. In November, will set goals for the next fiscal year's goals.

Related Documentation: 

• CPAC Activities for '99 http://wwwqvarsa.er.usgs.gov/cpac/docs/cpac99/index.htm
• HANDOUT from Bill Carswell FY 2000 Priorities

1. Continue to use emerging technologies to improve the delivery of products to high-priority users.
2. Alternate work place might be appropriate in situations such as working with colleagues at a university or cooperator facility, analyzing data or writing a report at a library or at home, or working at a site away from the office during periods when injury or illness restrict an employee's ability to travel to the office.
3. Develop tools necessary to manage watersheds effectively as the complex systems they truly are.
4. Develop a new generation of computer models to simulate:
   • Watershed-scale responses to climate and land-use changes
   • Open channel surface-water flow
   • Interaction of ground-water and surface-water, including lakes, streams, and wetlands
   • Water chemistry and sediment transport
5. Connect all of our core hydrologic models to graphical user interfaces and scientific visualization software.

Discussion:

1. Enhance discipline excellence with regard to processes and activities; e.g., Collection and Analysis of Basic Data.
2. Use technology to improve the timeliness of delivery of information.
3. Be cognizant of Bureau direction in information to influence direction.
Stay tuned with Bureau direction; because CPAC was used to developing its own future computing environment; best example is FUTCOM.
4. Look at constituents and science agencies to see how other science agencies are working.
• On what should CPAC focus?

Partnering arrangements -- Water discipline information activities vs generic information activities.

Narrow down FUTCOM, because WRD doesn't have the resources to do such a big job, such as:

Network won't support centralized information systems (NWIS), suggestion is to be proactive in the area of telecommunications with respect to our field offices, including testing.

Provide a forum to have external thinking and review outside of the CPAC - in WRD offices.

Encourage portable computing / work stations.

Encourage taking an educational role, and testing before a catastrophic failure reaching the field.

• Total Cost of Operation Issues.

• Increase NWIS resources - for data cleanup prior to entering data into NWIS.
• System security: issues: work smarter not harder. Heading off problems where they are the simplest.
• Look at data that we are going to be collecting and then look at systems needed.
• FUTCOM investments paid off.
• Discipline view:  work-arounds and have those Districts that can afford to; investigate technology.

  • Study water discipline work flow process for water discipline.
  • Technology continues to move fast. No one person can look into the crystal ball.

• R&D for Information Technology

• Use WRD field personnel for "information, systems and information systems" / meta data / techniques hardware / NWIS and HASS/
• Virtual CPAC / virtual information councils/ virtual work teams/ virtual discipline data bases.
• Bill Carswell concludes:

• Determine desired future state for water discipline. Maybe discipline office can help here.
• Use OGW models as a model with respect to interoperability.
• Design a process to brainstorm future states.
• Determine a baseline (metric/benchmark) using a Survey or questionnaire or interview process. (by Discipline.) so that later WRD can look back and assess improvement.
• Carl Goodwin concludes:

• Review of the CPAC Charter. By Senior Staff. By CPAC.
• How does CPAC interact with the other information chiefs in the other Divisions and the Directors Office.
• Training

Objective:  CPAC considers "training" as future issue at August CPAC meeting. (Scott McEwen and Tom Wood)

This action item will be postponed until the November 2000 meeting because Scott McEwen is unavailable.

• Thursday, August 24, 2000

• Discussion of SPLUS Maintenance -- Tom Wood described the upgraded maintenance agreement to include 5 caller per site for the same price. $85K will be cost recovered.



• Discussion of "User Caller to Vendor" -- Technical Support for Specific Problem Reports for Statistics Package.

Discussion about whether vendor has good technical support or whether USGS has better technical support inhouse.

Discussion of metrics built into the contract for evaluating vendor support .

Add to the service level agreement between WRD and OPS the activities associated with the administering COTS contracts.



• Discussion about funding upgrades to WRD desktops

  The survey on Y2K desktops showed that there are 159 DG desktops in 23 District Offices.

  For under $800, 600mh; 128 RAM Celeron system, no monitors/no speakers; DIS could replace the 159 DG desktops. Any remaining dollars would be distributed. A Pentium system has been specified to be $107 more. One proposal was to replace DG desktops in WRD offices. One proposal was to buy equipment for NT-TAC, which would benefit everyone.

  Deadline for ADP procurements in Region and Division is August 30.

  Another proposal is for the RCSers to help identify:

  WRD cost centers that are hurting concerning the ability of desktops to support employee needs - and are desirous of "vanilla" Dell desktops.

  There is a $30K rebate from Dell from FY2000 purchases by District Offices.

  $50K is left over from Bob Wakelee's WRD telecom assessment.

  $60K out of $100K still exists is in Lotus Train the Trainer in Cathy Hill's account.

  

• Emerging Technologies -- NAWQA Public Web Site (Sandy Williamson)

Sandy Williamson demoed the NAWQA internal datasite at the May 2000 CPAC meeting. This retrieval program is available to all users. The demo for this August 2000 meeting is the public website, URL is listed below: http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/data. This URL has links to topo maps, road maps and the USGS National Atlas where the link zooms right in to the site you have selected.

Next step is provide the following functions:

• hydrograph with concentration and flow;
• map results and front-end to enter site data.

In October 2000, the 1997 NAWQA start sites will be added to the NAWQA data base.



• NATWeb status -- presented by Lorna Schmidt. {insert Alan's PP Presentation here}

Related Documentation:  http://water.usgs.gov/usgs/natweb

Discussion with Lorna Schmid followed.



• Discussion about funding upgrades to WRD desktops -- The survey on Y2K desktops showed that there are 159 DG desktops in 23 District Offices.

  For under $800, 600mh; 128 RAM Celeron system, no monitors/no speakers; DIS could replace the 159 DG desktops. Any remaining dollars would be distributed.
  A Pentium system has been specified to be $107 more.
  One proposal was to replace DG desktops in WRD offices.
  One proposal was to buy equipment for NT-TAC, which would benefit everyone.

  Deadline for ADP procurements in Region and Division is August 30.

  Another proposal is for the RCSers to help identify:

  WRD cost centers that are hurting concerning the ability of desktops to support employee needs - and are desirous of "vanilla" Dell desktops.

  There is a $30K rebate from Dell from FY2000 purchases by District Offices.

  $50K is left over from Bob Wakelee's WRD telecom assessment.
  $60K out of $100K still exists is in Lotus Train the Trainer in Cathy Hill's account.

  Related Documentation:  Desktop Buys Forwarded email from Chuck O'Hara, 8/24/00 11:12 AM.

  

• CPAC Members' Comments on this CPAC meeting.

Barry Hill -- good feelings about NWIS Enhancements/Concerns from Data Chief representative.

Carl Goodwin -- solicits suggestions on tone for CPAC Meeting open invitation memo to other Division Information Chiefs.

• Suggestion to invite local employees from other Divisions at CPAC Meeting location.
• Suggestion is to meet at another Division's office for a CPAC meeting. NRP has done this for several years.
• Suggestion to have Hawaii District invite BRD and GD information personnel to be involved with and to brief the CPAC meeting.
• Take a day to visit the other Division office; but keep the meeting in the WRD office.
• Suggestion to have a joint Town Meeting with other local USGS Division employees reps.
• The HA District Chief can invite the BRD and GD managers to the CPAC meeting in the Hawaii office for part or all of the meeting.
• Barry Hill will think about what will work best in Hawaii.
• Mike Slifer -- suggests that CPAC should focus on strategic issues more than tactical issues.
• Alan Lumb -- suggest having CPAC review what the NWIS contractor will be doing.