Water Resources Discipline ITAC Activities

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Karen and Kevin,

I took an action item at ITAC to meet with you and discuss the need for a team to investigate the use of Cold Fusion or similar software to create dynamic web pages. There are separate activities in the field centers that all are focussed on addressing this need. This is the ideal time to put a group together to investigate the preferred technology and offer a develop a bureau license agreement as well as training. In he past it would have been ITAC promoting a team approach in Water and I am content to do so; however, this may be more appropriate to handle at the bureau level. I'd be happy to help set it up and offer some members.

On a similar topic the ME WSC brought it to our attention that when they are serving realtime data on their dynamic web pages there is a significant refresh delay owing to the refresh rate of AFS. We should also discuss whether there is an approach to solve this problem.

A separate topic is the need to put forward and reiterate USGS publishing policy as it relates to the use of the internet to publish. We were discussing the proliferation of BLOGS and the need for policy. I think the policy exists in our publishing policy but I am not sure all of USGS is aware of how it relates to on-line discussions. Or that managers are aware of the possibilities for misuse by their people.

Perhaps we should discuss.

I'll be out until Thursday.

Katherine

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Katherine Lins
Chief, Office of Water Information, WRD
U.S. Geological Survey
440 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
703-648-5014

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