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National Water Support Center Team. Team members. Robin Radlein, AR Reggina Cabrera, ER Kim Runk, CR Jeff Zimmerman, WR Tom Donaldson, SR David Solano, NWSEO. Don Cline, (NOHRSC) Mary Mullusky, OCWWS/HSD Geoff Bonnin, OHD/HL David Novak, NCEP/HPC Paula Cognitore, NWSEO. Background.
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Team members • Robin Radlein, AR • Reggina Cabrera, ER • Kim Runk, CR • Jeff Zimmerman, WR • Tom Donaldson, SR • David Solano, NWSEO • Don Cline, (NOHRSC) • Mary Mullusky, OCWWS/HSD • Geoff Bonnin, OHD/HL • David Novak, NCEP/HPC • Paula Cognitore, NWSEO
Background • Previous teams and studies had identified a set of key gaps in hydrologic and water resources products and services, now and in the future • The interagency proposal for Integrated Water Resources Science and Services (IWRSS) was well received in the water resources community • NOAA identified a need to expand the NWS role in water resources forecasting • The team was formed in August 2009 to explore whether a national Water Support Center would help close the identified gaps
Vision • The provision of next-generation water resources forecast services, information and products, integrated nationally across geographic and organizational scales and boundaries. Objective • The purpose of the team is to examine and evaluate establishing a national operational Water Support Center (WSC) and alternatives to address identified water services gaps and support accomplishing multiple interrelated objectives of next-generation water forecast services
Identified Gaps and new Objectives • Comprehensive suite of high-resolution water resources analysis and forecast products • Operational support to sustain services in CHPS environment • Shared vision of operations, services and service delivery • Workflow interoperability across geographic scales, organizational boundaries, and institutional systems • Shared data services, geo-intelligence, and a common operating picture for water resources • Archival of key hydrologic and water resources data, products and services • Subject matter expertise for summit-to-sea science and technology needs • Multi-agency RFC test beds • River forecasting service gaps (e.g. low flow, uncertainty, complex hydrology, dynamic flood inundation, hydrologic decision support) • Water forecasting service gaps (e.g. coverage and variables outside of rivers, GIS-ready, economic decision support) • Observing system gaps
RFC Issues • What are RFCs doing that might be done more efficiently centrally? • What should the local office role be in providing future water resource products and services? • Is the RFC adequately staffed for increased collaboration and coordination of products? • What type and level of support would a national Water Support Center provide to RFCs and WFOs?
Issues raised by CAT-1 HICs • How will NWS HQ provide adequate operational support to RFCs as they migrate into a CHPS environment and begin to explore inclusion of new models and techniques? • Are RFCs adequately staffed for current roles and responsibilities and those that will be added in the future?
Current Status • The team has had two week-long face-to-face meetings and nearly a dozen GoTo meetings • Completed a functional requirements analysis of gaps • Identified and applied criteria to distinguish tasks for a central facility vs. a local office • Evaluated three options: status quo, augment existing organizations, or create a national center • The team has prepared a recommendation that combines aspects of augmenting existing operations and forming a national center • The team recommendation will be presented to the Corporate Board in June
Draft Team Recommendation A national WSC should be developed starting with a phased reorganization of OHD/Hydrology Lab and OCWWS/ Hydrologic Services Division The initial low-cost phase will build on the recent HQ realignment, add a new Water Resources Services Branch to allow immediate start to understanding water resources requirements, enhance the Hydrologic Support Branch to enhance support for field operations, and add a core of new water resource subject matter experts The next, more costly, phase would result in a national WSC with a broad range of water resource expertise and close links to field offices, partner agencies, and customers