National System for Water Data

Bureau of the Budget Circular A-67, August 1964, called for coordination of certain water data acquisition by Federal agencies. The Department of the Interior's Office of Water Data Coordination was given responsibility to: (1) design and operate a National Water Data Network; (2) coordinate national network and specialized water data activities and prepare an annual Federal Plan for water data acquisition; and (3) maintain a catalog of information on water data, and on Federal activities planned or conducted to acquire such data, and to organize network data. The Catalog of Information on Water Data is a file of information on water data acquisition activities and Indexes are published. A level of information approach to network design has three informational levels: Level I, base level for national and regional planning; Level II, subregional planning objectives; Level III, local operation and management objectives; the accounting element of the Level I, streamflow and stream quality was designed. An Interior Water Data System was developed and will be expanded to non-Interior Federal agencies. Field coordination initially will involve four field coordinators to review agency plans and needs for water data.