Appendix A
OFFICE OF THE US GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH PROGRAM
400 VIRGINIA AVENUE, SW
SUITE 750, WASHINGTON, DC 20024
Phone: 202-488-8630 Fax: 202-488-8681
April 21, 1999
Dr. Soroosh Sorooshian
Chair, NRC GEWEX Panel
National Research Council HA 466
2001 Constitution Ave. Washington, DC 20418
Dear Soroosh,
In the past six months there have been a number of exciting developments in U.S. GEWEX and other hydrologic research activities. While the future looks quite bright, we need to ensure that the high level of interest amongst the federal agencies in this area is most effectively put to use. In this regard, we ask that the NRC GEWEX Panel provide rapid and succinct guidance on the following issues.
As you know, the GEWEX Continental-Scale International Project (GCIP) will be phased out in 2001–2002. Capitalizing upon the progress made by GCIP, the GEWEX America Prediction Project (GAPP) has been proposed to phase in beginning in 2001. The overall mission of GAPP is to extend and apply the findings of GCIP to develop a capability to make reliable monthly to seasonal predictions of important hydrologic variables (e.g., precipitation, soil moisture, runoff, and evaporation) as part of a global climate prediction system. It has been proposed that GAPP play a role in the GEWEX Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period (CEOP), as well as in related CLIVAR activities such
as the Variability of the American Monsoon System (VAMOS) project. This new interagency initiative being developed under NOAA (OGP)'s guidance is taking place within the context of the newly proposed NASA Global Water and Energy Cycle (GEWEC) and NSF GEO-2000 projects.
It is clear that the potential benefits from this ensemble of initiatives in the hydrologic sciences will contribute substantially to the well-being of society, as well as to the growing body of scientific knowledge, if they are wisely guided. Therefore, the USGCRP requests that the NRC GEWEX Panel provide an overall assessment of GAPP's general merit. In addition, we ask that the panel provide guidance to the relevant agencies concerning the relationships between their newly proposed hydrologic research activities, GAPP, and CEOP. This advice should be rapidly supplied in the form of a letter report, as the planning for these various initiatives is proceeding at a fast pace.
We ask that the GEWEX Panel be aware of the formation of a science working group under USGCRP to aid in development of a U.S. program on the water cycle and global change, as discussed at the last GEWEX meeting. Coordination with such a group will be accomplished through joint membership with relevant NRC bodies.
Sincerely,
David M. Goodrich
Executive Director
USGCRP Coordination Office