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Hydrologic Hazards Science at the U.S. Geological Survey (1999) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Pages 1-3

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From page 1...
... plays a variety of unique and critical roles relevant to hydrologic hazard understanding, preparedness, and response. The agency's data collection, research, techniques development, and interpretive studies provide the essential bases for national, state, and local hydrologic hazard risk assessment and reduction efforts.
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From page 2...
... Maintaining the integrity and continuity of the national stream gaging network: · Improved stream gaging network design, measurement techniques, and instrumentation for the measurement of streamflow and stream stage; Postaudits of the technical response and prediction of major floods; Improved discharge measurements of extreme floods; Improved approaches for regional flood-frequency estimation; Improved methods for drought forecasting; · Investigations of the long-term stationarity of floods and droughts; and · Improved techniques for low flow frequency analysis, and its relevance to instream flow management and ecologically based regulatory criteria. The USGS should build on its experience in managing and disseminating water resources data as a critical part of the hydrologic hazards program.
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From page 3...
... One way to characterize this outreach mission would be to describe the USGS role as helping decision makers avoid being "surprised." The ultimate goal of the hydrologic hazards program is to assist in protecting the lives and property of citizens from naturally occurring hazards while at the same time maintaining and protecting ecological communities. This goal requires that hazards information and research results be communicated to the public, and to public officials, in a timely and understandable manner.
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Key Terms

  • hydrologic data
  • gaging network
  • hydrologic events
  • hazards program
  • hydrologic hazard

  • extreme hydrologic
  • stream gaging
  • extreme events
  • disseminating water
  • resources data

  • flood inundation
  • flow frequency
  • studies provide
  • protecting ecological
  • measurement techniques

  • analyze extreme
  • based regulatory
  • hazard understanding
  • geological survey
  • improved techniques

  • occurring hazards
  • hydrologic research
  • risk communication
  • simulated visualizations
  • data acquisition

  • federal disaster
  • report concludes
  • frequency analysis
  • ecologically based
  • hydrologic information


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