5.7.
CC Regular Session
- Meeting Date:
- 03/22/2022
- By:
- Bruce Westby, Engineering/Public Works
Information
Title
Adopt Resolution #22-057 Approving Joint Funding Agreement with United States Geological Survey
Purpose/Background:
Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to approve a Joint Funding Agreement with the United States Geological Survey for Federal Fiscal Year 2022-2026.
Background:
Attached is a draft fixed-cost Joint Funding Agreement between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the City of Ramsey for Federal Fiscal Year 2022-2026 to allow for ongoing operation and maintenance of Mississippi River streamgage #05283500 located at Highway 169 in Champlin, from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2026.
The previous funding agreement was in effect from August 1, 2017 through September 30, 2021. Attached is a copy of the previous agreement. Though City signatures are not included, no changes were made to the agreement before it was executed. A copy of the fully executed agreement was not available at the time this case was prepared.
Based on the attached draft fixed-cost Joint Funding Agreement, the City of Ramsey will be responsible for contributing a total of $9,196 during the 5-year term of the agreement. Though the USGS is not obligated to contribute any cash per the agreement, the USGS will contribute indirectly through their work on regional and national programs that benefit local and regional agencies, such as the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP).
According to their website at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/utah-water-science-center/science/streamflow-information-program, the USGS operates and maintains a national network of over 8,000 streamgages to provide long-term, accurate, and unbiased streamflow information (often called discharge) to meet the multiple needs of users. Streamflow information is fundamental to national and local economic well-being, protection of life and property, and efficient and effective management of water resources. Long-term streamflow information is critical for use in water management, computation of flood and drought flows for water infrastructure, and analysis of climate-related trends. The USGS operates the national streamgaging network in partnership with more than 850 federal, state, tribal, regional, and local agencies.
The NSIP was formed in 2002 in response to Congressional and stakeholder concerns about the ongoing decrease in the number of active USGS streamgages, the inability of the USGS to fund high-priority streamgages when faced with reduced partner funds, and the increased demand for streamflow information via the Internet beginning in the late 1980s.
The NSIP had five major goals:
1. Develop, maintain, and fully fund an enhanced, stable baseline streamgaging network that meets Federal needs for streamflow information, including the need for long-term datasets. This baseline network is supplemented by streamgages funded by partnerships to meet state, regional, and local needs.
2. Improve the timeliness, reliability, and convenience of streamflow information delivery to users. This includes robust and redundant data delivery systems that ensure continued availability of data during catastrophic events and provide improved storage, retrieval, and data analysis abilities.
3. Make regional assessments of existing streamflow information on an ongoing basis to identify trends and to estimate streamflow at locations without streamgages. These trend analyses can help to identify the effects of land-use, water-use, and climatic changes.
4. Improve the understanding of floods and droughts through additional measurements and analyses.
5. Perform and fund research and development activities to advance equipment technologies and measurement and analysis techniques for greater accuracy and lower cost.
Attached is an informational brochure titled “The USGS National Streamflow Information Program and the Importance of Preserving Long-Term Streamgages”. The brochure provides an overview of the National Streamflow Information Program, as well as the importance and impact of maintaining streamgages long-term.
In 2019, the NSIP became the Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program (GWSIP).
City of Ramsey Staff use streamgage #05283500 to monitor water levels in the Mississippi River, which is particularly useful when water levels are high during which times Staff often receive calls from owners of property that front the Mississippi river. Data from this streamgage can be viewed online in real time at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/05283500/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D.
Other local cities that maintain Joint Funding Agreements with USGS for Mississippi River streamgages include Anoka, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Coon Rapids and Dayton. Each of these cities contribute a pro-rata share of the costs to operate and maintain streamgages that provide benefit to their cities.
The purpose of this case is to approve a Joint Funding Agreement with the United States Geological Survey for Federal Fiscal Year 2022-2026.
Background:
Attached is a draft fixed-cost Joint Funding Agreement between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the City of Ramsey for Federal Fiscal Year 2022-2026 to allow for ongoing operation and maintenance of Mississippi River streamgage #05283500 located at Highway 169 in Champlin, from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2026.
The previous funding agreement was in effect from August 1, 2017 through September 30, 2021. Attached is a copy of the previous agreement. Though City signatures are not included, no changes were made to the agreement before it was executed. A copy of the fully executed agreement was not available at the time this case was prepared.
Based on the attached draft fixed-cost Joint Funding Agreement, the City of Ramsey will be responsible for contributing a total of $9,196 during the 5-year term of the agreement. Though the USGS is not obligated to contribute any cash per the agreement, the USGS will contribute indirectly through their work on regional and national programs that benefit local and regional agencies, such as the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP).
According to their website at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/utah-water-science-center/science/streamflow-information-program, the USGS operates and maintains a national network of over 8,000 streamgages to provide long-term, accurate, and unbiased streamflow information (often called discharge) to meet the multiple needs of users. Streamflow information is fundamental to national and local economic well-being, protection of life and property, and efficient and effective management of water resources. Long-term streamflow information is critical for use in water management, computation of flood and drought flows for water infrastructure, and analysis of climate-related trends. The USGS operates the national streamgaging network in partnership with more than 850 federal, state, tribal, regional, and local agencies.
The NSIP was formed in 2002 in response to Congressional and stakeholder concerns about the ongoing decrease in the number of active USGS streamgages, the inability of the USGS to fund high-priority streamgages when faced with reduced partner funds, and the increased demand for streamflow information via the Internet beginning in the late 1980s.
The NSIP had five major goals:
1. Develop, maintain, and fully fund an enhanced, stable baseline streamgaging network that meets Federal needs for streamflow information, including the need for long-term datasets. This baseline network is supplemented by streamgages funded by partnerships to meet state, regional, and local needs.
2. Improve the timeliness, reliability, and convenience of streamflow information delivery to users. This includes robust and redundant data delivery systems that ensure continued availability of data during catastrophic events and provide improved storage, retrieval, and data analysis abilities.
3. Make regional assessments of existing streamflow information on an ongoing basis to identify trends and to estimate streamflow at locations without streamgages. These trend analyses can help to identify the effects of land-use, water-use, and climatic changes.
4. Improve the understanding of floods and droughts through additional measurements and analyses.
5. Perform and fund research and development activities to advance equipment technologies and measurement and analysis techniques for greater accuracy and lower cost.
Attached is an informational brochure titled “The USGS National Streamflow Information Program and the Importance of Preserving Long-Term Streamgages”. The brochure provides an overview of the National Streamflow Information Program, as well as the importance and impact of maintaining streamgages long-term.
In 2019, the NSIP became the Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program (GWSIP).
City of Ramsey Staff use streamgage #05283500 to monitor water levels in the Mississippi River, which is particularly useful when water levels are high during which times Staff often receive calls from owners of property that front the Mississippi river. Data from this streamgage can be viewed online in real time at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/05283500/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D.
Other local cities that maintain Joint Funding Agreements with USGS for Mississippi River streamgages include Anoka, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Coon Rapids and Dayton. Each of these cities contribute a pro-rata share of the costs to operate and maintain streamgages that provide benefit to their cities.
Funding Source:
Annual funding will continue to come from the Storm Water Fund.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends adopting Resolution #22-057 approving the Joint Funding Agreement with United States Geological Survey due to the benefit the City of Ramsey receives from being able to access ongoing, real time data from this and other streamgages.
Action:
Adopt Resolution #22-057 approving Joint Funding Agreement with United States Geological Survey.
Attachments
Form Review
| Inbox | Reviewed By | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Kurt Ulrich | Kurt Ulrich | 03/17/2022 04:26 PM |
- Form Started By:
- Bruce Westby
- Started On:
- 02/17/2022 04:22 PM
- Final Approval Date:
- 03/17/2022