June 7, 2002 -- Five federal, state and county government entities and two power companies have signed an historic agreement for the sharing and use of hydro-meteorological data that will greatly enhance the timeliness and accuracy of flood forecasting.
By the first week of May, all necessary signatures were on the American River Confidentiality Memorandum of Understanding which allows for sharing "near real-time" (hourly) water data.
Included in the pact are the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the National Weather Service-California/Nevada River Forecast Center (NWS-CNRFC), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), Placer County Water Agency (PCWA), Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
A major hurdle facing drafters of the memorandum was how to keep hydro-meteorological information furnished by power generators confidential so their competitive interests would not be compromised. But, despite concern over revealing market-sensitive data, each agency recognized the need for ensuring public safety and emergency preparedness during high water events.
The resulting document provides protocols for the sharing and use of the information and formalizes various mechanisms for receiving sensitive data from reservoir owner/operators.
It's expected that the American River Watershed Agreement will serve as a model for other California watersheds.
For many years, DWR and NWS-CNRFC have produced joint river forecasts using hydro-meteorological data. USACE provides for and manages flood control on major watersheds through federally developed water management plans. USBR operates and maintains the Central Valley Water Project, which includes Folsom Reservoir, a key flood control facility on the American River Watershed. PG&E, PCWA, and SMUD also operate and maintain reservoirs in the watershed.
Anyone with questions about the memorandum of understanding may write or call DWR's Gary Hester (916 574-2613), Robert Hartman of NWS-CNRFC (916 979-3056), USBR's Lowell Ploss (916 979-2199), or Paul Pugner of USACE (916 557-7101).
