Cooperative Water Program—

The Nation’s water resources—our rivers, lakes, andaquifers—supply our drinking water, support our industries,transport our products, and provide us with recreationalopportunities.  These resources are vital to the long-termhealth of our citizens and the stability of our economy.Management of these resources is a complex task involvingall levels of government and amultitude of laws, regulations, andcompeting interests.  The USGSCooperative Water Program hasbeen providing basic informationneeded by water-resources manag-ers across the Nation for over 100years.

The USGS Cooperative WaterProgram is an ongoing partnership between the USGS andnon-Federal agencies.  The program jointly funds water-resources projects in every State, Puerto Rico, and severalU.S. Trust territories.  Highly skilled USGS employees usenationally consistent procedures and quality-assuranceprotocols in conducting cooperative projects. These stan-dards ensure that all data from the Cooperative WaterProgram are directly comparable from one region to anotherand available from USGS databases for use by citizens,

public officials, industry,and scientists nationwide.

Agencies, or “Coop-erators,” that participate inthe Cooperative WaterProgram are primarilyState, Tribal, county, andmunicipal agencies withwater-resources responsi-bilities.  In 2001, nearly1,400 Cooperators

participated in the program.  Although the Program origi-nated as a 50:50 fund-matching arrangement, Cooperator

funds have grownfaster than USGSfunds in recent years.In 2001, CooperativeWater Program fundstotaled $185.9million.  Cooperatorscontributed $123.2million or two-thirdsof that total.

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

USGS Fact Sheet -128-01December 2001

“A better example of how all levels of govern-ment can work together to provide a service, inthis case, data collection, could not be found.”

—Alfred H. Vang, Deputy Director, South CarolinaDepartment of Natural Resources

Valued Cooperation

Work performed in the Cooperative Water Program isjointly planned. This ensures that work simultaneouslymeets the mission objectives of the USGS and the data andinformation needs of the Cooperators.  The result is anational program that has broad relevance and widespread

use of its products.  This signifi-cant tie to local and State waterresources needs also creates aprogram that responds quickly toemerging issues.

Cooperators choose to workwith the USGS because of theagency’s unique technical exper-tise and commitment to provide

public access to data collected by the Cooperative WaterProgram.  Many cooperators want to work with USGSbecause of its long-standing record of performing high-quality, objective measurements and assessments.  Thescientific, non-regulatory mission of the USGS means thatits data and analyses are accepted as valid by parties inmany types of regulatory and jurisdictional disputes.

Data and Information for Many

The Cooperative Water Program supports the collectionof basic hydrologic data, studies of specific water-resourcesproblems, and hydrologic research.  In 2001, for example,about 4,200 streamgages were operated and maintained

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FISCAL YEAR

$ 401991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

$ 60

$ 80

$100

$120

$140

Cooperators

USGS

Other312

Indian77

State293

County274

Municipal435

Checking the health of the Nation’s rivers.  Measuring flow froma bridge near a USGS streamgage.

Number of Cooperators in 2001

science for a changing world

By Myron H. BrooksA Partnership in the Nation’s Water-Resources Program