State, local, and Federal agencies need to know how frequently floods of various sizes may be expected to occur to plan for and advise on various measures designed to prevent loss of life or mitigate destruction of property. Typically, the primary interest is for large floods that may occur rarely but with enough frequency to be of real concern in the scale of human lifetimes. The USGS in cooperation with the Washington Department of Transportation is performing the analysis. Available in the USGS data base are data from more than 500 streamflow sites statewide that have been operated over the past 80 years and supported by about 100 State and local cooperating agencies. Washington is covered by 1,456 quadrangles that depict basic natural and cultural features of the landscape, such as lakes and streams, highways and railroads, boundaries, and geographic names.
Contour lines show the elevation and shape of terrain.
In addition, the maps have long been favorites with the general public for a wide variety of recreational uses. This program was developed by cooperating State and Federal agencies to address current issues on sustainable economic development and natural-resource preservation in the Pacific Northwest coastal forests and the Columbia River Basin. In addition, the USGS, in cooperation with the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, is completing a digital mapping photography project that includes the Olympic National Park and much of the Olympic Peninsula. These activities in Washington exemplify how government agencies can work together to reduce duplication of effort and resources used while increasing efficiency in managing their respective responsibilities. The USGS, in cooperation with the Washington Department of Natural Resources, has completed the first geologic maps of the range with enough details to help make these important decisions.