33 U.S.C. § 706 (NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS)
§ 706. Secretary of Commerce; current precipitation information; appropriation
There is authorized an expenditure as required, from any appropriations heretofore or hereafter made for flood control, rivers and harbors, and related purposes by the United States, for the establishment, operation, and maintenance by the Secretary of Commerce of a network of recording and nonrecording precipitation stations, known as the Hydroclimatic Network, whenever in the opinion of the Chief of Engineers and the Secretary of Commerce such service is advisable in connection with either preliminary examinations and surveys or works of improvement authorized by the law for flood control, rivers and harbors, and related purposes, and the Secretary of the Army upon the recommendation of the Chief of Engineers is authorized to allot the Secretary of Commerce funds for said expenditure.
(June 28, 1938, ch. 795, § 8, 52 Stat. 1226; July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, § 205(a), 61 Stat. 501; Sept. 3, 1954, ch. 1264, title II, § 207, 68 Stat. 1266.)
heading: Amendments
text: 1954—Act Sept. 3, 1954, struck out $375,000 limitation on transfers to Weather Bureau for providing basic hydrologic and climatic information; inserted references to “rivers and harbors, and related purposes” after “flood control,” in two places; and substituted “network of recording and nonrecording precipitation stations, known as the Hydroclimatic Network” for “current information service on precipitation, flood forecasts, and flood warnings”.
heading: Change of Name
text: Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by section 205(a) of act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 501. Section 205(a) of act July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. Section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces” which in sections 3010 to 3013 continued Department of the Army under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army.
heading: Transfer of Functions
text: Weather Bureau of Department of Commerce consolidated with Coast and Geodetic Survey to form a new agency in Department of Commerce to be known as Environmental Science Services Administration and office of Chief of Weather Bureau abolished by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1965, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. All functions of Bureau and Chief of Bureau transferred to Secretary of Commerce by Reorg. Plan. Subsequently, Environmental Science Services Administration abolished by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, which created National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Department of Commerce. By Department Organization Order 25–5A, republished 39 F.R. 27486, Secretary of Commerce delegated to NOAA his functions relating to Weather Bureau. By order of Acting Associate Administrator of NOAA, organization name of Weather Bureau changed to National Weather Service. For further details, see Codification note set out under section 311 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.