§9704 Service coordination hydrologists at River Forecast Centers of the National Weather Service

Summary

The National Weather Service Director must assign at least one service coordination hydrologist to every River Forecast Center. Their main job is to carry out the duties listed here, but the Director can have other staff do some of the same work. After the required analysis, each service coordination hydrologist must help people in their forecast area prepare for and respond to floods. They must talk with users (the public, media, schools, businesses like hydropower and agriculture, and government groups) to check how useful NWS products are. They must work with forecast centers, forecast offices, and government partners to develop or change products and services. They must build partnerships to explore forecast-based reservoir operations, keep flood contact lists and office procedures up to date, and coordinate with emergency and floodplain managers for a planned response. The Director may assign any of these duties to other staff. The hydrologist may also work with States to promote NWS products, set and plan community preparedness goals, and run flood education and preparedness efforts.