Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60

§8561 Study on Precipitation Estimation

Title 15 › Chapter 111— WEATHER RESEARCH AND FORECASTING INNOVATION › Subchapter IV— IMPROVING FEDERAL PRECIPITATION INFORMATION › § 8561

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Administrator must, within 90 days after December 16, 2022, try to make an agreement with the National Academies to do a study on how precipitation is estimated, including probable maximum precipitation. The National Academies must finish the study and send a report to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and post the report online no later than 24 months after the agreement is finalized. The report must review current methods and needs; recommend science-based best practices that account for changing conditions; offer a framework for creating a National Guidance Document and for evaluating different approaches (including probable maximum precipitation); list needed research and observation tools (ground, air, and satellite) and use of GIS; outline a federal R&D plan with costs, timeframes, and responsible agencies; describe roles for federal, state, tribal, local, academic, and private participants; give data-management and data-sharing recommendations; and describe non‑federal precipitation data and how NOAA could improve access. Up to $1,500,000 is authorized for NOAA to carry out the study.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §8561

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 90 days after December 16, 2022, the Administrator, in consultation with other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall seek to enter an agreement with the National Academies—

(1)to conduct a study on the state of practice and research needs for precipitation estimation, including probable maximum precipitation estimation; and

(2)to submit, not later than 24 months after the date on which such agreement is finalized, to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and make publicly available on a website, a report on the results of the study under paragraph (1).

(b)The report under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1)An examination of the current state of practice for precipitation estimation at scales appropriate for decisionmaker needs, and rationale for further evolution of this field.

(2)An evaluation of best practices for precipitation estimation that are based on the best-available science, include considerations of non-stationarity, and can be utilized by the user community.

(3)A framework for—

(A)the development of a National Guidance Document for estimating extreme precipitation in future conditions; and

(B)evaluation of the strengths and challenges of the full spectrum of approaches, including for probable maximum precipitation studies.

(4)A description of existing research needs in the field of precipitation estimation in order to modernize current methodologies and consider non-stationarity.

(5)A description of in-situ, airborne, and space-based observation requirements, that could enhance precipitation estimation and development of models, including an examination of the use of geographic information systems and geospatial technology for integration, analysis, and visualization of precipitation data.

(6)A recommended plan for a Federal research and development program, including specifications for costs, timeframes, and responsible agencies for addressing identified research needs.

(7)An analysis of the respective roles in precipitation estimation of various Federal agencies, academia, State, tribal, territorial, and local governments, and other public and private stakeholders.

(8)Recommendations for data management to promote long-term needs such as enabling retrospective analyses and data discoverability, interoperability, and reuse.

(9)Recommendations for how data and services from the entire enterprise can be best leveraged by the Federal Government.

(10)A description of non-Federal precipitation data, its accessibility by the Federal Government, and ways for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to improve or expand such datasets.

(c)There is authorized $1,500,000 to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry out this study.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 8561

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60