“We are always looking to use the latest and best scientific information in our water management decisions,” said Chief Engineer David Raff. “This memorandum of understanding will enable collaboration as we all seek to adapt to a changing climate and the ever-increasing demands placed upon our flood-risk reduction and water supply.”

The agreement will allow the participating agencies to work together on sharing water information more efficiently, developing better ways to estimate and map water conditions from floods to droughts, and collaboratively enhancing capabilities to reduce water management risk, increase resilience and support water resources adaptation in a changing climate.

The goal of this MOU is to:

• better coordinate water resources programs within current authorities. 
• enhance interagency and stakeholder communications. 
• increase the exchange and availability of releasable data and information. 
• enhance collaboration on water resources mapping and modeling. 
• establish opportunities for joint projects, programs, facilities, and other collaborative science, services, and tools to support integrative and adaptive water resources management.  

“We warmly welcome the Bureau of Reclamation to the IWRSS partnership and look forward to enhanced collaboration among our agencies,” said FEMA Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Administrator Victoria Salinas. “Partnerships like IWRSS play a powerful role in developing more comprehensive, accessible, and easy-to-use information about water-related hazards, such as coastal and inland flooding, that our nation needs for decision making.”

“The USGS is excited to see our colleagues from the Bureau of Reclamation joining the IWRSS partnership. Together, all five agencies can leverage our unique strengths to solve complex water resources challenges--all for the benefit of our Nation,” said Bill Werkheiser, USGS Associate Director for Water Resources.

To learn more about this MOU, please visit https://www.usgs.gov/iwrss.