123STA T . 13 40PUBLIC LA W 111 – 11 —M A R .30 , 200 9streamflowin formation p ro g ram , as re v iewe dby t h e N ational R esear c h C o u ncil in 20 0 4.( 2 ) R EQUIR E M E NTS . —I n conducting the national streamflow information program, the S ecretary shall— ( A ) measure streamflow and related environmental variables in nationally significant watersheds— (i) in a reliable and continuous manner
and (ii) to develop a comprehensive source of informa - tion on which public and private decisions relating to the management of water resources may be based; ( B ) provide for a better understanding of hydrologic e x tremes (including floods and droughts) through the con- duct of intensive data collection activities during and fol- lowing hydrologic extremes; (C) establish a base networ k that provides resources that are necessary for— (i) the monitoring of long-term changes in streamflow; and (ii) the conduct of assessments to determine the extent to which each long-term change monitored under clause (i) is related to global climate change; ( D ) integrate the national streamflow information pro- gram with data collection activities of F ederal agencies and appropriate State water resource agencies (including the National Integrated Drought Information System)— (i) to enhance the comprehensive understanding of water availability; (ii) to improve flood-ha z ard assessments; (iii) to identify any data gap with respect to water resources; and (iv) to improve hydrologic forecasting; and ( E ) incorporate principles of adaptive management in the conduct of periodic reviews of information collected under the national streamflow information program to assess whether the ob j ectives of the national streamflow information program are being ade q uately addressed. ( 3 )IM P R OV E D MET H ODO L O G IES.— T he Secretary shall— (A) improve methodologies relating to the analysis and delivery of data; and (B) investigate, develop, and implement new meth- odologies and technologies to estimate or measure streamflow in a more cost-efficient manner. (4) NET W OR K ENH A N C EMENT.— (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 0 years after the date of enactment of this Act, in accordance with subpara- graph (B), the Secretary shall— (i) increase the number of streamgages funded by the national streamflow information program to a quantity of not less than 4, 7 00 sites; and (ii) ensure all streamgages are flood-hardened and equipped with water-quality sensors and modernized telemetry. (B) REQUIREMENTS O F SITES.—Each site described in subparagraph (A) shall conform with the National Streamflow Information P rogram plan as reviewed by the National Research Council. Deadlin e .B a s ene twork .
