Delta Monitoring Station
The Bureau of Reclamation has launched a new project webpage designed to centralize public access to its Bay-Delta flow and water quality monitoring data, agency officials announced this week.
The site provides information on how interested parties can access monitoring data collected at stations funded by Reclamation. Data from those stations continue to be collected through routine manual downloads and posted online. As equipment becomes available, telemetry systems are being installed to allow real-time access to sensor readings through the California Data Exchange Center.
“When stakeholders have questions about how to access data from monitoring programs we support, we want it to be easy to find and understand,” said Josh Israel, Science Division Chief for Reclamation’s Bay-Delta Office. “This webpage serves as a one-stop location for that information.”
Telemetered data are considered provisional until formal quality assurance and quality control review are completed, consistent with longstanding monitoring practices. Officials said finalized datasets and associated calibration documentation will be released on a regular and timely basis as reviews are completed.
“We’re committed to transparency not only in sharing the data, but also in explaining how those data are processed and finalized,” said Israel. “Providing access to our methods helps build confidence in the information.”
In addition to publishing monitoring results, the agency is making publicly available the methodologies used to adjust and finalize measurements. Reclamation said this approach aligns with “Gold Standard Science” principles outlined in Executive Order 14303.
An assessment of the monitoring stations was recently completed and approximately one-quarter of the monitoring stations were identified as missing data or in poor condition. Reclamation and its contractor, DR Reed & Associates, Inc., are working to repair or replace damaged equipment and restore the monitoring network. The stations operate in coordination with facilities managed by Reclamation and those supported by the California Department of Water Resources.
“We are working diligently to restore and strengthen the network, so it continues to support environmental management, water supply reliability, and power generation operations,” said Spencer Walden, acting Bay-Delta Office Deputy Manager.
Visit the website at: Bay-Delta Flow & Water Quality Monitoring Network | Bureau of Reclamation
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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits.
