Braxton Taylor
While public lands are in the spotlight right now, another federally-funded bureau is quietly facing reductions that could have an impact on anglers and river users. Under new directives from the Trump administration, 25 brick-and-mortar US Geological Survey offices across the country are slated to have their leases terminated later this year.
The “water science” offices are responsible for maintaining streamflow gauges, forecasting drought and flooding, and monitoring water quality across the country. The offices targeted for closure, among others, include the Alaska Science Center in Anchorage, the Utah Water Science Center in Moab, the Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center in Cheyenne, the Upper Columbia Water Science Center in Spokane, and the Arkansas Water Science Center in Little Rock. Check out the full list here. Two of the offices—one in Minnesota and another in Oklahoma—are slated to close on May 31, while the majority will close on August 31 or September 30.
MeatEater reached out to administrative staff in the USGS streamflow program, but they were unauthorized to comment on the situation or whether staff at the closing offices would still be able to maintain gauging stations and perform their jobs nationwide.
To get a better sense of what the closures might mean on a local scale, MeatEater spoke with Jason Ulseth, executive director of the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper in Georgia, where the regional USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center in Norcross set to close on August 31.
The office currently monitors flows along the length of the Chattahoochee and its major tributaries, which collectively provide 70% of Atlanta’s drinking water supply. According to Ulseth, not even the staff at the USGS office knows what’s going to happen come September. The primary concern is that without the necessary facilities and equipment, the agency will be unable to calibrate and maintain its equipment in the field.
The impacts of this would be multifaceted. Not only does the Army Corps of Engineers rely on the data to determine flows and releases of 13 dams on the river, but anglers and boaters also use the data to determine when it’s safe to be on the water. Additionally, it could have human-health implications.
Based on about a decade of data from the Chattahoochee, the USGS office has developed a real-time method of monitoring toxic E. coli bacterial loads in the river using water turbidity as an indicator. The results tell swimmers when it’s safe to hop in for a dip, and can help predict algae blooms, which have plagued the river in recent years.
Potential consequences of the lease terminations aside, Ulseth says it’s not the most efficient way of saving government money. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. Most of the gauging and monitoring work on the Chattahoochee—and elsewhere in the country—isn’t even paid for by the USGS.
“What’s so frustrating is that we’re already going through cost-sharing exercises,” Ulseth said. “More than 80% of the USGS work here is paid for with non-federal dollars. We’re the model of what a federal program could be. There is zero fat on this program, and cutting it screws over three states,” he continued, referring to the Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina jurisdiction of the South Atlantic water center. At one point, the Department of Government Efficiency reported savings of $1.36 million from closing the Norcross office, which is a small fraction of the overall USGS annual operating budget of $1.45 billion.
In addition to regional office lease terminations, the USGS is anticipating a budget shortfall this year, such that they’ve identified a running list of other stream gauges that will likely be closed as well. The list includes some stations that have been in operation for over 100 years, and others—like those on the Bitterroot and Smith rivers in Montana—are mainstays for anglers and boaters.
The gauges can be “rescued” by private, state, or county funding, but the money is funneled through the USGS, which still maintains them. Similar to the situation on the Chattahoochee, though, non-federal funding isn’t a cover-all solution. The USGS still has to provide the infrastructure and staff to maintain the gauging stations, even if the labor is being paid for by out-of-agency sources. A high-level USGS employee, speaking off the record, told MeatEater he’s unsure what might happen, even if outside funding is acquired for some stations.
For now, details remain scarce on what the future looks like for the USGS, among other agencies. We’ll continue to report updates as new information comes to light. If you have an insider perspective to share, please reach out to us at [email protected].
Read the full article here