Army Corps contractor enhances hydrographic services with KISTERS
May 14, 2019
As the primary contractor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Water Management Section in Sacramento, Sierra Hydrographics is responsible for providing accurate and precise flow measurements, record analysis, and maintenance of the federal stream gaging stations as well as meteorological stations.
With increasing climate variability observed in California, Dotty and Dan Garrigue want to ensure that their team of hydrographers delivers the highest quality of water data to clients, small and large, who need reliable information or reports in a timely manner.
As the Central Valley firm encountered limitations with seemingly comparable commercial software, it turned to KISTERS North America for more flexible software and advanced functionality to perform a higher level of hydrologic data management and analyses.
As a small business, Sierra Hydrographics requires a robust data system with extensive tools to maximize value from data their professional team collects and data products they can generate. In addition, controlling operating costs and minimizing staff turnover by automating mundane data workflow tasks are vital to its success.
After deployment and training, the majority of KISTERS clients become self-sufficient with the time series software. As seasoned hydrographers are freed from IT demands to fully focus on measuring streams, rivers and snow, they can still count on KISTERS to provide friendly and localized technical support. The timing of Sierra Hydrographics’ switch couldn’t have been better as California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to “develop a comprehensive strategy to build a climate-resilient water system.”
On April 29, he directed his administration –- namely the secretaries of the California Natural Resources Agency, California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Food and Agriculture — to “think differently, act boldly and broaden” California’s approach to water management as the state faces challenges that range from major flood risks, severely depleted groundwater aquifers, uncertain water supplies for agricultural communities, and endangered native fish populations.
The agencies are expected to inventory and assess current water supplies and the health of waterways, future demands and challenges as well as the complementary actions. Governor Newsom acknowledges that “harnessing the best in science, engineering and innovation to prepare for what’s ahead and ensure long-term water resilience and ecosystem health… an all-of-above approach (is needed).” 1
Sierra Hydrographics is a welcome addition to the portfolio of KISTERS’ clients and partners. As the global developer of strategic water information management systems, KISTERS is confident that California’s 39 million residents will be the beneficiaries on the condition they better preserve and protect its integrated water resources.
1 ”Governor Newsom directs state agencies to prepare water resilience portfolio for California,” Office of Governor, https://www.gov.ca.gov/2019/04/29/water-resilience-portfolio-for-california/, (April 29, 2019)