Federal, State, and local agencies share keen
interests in appraising the Nation's water
resources and in seeking solutions to waterrelated
problems. The U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) Federal-State Cooperative
Water-Resources Program was initiated in
1895 to address the diversity in missions
and areas of responsibility of various agencies
through joint planning and funding of
hydrologic data collection, investigations,
and research. During the 100-year history of
the cooperative program, the USGS has performed
many data-collection and investigation
activities in cooperation with a variety
of State and local agencies to help meet
their goals and to carry out the principal
mission of the Water Resources Division of
the USGS--to further the understanding of
water reSources throughout the Nation. The
.cooperative program represents almost 50
percent of USGS water-related activities in
Nebraska and is a vital component in
addressing water issues of local, State, and
National interest.