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Hydrometric Data and Information Service Standards

2.0 The National Hydrological Service

The National Hydrological Service (NHS) consists primarily of the Water Survey of Canada (WSC). The work of the WSC involves:

  1. measurement of hydrometric data (primarily water levels);
  2. hydrometric data analysis (primarily to estimate discharge); and
  3. publication of hydrometric data and information.

Supporting activities include technology Research & Developmentand network analysis and planning.

The WSC is overseen by the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) of Environment Canada (EC). The WSC is the federal component of the National Hydrometric Program (NHP). The NHP is responsible for collecting, interpreting and disseminating standardized information about surface water levels and flows (water quantity) across Canada. Under the authority of the Canada Water Act, the federal, provincial and territorial governments entered into bilateral agreements, established in 1975 and currently being updated, to manage the funding and provision of water quantity monitoring services on a cost-shared basis. The WSC operates approximately 2200 water gauging stations in partnership with the provinces, territories and other agencies, and maintains a database containing historic data from an additional approximately 5600 inactive stations for the country.

 
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