NOAA is in the initial stages of developing a NOAA water cycle program to support CCRI (Climate Change Research Initiative) and USGCRP (U.S. Global Change Research Program) water cycle activities. The mission of the NOAA water cycle program is to improve the prediction and evaluation of water system risks. The NOAA water cycle program has three proposed goals: 1) to quantify the role of surface and atmospheric processes in seasonal-to-interannual predictions of precipitation and its hydrologic consequences; 2) to assess the risk to water systems through improved climate projections and analysis of long-term changes in the global water cycle; 3) in partnership with USWRP, to improve the representation of precipitation processes in climate models.

Currently GAPP (GEWEX Americas Prediction Project) is the pillar USGCRP water cycle component in NOAA. During the last seven years, GAPP and its predecessor, GCIP (GEWEX Continental-scale International Project) have made substantial progress in understanding and modeling the water cycle. In addition, many research and operational activities within NOAA also support the USGCRP water cycle plan. The NOAA water cycle program is expected to coordinate all of these activities and to improve their contributions to NOAA climate and water services. Moreover, the NOAA water cycle program will help NOAA access and influence national and international water cycle research and activities. NOAA is developing a NOAA water cycle implementation plan to support CCRI/USGCRP water cycle plans based on its relevant activities.

This paper will present detailed NOAA water cycle program. The presentation will cover the NOAA water cycle program mission, goals, activities and its future plan. The potential contributions of the NOAA water cycle program to NOAA climate and water services, its support to CCRI/USGCRP water cycle activities and its linkage to other agencies will also be discussed.