Snowpack information

For those of you who read the Denver Post you may have noticed the great picture of the man digging out the HUGE piles of snow in Crested Butte (see story here). The snowpack here in Colorado is actually all at or above 100% of normal.

For those who want to know exactly how much snow there is for the state, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has a variety of reports and maps:

• Snowpack Reports for Colorado These give data on a site and basin basis, both the current amount as a percent of average.
• State Basin Outlook This gives you a report, by month and year back to 1990, on the basin's forecast, not only on precipitation by also reservoir levels.
• Snowpack maps For Colorado maps, check out the Western United States or Colorado, Missouri River Basin, or Rio Grande, and Arkansas River Basin.

Want more water data? Check out the library's guide.

CRS reports, or a break from elections

Despite the fact that much of the country is considering the vote to cast for the nominees for President, there still is other stuff going on in politics. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress's request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us CRS reports on the China, economic stimulus, elections, and much more. While these reports are in the public domain there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report you can request it from your Senator or Representative. This list is compiled from CRS reports discovered by Secrecy News and OpenCRS:

• China's Currency: Economic Issues and Options for U.S. Trade Policy
• Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy
• Future of the Balkans and U.S. Policy Concerns
• Venezuela: Political Conditions and U.S. Policy
• Pakistan-U.S. Relations
• North Korea: Terrorism List Removal?
• Long-Range Ballistic Missile Defense in Europe
• Freedom of Information Act Amendments: 110th Congress
• The U.N. Population Fund: Background and the U.S. Funding Debate
• Does the Army Need a Full-Spectrum Force or Specialized Units? Background and Issues for Congress
• Comparison of the House and Senate 2007 Farm Bills
• America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues
• The Proposed U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA): Provisions and Implications
• Engineered Nanoscale Materials and Derivative Products: Regulatory Challenges
• China's Sovereign Wealth Fund
• Tax Cuts for Short-Run Economic Stimulus: Recent Experiences
• Taiwan's Legislative Elections, January 2008: Implications for U.S. Policy
• What is a Recession, Who Decides When It Starts, and When Do They Decide?
• Pakistan's Scheduled 2008 Election: Background
• Georgia's January 2008 Presidential Election: Outcome and Implications
• Sovereign Wealth Funds: Background and Policy Issues for Congress

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports back to 1916.

Not on campus, but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

Colorado Caucus: What is it? And How do you participate?

Tomorrow is being called "Super Tuesday" "Tsunami Tuesday" or any number of other names and amazingly (or depressingly depending on your viewpoint) the candidates for the Republican and Democratic parties are still up for grabs. So all of you registered to vote (as a party member) here in Colorado can head out to the caucus!

What is a caucus? Well, quite simply it is a chance for everyone to get in a room and vote for their candidate of choice. It is different from a primary in that it only occurs at one particular time in the day and all your neighbors can see who you are voting for. For a more in-depth definition, why not check out the Republican or Democrat descriptions.

How do you participate?

• First you must be affiliated with either the Republican or Democratic party. Don't know if you are? The Colorado Secretary of State allows you to view your registration information online. If you are an unaffiliated voter then, sorry, you don't get a chance to participate in the caucus. You needed to have changed your affiliation by December 5, 2007.
  
• Second, go to the Democratic or Republican web site. The Democratic site allows you to look up your caucus location by address, but the Republican site requires you to put in the precinct number from the Secretary of State site.
• Third, go to your caucus location at 7 tomorrow night.

Want to read more about the Caucus in the news? Check out the Denver Post's "Passionate partisans stir votes."

Want more elections information? Check out the library's guide.

President Bush Reveals $3 Trillion Budget Proposal

President Bush revealed his $3 trillion fiscal year 2009 budget today. The proposal includes a bipartisan economic growth package, makes tax cuts permanent, increases spending for the Department of Defense and homeland security, and plans to balance the budget by 2012. Read the President's FY09 Budget fact sheet. You might also want to scrutinize the Budget of the United States Government: Main Page from the Government Printing Office.

For more information read "Bush Unveils $3 Trillion Budget Proposal" from the Washington Post, "Bush Sends Congress $3.1 Trillion Budget With Big Increases for Defense" from FOX News, "Bush sends Congress $3.1 trillion budget" from CNN.

Want more debt and budget information? Check out the library's guide.

GAO Releases this week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such the National Flood Insurance Program, sex offender monitoring, the war on terrorism, and elderly voters. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Best Practices: Increased Focus on Requirements and Oversight Needed to Improve DOD's Acquisition Environment and Weapon System Quality. GAO-08-294, February 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-294
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08294high.pdf
• Congressional Directives: Selected Agencies' Processes for Responding to Funding Instructions. GAO-08-209, January 31.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-209
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08209high.pdf
• Convicted Sex Offenders: Factors That Could Affect the Successful Implementation of Driver's License-Related Processes to Encourage Registration and Enhance Monitoring. GAO-08-116, January 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-116
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08116high.pdf
  
• Military Readiness: Navy Is Making Progress Implementing Its Fleet Response Plan, but Has Not Fully Developed Goals, Measures, and Resource Needs. GAO-08-264, February 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-264
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08264high.pdf
• National Flood Insurance Program: Greater Transparency and Oversight of Wind and Flood Damage Determinations Are Needed. GAO-08-28, December 28.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-28
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0828high.pdf
  
• Office of Personnel Management: Improvements Needed to Ensure Successful Retirement Systems Modernization. GAO-08-345, January 31.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-345
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08345high.pdf
  

Special Publication

• Understanding Similarities and Differences between Accrual and Cash Deficits: Update for Fiscal Year 2007. GAO-08-410SP, January 31.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-410SP

Correspondence

• Feasibility of Outsourcing the Management and Operation of the Capitol Power Plant. GAO-08-382R, January 31.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-382R
• Global War on Terrorism: Reported Obligations for the Department of Defense. GAO-08-423R, January 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-423R
  
• Transmission Lines: Issues Associated with High-Voltage Direct-Current Transmission Lines along Transportation Rights of Way. GAO-08-347R, February 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-347R

Testimony

• Elderly Voters: Some Improvements in Voting Accessibility from 2000 to 2004 Elections, but Gaps in Policy and Implementation Remain, by Barbara D. Bovbjerg, director, education, workforce, and income security; and William O. Jenkins, Jr., director, homeland security and justice, before the Senate Special Committee on Aging. GAO-08-442T, January 31.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-442T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08442thigh.pdf
• Federal Oversight of Food Safety: FDA's Food Protection Plan Proposes Positive First Steps, but Capacity to Carry Them Out Is Critical, by Lisa R. Shames, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Energy and Commerce. GAO-08-435T, January 29.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-435T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08435thigh.pdf
  
• Improper Payments: Status of Agencies' Efforts to Address Improper Payment and Recovery Auditing Requirements, by McCoy Williams, managing director, financial management and assurance, before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-08-438T, January 31.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-438T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08438thigh.pdf
• Long-Term Fiscal Outlook: Action Is Needed to Avoid the Possibility of a Serious Economic Disruption in the Future, by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the Senate Committee on the Budget. GAO-08-411T, January 29.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-411T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08411thigh.pdf
• Medical Devices: Challenges for FDA in Conducting Manufacturer Inspections, by Marcia Crosse, director, health care, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Energy and Commerce. GAO-08-428T, January 29.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-428T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08428thigh.pdf
  

Presentation By The Comptroller General

• "Saving Our Future Requires Tough Choices Today," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, on the Fiscal Wake-Up Tour in Tallahassee, Florida. GAO-08-465CG, January 14, 2008.
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d08465cg.pdf

Reposted Product

• Freight Railroads: Electronic Supplement on Rates and Other Industry Trends, 1985-2005 (an e-supplement to GAO-07-291R). GAO-07-292SP, August 15, 2007 [Internet only] [Reposted to correct data in figures and tables in the Industry, Commodity, and State sections.] http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-292SP