Snowpack monitoring for streamflow forecasting and drought planning - UT
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The University of Colorado Western Water Assessment (WWA), the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Utah Snow Survey presented a one-day workshop focused on improving the usability of snowpack monitoring information for runoff forecasting, drought early warning and planning, and other applications. [West Jordan, Utah]
Over 50 water managers, other natural resource professionals, and researchers participated in the workshop.
Handout: Mock-up of MODIS real-time SWE report for the Intermountain West
Information Resources
We've put together a set of annotated links to online resources for Utah snow monitoring, drought early warning, and runoff forecasts.
Workshop Presentations
The presentation titles are linked to the PDF, if available.
Objectives and overview of the day- Tim Bardsley (WWA)
Results of pre-workshop survey - Elizabeth McNie (WWA)
What is National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) - Alicia Marrs (NIDIS)
The Upper Colorado River Basin Drought Early Warning System - Zach Schwalbe (Colorado Climate Center
Measuring and modeling our snow-water resource - Jeff Deems and Noah Molotch (WWA and U. of Colorado)
The NRCS Utah Snow Survey - 2015 - Randy Julander (UT NRCS)
Snow-related measurements in operational streamflow forecasting at NOAA/CBRFC - Stacie Bender (CBRFC)
User perspectives on operational snow data and needs
- Bureau of Reclamation - Heather Patno (Reclamation)
- Central Utah Water Conservancy District - Tom Bruton (CUWCD)
MODIS-based, real-time SWE product - Noah Molotch (WWA and U. of Colorado)
NASA Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) - Jeff Deems (WWA and U. of Colorado).
Other workshops
Similar snow-monitoring workshops will also be held in Lander, Wyoming (August 27) and Broomfield, Colorado (September 9). Please contact Jeff Lukas with any questions about these two workshops.