CoCoRaHS Monitoring Colorado s s Water Resources through Community Collaborations

Transcription

1 CoCoRaHS Monitoring Colorado s s Water Resources through Community Collaborations Nolan Doesken Colorado Climate Center Atmospheric Science Department Colorado State University Presented at Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference, Breckenridge, CO, October 5, 2006 Prepared by Odie Bliss

2 Why Do We Monitor Our Climate?

3 Because Climate is Variable Because Climate is Variable Fraction of Colorado in Drought Based on 48 month SPI ( Aug 2006) Year Fraction (in percent)

4 Climate Variations Affect Water Resources

5 How Do We Monitor Colorado s Climate?

6 By Collecting Data Over Time and At Many Places From Kelly Redmond, WRCC

7 Climate Monitoring A Long History Elements: Temperature, Precipitation, Snow, Wind, Solar, Evaporation, Soil temperatures, Humidity, Cloud cover

8 National Weather Service Collaboration Picture of a standard coop station, potentially map showing coop station location (CO, WRCC map) Cooperative Weather Stations in Colorado Typical Cooperative Weather Station

9 USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service Typical NRCS Snotel Site NRCS Snotel Sites for Colorado

10 CoAgMet Weather Data for Agriculture Automated weather stations with daily and hourly readings of: Temperature Humidity Wind Precipitation Solar energy Evapotranspiration

11 State Engineer s s Office

12 U.S. Geological Survey

13 Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) Denver International Airport ASOS, Photo courtesy of the National Weather Service

14 Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS)

15 Remote Automated Weather Stations (RAWS)

16 School Weather Stations

17 Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)

18 Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (UDFCD) ALERT system New ALERT weather station & stream gage on Marston Lake North Drainageway.

19 And Other Local Sources

20 What Do We Learn From What Do We Learn From Climate Monitoring? Fort Collins Annual Precipitation Precipitation (inches) ( Jan-Aug)

21 Precipitation Is The Most Variable and Critical Climate Element in Colorado

22 Colorado Average Annual Precipitation

23 Rainfall Intensity and Duration 100-YR 24-HR Frequency Map

24 Average Monthly Precipitation I-70 Transect Water Year Average Precipitation for Selected Stations Grand Junction Glenwood Spr Vail Pass Loveland Pass Denver Limon Precipitation (inches) Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

25 Average Monthly Precipitation Mountain Communities Water Year Average Precipitation for Selected Stations 3.5 Silverton Aspen Breckenridge Buena Vista Steamboat Spr 3.0 Precipitation (inches) Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

26 1999 Water Year Precipitation

27 2000 Water Year Precipitation

28 2001 Water Year Precipitation

29 2002 Water Year Precipitation

30 2003 Water Year Precipitation

31 2004 Water Year Precipitation

32 2005 Water Year Precipitation

33 2006 Water Year Through August

34 Pueblo Reservoir Precipitation Deficits Pueblo Reservoir Precipitation Deficits Pueblo Reservoir Precipitation Deficits 5 Departure Accum Dep Jan-00 Apr-00 Jul-00 Oct-00 Jan-01 Apr-01 Jul-01 Oct-01 Jan-02 Apr-02 Jul-02 Oct-02 Jan-03 Apr-03 Jul-03 Oct-03 Jan-04 Apr-04 Jul-04 Oct-04 Jan-05 Apr-05 Jul-05 Oct-05 Jan-06 Apr-06 Jul-06 Precipitation (inches)

35 Altenbern Precipitation Deficits Altenbern Precipitation Deficits Precipitation (inches) Jan-00 Apr-00 Jul-00 Oct-00 Jan-01 Apr-01 Jul-01 Oct-01 Jan-02 Apr-02 Jul-02 Oct-02 Jan-03 Apr-03 Jul-03 Oct-03 Jan-04 Apr-04 Jul-04 Oct-04 Jan-05 Apr-05 Jul-05 Oct-05 Jan-06 Apr-06 Jul-06 Departure Accum Dep

36 Hoosier Pass WY2006 Precipitation

37 Common Theme from Monitoring Inadequate Spatial Density of Rain and Snow Data Feb

38 How can we gather more data without breaking the bank?? Photo by Henry Reges

39 Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network

40 The Origin of CoCoRaHS The Fort Collins Flood of July 28, 1997

41 What is CoCoRaHS? CoCoRaHS is a unique, non-profit community based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow). Photo by Henry Reges

42 CoCoRaHS: Simple tools to study rain Example Station Rain Gauge

43 CoCo RaHS Gauge March 2003 Snowstorm Arapahoe County CoCo RaHS observer near Cherry Creek, Colorado

44 CoCoRaHS: Simple Tools to Study Hail Hail Pad Damaged Hail Pad

45 Example Hail Pad Stands

46 Photo by Henry Reges CoCoRaHS Supplementing NWS Cooperative Program to Improve Precipitation Measurements

47 Fort Collins Daily Rainfall Examples

48 Colorado Hailstorm July 10, 2002, Parker, CO

49 Expanded Hail Information from Web Site

50 Example CoCoRaHS Map, July 9, 2006

51 Example CoCoRaHS Map, July 3, 2006 Denver Metro, July 3, 2006

52 Example CoCoRaHS Map, July 8, 2006 Denver Metro July 8, 2006

53 Example CoCoRaHS Map, Jan 19, 2006 Summit County Snowfall, 1/19/06

54 Example CoCoRaHS Map, Feb 2, 2006 Summit County, Precip,, 2/2/06

55 Example CoCoRaHS Map, Feb 2, 2006 Summit County, Snowfall, 2/2/06

56 Example CoCoRaHS Map, Sep 21, 2006 Summit County, Precip,, 9/21/06

57 How many volunteers do we need? Our goal is at least one per square mile over urbanized areas. As many as we can find in rural areas.

58 Participating CoCoRaHS States

59 For More Information, Visit the CoCoRaHS Web Site Support for this project provided by NSF Informal Science Education Program, NOAA Environmental Literacy Program and many local charter sponsors.

60 Colorado Climate Center Data and Power Point Presentations available for downloading