Seeley Burn Scar SR-31, Region 4 UDOT Weather Response Summer 2013

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1 Seeley Burn Scar SR-31, Region 4 UDOT Weather Response Summer 2013

2 Seeley Burn Scar Information June 26 July 18, ,050 acres burned Lightning caused fire 8 miles of SR-31 impacted Huntington Creek Watershed 20 canyons intersect SR-31 burn scar area Burned slopes rise up to 2,500 ft vertically above SR-31

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4 Monument Peak Portable RWIS Why here? No existing weather stations within 20 miles of the burn scar High point above Huntington Canyon (SR-31) Collects rainfall where floods originate Good cellular data service Great camera view over the canyon Not in the way of the public or debris flow areas Location approved by the Manti-La Sal National Forest Service office

5 Portable RWIS Trailers What is new? Campbell Scientific tipping rain gauge Rainfall rate alerts Alerts sent directly from RWIS data logger Challenging to program due to rolling time periods Campbell Scientific assisted First time a RWIS site has be positioned outside of UDOT right-of-way

6 Agencies Receiving RWIS Alerts Twitter Text Utah Department of Transportation National Weather Service Utah Highway Patrol Emery County Sheriff/Emergency Management National Forest Service Utah Geological Survey

7 UDOT Weather Group Debris Flow Alerting Process Two days prior to event -Phone alerts to UDOT personnel -Written notice on daily forecast One day prior to event - Phone call updates - Written shed forecast notice Day of event - RWIS rainfall alert - Camera visual - Radar analysis - Alert UDOT personnel - Provide impact timing forecast Verify debris flow occurrence with UDOT personnel

8 Event Snapshot July 17 Huntington Forecast: Thunderstorms will develop once again July 18 1:47 pm RWIS rainfall alert 1:49 pm UDOT Weather Group alerts UDOT personnel Heavy rain and thunderstorms developing over Seeley Burn scar once again... ~0.20" rainfall in 10 minutes, this has been enough to produce flash flooding and mudslides/debris flows the last few days, so expect additional impacts today. 1:58 pm RWIS rainfall alert 1:59 pm RWIS rainfall alert 2:04 pm RWIS rainfall alert 2:04 pm National Weather Service issues Flash Flood Warning 2:41 pm National Weather Service reissues Flash Flood Warnings 3:51 pm Region 4 alerted TOC about mudslide/road closure 3:54 pm TOC posts on Twitter SR-31 mudslide/closure

9 SR-31 Debris Flow Phone Alerts 62 alerts to UDOT personnel between July 1 and September 9, 2013 UDOT personnel alerted: Kevin Kitchen, Region 4 Comm. Manager (6) Daryl Friant, Region 4E District Engineer (10) A.J. Rogers, Region 4E North Supervisor (11) Mike Stuart, Huntington Shed Supervisor (25) TOC Operators (10)

10 Sample Comments from the Field Northwest Weathernet Phone Log Huntington Shed Supervisor Mike Stuart Really appreciates the Weather Desk s help, justifies all of the work we are doing. How long before the next storm? We will not be working at the mouths of the canyons until it is over. Debris has come over the road again. It almost wiped out a contractor. Road is closed. It occurred roughly the time one of the forecasters called. Thanks for the call. It helps me justify overtime at the end of the week. There is not much drainage left. Anything will come over the road.

11 Portable RWIS Benefits 2012: Radar was the only real-time tool SLC radar is 140 miles from burn scar There is no radar detection below 22,000 ft. 2013: Portable RWIS deployed RWIS streaming camera Rainfall verification RWIS precipitation gauge Instantaneous automated alerts for rainfall rates Results Strengthen relationship with UDOT personnel Established connection between forecast and event occurrence Several debris flow events were not alerted in 2012 Every debris flow in 2013 had been forecasted or alerted

12 Revegetation Progress A new burn scar can produce flooding of times the 100-year flood event Richard Giraud (Utah Geological Survey) Estimated 3-5 years of vegetation growth for burn scar flooding threat to fully diminish

13 Contributions to UDOT s Final Four Strategic Goals PRESERVE INFRASTRUCTURE Preparing for debris flows that damage SR-31 Minimize equipment losses due to debris flows ZERO FATALITIES Close SR-31 to prevent injuries/fatalities to recreationists, motorists, UDOT employees, and contractors I.e., 1 fatality - US-24 debris flow in Manitou Springs, Colorado Inform on-site UDOT personnel of incoming debris flow threats OPTIMIZE MOBILITY Quick response time to debris flows minimizes the closure time of SR-31 STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMY Minimize impact on commerce due to road closure

14 Other Burn Scars Impacting Region 1: UDOT Roads Millville (SR-101/SR-165) near Hyrum Region 2: Rockport (SR-32) near Wanship Portable RWIS deployed Patch Springs (SR-196/SR-199) near Dugway Region 4: Clay Springs (SR-125/SR-132) near Oak City Wood Hollow (SR-132) near Fountain Green

15 Summary Summer 2013 Seeley Burn Scar 62 Forecast alerts 18 RWIS rainfall alerts 6 Road closures 0 Injuries/Fatalities 0 Equipment losses We will actively monitor all burn scars that impact UDOT highways Multiple agencies benefitted from the portable RWIS trailer Portable RWIS is more than just a winter resource Portable RWIS will return to Seeley Fire next summer