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Water Planning,Re~~tionship: This ~ork fits in centrally wit~ the CWCB's mission of helping to protect Colorado s cItIzens from floodmg damages, as floodplams are defined as areas of statewide interest. This coordinator position help~ provide long-term benefits in the terms of greater flood awareness and reduced flood damages ami susceptibility. I Recommendation: Staff gives a high tecommendation for funding of this project because of the importa~ce to flood protection and waterlmanagement. Thi.s cost-share fundin~ is crucial to assure the contmued success of the program and to ensure contmued federal fundmg for the full-time position. .. 7. Cloud Seeding Workstation Using NOAA's FX Network I Beneficiary/Grantee/Contractor: CWCB, NOAA, CSU, Local Water Planners I Amount of Request: $SO,POO Ranking: High Product Produced: This project leverakes the several hundred million dollar investment by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admirtistration (NOAA) over the last ten years to modernize the I operational weather services by putting a~1I observational data (model runs, forecasts, air pollution, precipitation estimation data, satellite, raHar, remote sensing) into one user interface known as a "skinny client" application that providek real time information. It does not use excessive IT infrastructure or a collection of websites, fuut effectively facilitates the compression and transmission of all of this data to computer workstatioris chosen by the client. Simply put, it is the workstation of NWS forecasters. The project has a few triain goals. The first is to give meteorologist cloud seeding contractors and their program sponsors i the best tools to make cloud seed and no-cloud seed decisions. Based on four decades of research much data is available to determine when cloud seeding is effective and when it is not. r For example, parameters like cloud water vapor, cloud temperature, precipitation forecasts, wind bars, cloud base height are all useful, and these factors will help users make decisions using this t091. The second goal is to develop a scientific means to evaluate operations. The third goal is to alleviate some concerns about cloud seeding by ensuring operations are conducted and suspended: based on the State of Colorado suspension criteria that limits operations to the realm of natural variability, considers avalanche danger, CDOT snow removal, flooding threats, and severe weather forecasts. NOAA-FX NET provides a means for state , of the art environmental monitoring by making the no seed decision a function of the data and thresholds rather than an issue of coordihation between the State of Colorado and cloud seeding permit holders. The criteria to suspend see~ing operations in Colorado and in western states is to use SNOTEL data that suspends seeding at 175% of the long term average early in winter tapering down to 140% of average on April 1. The delivetable from this application could include a map of the 100 I NRCS SNOTEL site in Colorado colored by: green - cloud seed freely, yellow - seed with caution, and red - seeding suspended. This prdject will also compliment development of the CWeB meteorological services provided by the i Flood Response Program and Flood Decision Support System. . I Water Planning Relationship: Utilizing newest real time data products developed by the federal government for state and local putposes, the CWCB would be the second major client for NOAA FX-NET. It is currently being us~d to set fire danger levels in Colorado forests. Effective cloud seeding assists with wise use of fupding, meeting river compacts, minimizing the need for instream flow water rights calls, drought I preparedness, and minimizing flooding potential which assists with goals of some of the major CVvjCB programs. Recommendation: Staff gives a high t,ecommendation for funding of this project because the need for modernization and effective execu'tion of cloud seeding programs in Colorado has become a . 18