WMOD00527

• Title: Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting for Improving Reservoir Operations
• Date: 4/1/1995
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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1. .AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave Blank) 12. REPORT DATE 13. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED
April 1995 Final
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS
Quantitative Precipitation
Forecasting for Improving PR
Reservoir Operations
6. .AUTHOR(S)
Curtis L. Hartzell, J. Owen Rhea, and Arlin Super
7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
Bureau of Reclamation REPORT NUMBER
Technical Service Center R-95-06
Denver CO 80225
9. SPONSORINGIMONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING
Bureau of Reclamation AGENCY REPORT NUMBER
Denver Federal Center DIBR
PO Box 25007
Denver CO 80225-0007
11.. St'PPLEMENTARY NOTES
Microfiche and hard copy available at the Technical Service Center, Denver, Colorado
12,~. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE
Available from the National Technical Information Service,
Operations DiviSIon, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161
13. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words)
The Bureau of Reclamation prepared this report under the WATER program. The first part summarizes
research related to combining existing orographic (mountain-induced) precipitation and runoff models for
improving reservoir operations. The study area was the American River Basin in the Sierra Nevada of northern
California. The two-dimensional orographic precipitation model developed by Rhea (1978), and the HED71
headwater runoffforecast model (Buer, 1988) developed by the National Weather Services's (NWS) California-
Nevada River Forecast Center and the California Department of Water Resources were used in the study. The
study demonstrated the operational applicability of using quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPF) from the
orographic precipitation model as input for rainfall-runoff simulation hydrologic models. Improved hydrologic
forecasts are expected to result from forecasters adjusting the model QPFs based upon the latest available data
and other forecast guidance.
The second part of the report assesses how applied research by Reclamation meteorologists, particularly in the
area of better QPFs and flood potential forecasts, might improve Reclamation's water operations. Because
Reclamation water operation managers receive hydrologic forecasts from the NWS, meteorological applied
researchers must form partnerships with the NWS so that Reclamation's work will add value to NWS products.
14. SUBJECT TERMS- -quantitative precipitation forecasting/ meteorological research! 15. NUMBER OF PAGES
orogn.phic precipitation model! rainfall-runoff hydrologic model! American River Basin 31
16. PRICE CODE
17.. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT
OF REPORT OF THIS PAGE OF ABSTRACT
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NSN 7540-01-280-5500

Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89)
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