SPDSS_Task53-2_Collect and Fill Missing Monthly Climate Data

• Title: SPDSS Task 53.2 - Collect and Fill Missing Monthly Climate Data
• Description: SPDSS Task 53.2 –Collect and Fill Missing Monthly Climate Data memo discusses the identification of and filling techniques for the key climate stations selected to represent climatic conditions throughout the South Platte, North Platte and Laramie River basins ‎(SPDSS study area)‎.
• Decision Support - Doc Type: Task Memorandum
• Date: 2/7/2005
• DSS Category: Consumptive Use
• DSS: South Platte
• Basin: South Platte
• Contract/PO #: C153954
• Grant Type: Non-Reimbursable
• Bill Number: SB01-157, HB02-1152, SB03-110, HB04-1221, SB05-084, HB06-1313, SB07-122
• Prepared By: Leonard Rice Engineering

SPDSS Memorandum
Final
To: Ray Alvarado and Ray Bennett
From: LRE -Erin Wilson, Beorn Courtney, and Kara Sobieski
Subject: Task 53.2 -Collect and Fill Missing Monthly Climate Data
Date: February 7, 2005
Introduction
Monthly temperature and precipitation data will be used to estimate historic crop consumptive
use throughout the South Platte, North Platte, and Laramie River basins (SPDSS study area).
Precipitation data will be used as an inflow component of water budget modeling efforts and to
estimate recharge to ground water aquifers for ground water modeling efforts. In addition,
climate data may be used, in conjunction with other information, to estimate native vegetation
ET required for ground water modeling efforts.
This memorandum presents the general approach and results for the following Task 53 subtasks:
L Identify key long-term NOAA climate stations that adequately represent variations in
climate seen throughout the SPDSS study area.
2. Investigate and determine appropriate methods for filling missing monthly data.
3. Fill missing monthly climate data to support the estimation of historic crop consumptive
use using the Blaney-Griddle methodology.
Daily data were also collected under Task 53 from entities other than NOAA. A summary of the
collected data, including percent complete and descriptions of the methods required to extract
data from each resource, is presented in the "Task 53.1 -Daily Climate Data Collection for
HydroBase" memo. Climate stations from these other sources will not be considered "key" in
this memorandum nor will daily climate data be filled for this task.
Approach and Results
L Identify Key Long Term NOAA Climate Stations
A "key climate station" will be defined as follows:
Key Climate Station -Climate Station located within the SPDSS study area with records
available from HydroBase and:
^ At least 70 percent complete in either monthly average temperature or total precipitation
throughout the SPDSS study period (1950-2003), or