CRDSS_Task2-09-15_WeatherStationReview_YampaWhiteBasins

• Title: CRDSS Task 2.09-15 - Review of USRB Weather Station and Recommended New Stations for the Yampa-White River Basin
• Description: In the Phase I CRDSS Task Memorandum 1.14-1, it was recommended that the weather station sites be checked for representativeness. This memorandum will serve to meet that recommendation as it pertains to the Yampa-White River.
• Decision Support - Doc Type: Task Memorandum
• Date: 12/3/1996
• DSS Category: Consumptive Use
• DSS: Colorado River
• Basin: Yampa/White/Green
• Contract/PO #: C153658, C153727, C153752
• Grant Type: Non-Reimbursable
• Bill Number: SB92-87, HB93-1273, SB94-029, HB95-1155, SB96-153, HB97-008
• Prepared By: Riverside Technology inc.

Recommended changes to the weather stations used in CRDSS are based upon the following:
1.Analysis of the maximum, minimum a nd average temperatures, and precipitation
records for the period 1970-90.
2.Review of a map provided by Colorado St ate University's IDS group. The map shows
the locations of the weather stations and the irrigated areas in the Yampa-White River.
3.Review of the USGS topographic maps.
It is recommended that if the elevation of the irrigate d area is different than the elevation of the weather
station, the temperatures used to calculate consum ptive use be adjusted using appropriate adiabatic
lapse rates.
3.0RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The recommended changes for each hydrologic unit and county are summarized in Table 4 and
discussed in the following text. In hydrologic un its and counties where more than one weather station is
recommended, the weighting factor for each station was determined by the CSU IDS group using GIS
technology.
Hydrologic Unit 14040106, Moffat County
The USBR recommended changing from the Manila, Utah station to the Browns Park Refuge station
because the Browns Park station is closer. Based upon an analysis of precipitation, topography, and the
location of irrigated lands, this recommendation should be adopted.
Hydrologic Unit 14050001, Moffat County
The USBR recommends continuing to use the Craig station for this un it. Six weather stations were
considered for this unit: Craig, Hayden, Maybell, Ferndale Ranch, Great Divide, and Hamilton.
Temperature differences between Craig, Hayden, a nd Maybell are about what one would expect given
the elevation differences between the stations. Ferndale Ranch, Great Divide, and Hamilton are
precipitation data only weather stations.
Although the period of record for Ferndale Ranch and Great Divide are out side the study period, an
analysis of monthly precipitation found similarities in Craig and Ferndale Ranch. The Williams Fork
Mountains appear to produce local orographic effects, based on inspection of the NOAA weather atlas.
The precipitation at Hamilton (18.98 inches) seems more representative of the lands in the Williams
Fork drainage than the preci pitation at Craig (14.56 inches).
Based upon the location of the irrigated area with re spect to the weather stations and topography, the
precipitation and temperature data from the Craig st ation is recommended for lands in the Yampa River
and Fortification Creek drainage. Precipitation data from the Ham ilton station and temperature data
from the Craig station is recommended for lands in the Williams Fork drainage.
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12.3.96 12.09-15 - Walter