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Data Assessment <br />Data Assessment: <br />There were 73 gages originally identified for potential use within the RGDSS. Of those gages, <br />seventeen have less than 10 years of record. There are 42 gages available with more than 20 years <br />of record. Additional statistics on stream gages in the basin are found in Table 3-1. <br />Additional streamflow information for measuring flows from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains <br />would be beneficial for a better understanding of the inflows to the basin. The division engineer <br />recommends additional gages on the San Luis Creek, Major Creek, Cotton Creek, Cherry Creek, <br />Garner Creek, Rio Alto Creek, San Isabel Creek, South Crestone Creek, Spanish Creek, Willow <br />Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Deadman Creek to measure these rim flows. Additional data <br />collection on these streams is discussed in Chapter 5.0. <br />3.6 Climate <br />Climate data are routinely collected by the National Weather Service (NWS) within the National <br />Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and archived by the National Climate Data <br />Center (NCDC), as well as by other state and federal agencies. Real-time data collection is <br />supported typically by emergency managers, some weather forecast offices of the NWS, and <br />some municipalities and counties. Historical climate data are archived by the NCDC, and are <br />available over the Agromet as well as by the Colorado Climate Center. At least four climate <br />stations are maintained in the private sector and could potentially be available for use within the <br />RGDSS. Only those stations archived by NCDC and on the Agromet are examined here. The <br />Colorado Climate Center provides additional weather watch stations that are not archived and <br />could also be used. A list of stations and periods of record is found in Table 3-2. <br />Data Assessment: <br />Twenty-five temperature, twenty-seven precipitation, twenty-five snow, and five evaporation <br />records (stations) were identified for use within the RGDSS. These stations correspond to first <br />order climate stations. Other stations, both observer and private, may be available for inclusion. <br />Additionally, one solar radiation, wind speed, and vapor pressure station was identified. <br />Several stations with extended periods of record have been either moved or replaced, resulting in <br />changes in record quality. Nine temperature and seven precipitation records contain less than ten <br />years of record. Thirteen temperature and twelve precipitation records contain greater than twenty <br />years of record. <br />Minimal high elevation stations were identified. Additionally, data gaps and/or periods of record <br />do not necessarily overlap. As a result, a single period of record (the study period) may result in a <br />smaller sampling of climate with adequate records for long-term planning purposes. <br />An issue associated with the quality of weather data is whether the data in question are <br />appropriate for the intended use. Weather data to be used for consumptive use modeling should <br />be collected near and preferably over the crop for which the consumptive use is being estimated. <br />As part of the process for estimating consumptive use, the appropriateness of each station for <br />inclusion in the consumptive use computation must be evaluated. <br />Additional climate data collected at locations in the valley would improve consumptive use <br />estimates. Leroy Salazar with Agro Engineering suggested that additional climate stations should <br />a454/report/fmaUdata. doc 7/2&~OS 3 - O <br />