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Mountains applies here. This project, in collaboration with previous and ongoing lysimeter <br />measurements in North Park, will provide quantitative assessments of irrigated has- meadow consumptive <br />use and its relationship to local weather conditions. This type of information is essential for this basin to <br />complete the current needs assessment by better quantifying consumptive water needs. <br />This activity is currently proposed specifically for the North Platte River Basin, but the question of <br />consumptive use by native and cultivated vegetation is an issue of statewide interest and concern. The <br />majority of Colorado consumptive use goes to service the biological needs of irrigated vegetation. <br />Weather conditions throughout the year, the variations in weather conditions from year to year, and <br />potentially changing weather conditions over time have and will impact consumptive use of our State's <br />water resources. Better documentation of evapotranspiration leads to an overall improved knowledge of <br />water supply and water demand -- an important goal for all basins and an integral part of a comprehensive <br />needs assessment. This has the potential for promoting greater water conservation and efficiency, <br />help sustain agriculture and provide usefiil data for many other water resource applications of interest to <br />CWCB. This project also stands to serve as a model for fiinding and conducting evapotranspiration <br />monitoring statewide and will support efforts to assess ET from remote sensing technologies. <br />This project expands the scope of CSU's ongoing collaborative CoAgMet (Colorado Agricultural <br />Meteorological Network) and brings the State closer to having a comprehensive statewide water use <br />monitoring program in place. It also will provide ground validation data for potential fixture satellite- <br />based monitoring of ET. <br />Discussion: <br />This is an important effort to expand the CoAgMet weather station network into the N. Platte Basin. We <br />have seen benefits from the Board's investment in the CoAgMet network in the Arkansas basin in terms <br />of better estimates of consumptive use as well as the simple collection of accurate and reliable weather <br />data which can be used for many purposes in the fixture. This data can be used to assess climate trends in <br />the fixture as well as be integrated into efforts to obtain ET estimates through remote sensing. It is not <br />entirely clear how the unique provisions of the N. Platte Decree which contains an acreage cap will affect <br />the ability to utilize ET estimates in better management of basin water supplies, but the first step is <br />obtaining more accurate quantifications of ET. <br />Issues/Additional Needs: <br />I. Prior to contract award, refine Tasks 9 and 10 to generate a more specific description of <br />deliverables related to comparing weather station ET with lvsimeter results and the summaries <br />and accomplishments to be made available to the North Platte Basin Roundtable and the State <br />amrmalh-. <br />2. Confer with CWCB DSS staff regarding format of climate and ET information and database <br />products for compatibility and needs of the state. <br />3. For purposes of invoicing and accounting consider a simpler method of allocating costs between <br />basin and statewide funds. <br />Staff Recommendation: <br />The application is well prepared and the proposed project fiu-thers the N. Platte Basin Roundtable's needs <br />assessment. It also helps addresses a critical water supply need in the basin. Staff recommends approval <br />of up to $50,409 from the N. Platte Basin Account and $50,409 from the Statewide Account to help <br />complete the "Monitoring the effects of weather conditions on evapotranspiration North Platte River <br />Basin" project contingent on resolution of the item in the issues/additional needs section. All products, <br />data and information developed as a result of this grant must be provided to CWCB in hard copy and <br />electronic format as part of the project documentation. This information will in turn be made widely <br />available to Basin Roundtables and the general public and will help promote the development of a <br />common technical platform. <br />2