27f

• Board Meeting Date: 11/19/2008
• Description: CF Section - En-Bloc Non-Reimbursable Investment Recommendations - Colorado Dust on Snow Program ‎(CODOS)‎
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
FROM: Tom Browning, Chief
Harris D. Sherman
Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation Section
DNR Executive Director
Jennifer L. Gimbel
DATE: November 10, 2008
CWCB Director
Dan McAuliffe
Agenda Item 27f, November 18-19, 2008 Board Meeting
SUBJECT:
CWCB Deputy Director
Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation Section –
En-bloc Non-Reimbursable Investments
Colorado Dust on Snow Program (CODOS)
Background
This request from the Center for Snow and Aval anche Studies (CSAS) seeks to develop a broad-
based dust on snow program serving the full spect rum of Colorado’s snowme lt stakeholders with
useful information. The proposed work includes: 1) enhancing the scope and frequency of dust
on snow monitoring, 2) enhancing the advisories issued to stak eholders to address impacts on
snowmelt timing and rates, with additional basi n by basin detail, and 3) conducting research
activities that enhance the CODOS program for future snowmelt forecasts. The CDOS program
can assist with snowmelt forecasting for flood preparedness and water supply management.
Discussion
For the past several years, dust from the Colora do Plateau has been widely observed within and
on the snowpack surface throughout Colorado. Until recently, snowmelt forecasting programs
and water managers were not receiving data regarding the dust in mountain snowpacks.
Likewise, there had been no attempts to es timate the effects of dust on snowmelt timing,
intensity, or duration. Integrati ng the ‘dust factor’ into snowme lt processes is providing new
insights into runoff patterns.
Staff Request
Staff is requesting approval by the Board for a non-reimbursable investment from the CWCB
Construction Fund in the amount of $30,000 for cost-sharing assistance to CSAS. The
proposed CWCB investment would be leverage d greatly by contributions from other
sponsoring entities for statewide benefit. The funds would be availa ble to support on-going
research, analyses, and developm ent of appropriate tools.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board request that the General assembly au thorize $30,000 from the
Construction Fund to be appropriated to the Colorado Water Conservation Board for direct
transfer to the Center for S now and Avalanche Studies in or der to support the support the
Colorado Dust on Snow Program.
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