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• Board Meeting Date: 7/22/2009
• Description: WPFM Section - Mobile Weather Radar Project - Gunnison Basin
• 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: (303) 866 - 3441
Fax: (303) 866 - 4474
www.cwcb.state.co.us
Bill Ritter, Jr.
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Governor
Harris D. Sherman
FROM: Joe Busto
DNR Executive Director
Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation Section
Jennifer L. Gimbel
CWCB Director
DA TE: July 1 3 , 2009
Dan McAuliffe
CWCB Deputy Director
Agenda Item 1 7 , July 21 - 22 , 2009 Board Meeting
SUBJECT :
Mobile Weather Radar Project – Gunnison Basin
Introduction
T he CWCB executed an agreement in 2008 with the NOAA National Severe Storms Lab (NSSL)
in Norman , Oklahoma for $35,000 to collect weather radar data in the Gunnison river b asin from
July 15 through August 31 , 2009. The N ational Weather Service radar on top of the Grand
Mesa has difficulties with beam blockage from mountain terrain , and is not able to “ see ” storm
clouds within lower elevations around the Gunnison area . This project will use a mobile radar
truck to collect data and analyze storm characteristics in the Gunnison basin . The radar truck
will be operated by Steve Vassilof and Ken Howard of NOAA and will be st ationed on high
ground directly above Western State College . The truck may be moved to Taylor Reservoir for
two weeks pending site approval.
Discussion
The project goal is to explore the use of a mobile Doppler radar unit for observing the fi ne details
of high elevation storms in very complex terrain. N SSL plans to document precipitation
characteristics, storm frequency , and storm circulation patterns . S taff believes that this is the
first step toward s addressing ra dar coverage and beam blockage issues in western Colorado.
NCAR , USGS , and the University of Colorado have donated equipment and personnel to
collaborate on th is project . Ten tipping bucket rain gauges have been deployed along the eastern
side of the We st Elk Mountains to help calibrate the radar data. Project briefing meetings have
been made to the UGRWCD board and are also scheduled for the August 2009 Emergency
Manager s Conference in Durango . Staff would like to acknowledge the following individuals
for their a ssistance : Frank Kugel ( UGRWCD ) , Mike Pel l etier ( Gunnison County GIS ) , Eric
McPhail ( CSU Cooperative Extension ) , Scott Morrill ( Division of Emergency Management ) ,
Cathy Mask and Jerry Chonka ( USFS ) , Arden Anderson ( BLM ) , and the Grand Junction
Weather Forecast Office ( NWS) .
Staff Recommendation
This is an informational item only and staff is not requesting Board action at this time.
Water Supply Protection • Watershed Protection and Flood Mitigation • Stream & Lake Protection • Wat er Supply Planning & Finance
Water Conservation & Drought Planning • Intrastate Water Management & Development