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Memorandum to CWCB Page 3 replacement required with the high data rate DCP upgrade program. However, early high data rate DCPs procured and installed by DWR beginning in 2001 are not compatible with the narrow band protocol and will require replacement. Records show that 139 of these units were purchased and installed. These DCPs are approaching their useful life of 8-10 years, and, indeed, a number of these early high data rate DCPs have already failed. NOAA has not set a firm timetable for implementation of the narrow band protocol. Useful DCP life is sometimes shorter in the humid and/or harsh cold environments in which the equipment is housed. In order to continue using the present system to collect and transmit basic stream flow and water body elevation data, DWR projects that electronic equipment will be replaced, on average, every 10 years. Since DWR owns about 460 total sets of DCP equipment out of the 500+ gages it operates, an average of about 45 replacements per year should be planned. The current funding request for FY2010-11 in this category recognizes difficult budget times, and is therefore at an amount less than what is needed to perform 45 replacements per year. This funding request supports approximately 30 replacements. Hopefully, DWR will be able to ramp the rate of DCP replacement back up to 10% per year by FY2011-12. Refurbishment of Existing Stream Gages DWR requests $55,000 for refurbishing existing stream gages in FY2010-11. Approximately 60% of Colorado's satellite-linked gaging stations are located in the rivers and streams of the state. The others are located in reservoirs, ditches, and canals. The electronic equipment is attached to mechanical equipment in and along the s tream channel, and electronically relays the da t a g athered by the mechanical measuring devices. If the mechanical equipment and associated stream gage structures (shelters, stream controls, independent reference gages, etc.)are not properly maintained, protected against flood conditions and periodically refurbished, data quality and accuracy diminishes. Flood Hardening/Improvement of Infrastructure for High Flow Measurement Capability and Safety DWR and CWCB have jointly requested $50,000 to continue flood hardening and to improve infrastructure at existing stream gages for safe high flow measurement capability during the past several years. No funds are requested in this category for FY2010-11 due to the recognition of current budget concerns as discussed above. An important goal of flood hardening of stream gages is improvement of stage-discharge relationships to yield accurate high/flood flow data. High flow measurement capability varies from gage to gage. High flows at stream gages are measured from cableways near the gage or from nearby upstream or downstream bridges. Cableways at DWR stream gages are given a detailed inspection every four years. During the past 4 years many cableways, primarily because of age, have been found to need replacement of key components of the cableway system. High flow measurement sustainability projects address such identified cableway design/safe use issues. These may include replacement of cable, improvements to the cable anchorage system, replacement of A-frame components, replacement of cable cars, etc. Costs can run from as little as $1,000 per cableway to as much as $20,000 per cableway, obviously depending on what components need replacement before a cableway can be returned to safe service. Alternatively, existing cableways found to have design or safe use deficiencies are, under certain site conditions, being replaced with bank-operated cableways. Costs of installing bank-operated cableways range from $5000 to $7000 per site. After FY2010-11, DWR proposes annual funding for cableway improvements of$70,000 to $80,000 per year, until critical needs are addressed. Cableway improvements are expected to require 4 to 5 years at that level of funding to completely address the known concerns. 40 FY08-09 Accomplishments The CWCB provided $350,000 in FY2008-09 for satellite telemetry equipment upgrade and replacement, flood hardening of stream gages, and stream gage refurbishment.