BOARD01360

• Board Meeting Date: 11/19/2001
• Description: CF Section - Non-Reimbursable Projects CWCB/DWR Satallite Monitoring System
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

FFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER
ivision of Water Resources
epartment of Natural Resources

313 Sherman Street, Room 818
enverj Colorado 80203
hone: (303) 866,3581
AX: [phone]

September 4, 2001

RECEIVED
SEP 06 2001

"

STATE OF COLORA..DO

t

http://water.state.co.us/defaulthtm

CoIoIallo Water Conservetion Board

eill Owens
Governor
Greg E, Walcher
Executive Director

MEMORANDUM

HalO. Simpson, P ,E.
State Engineer ~ .

To:

Rod Kuharlch, Director of Colorado Water conservatio~ Division

From:

Jack Byers, Jim McDanold, Mike Serleh .J~ff Baessler and Dan McAuliffe

Hal Simpson, State Engineer ~ A'~ ,

Division of Water Resources Satellite-linked Monlt<:>ring System

Cc:

RE:

The Colorado Division of Water Resources requests $304,OOO!from the CWCB Construction fund for FY03.
The funds are for continued, long-term operational viability of the over 300 satellite-linked water monitoring
sites, renovation of existing gaging stations, replacement <:>f ollt-dated data collection platforms and
upgrading transmission components. In addition, many existing gaging stations need to be modified to
provide critical stream flow data for flood warning and low flow monitoring. The specific distribution of the _
funds requested is as follows: " _

1. $248,000 for replacement of 31 out-dated Data Collectldn Platforms and associated Satellite
Telemetry Equipment and upgrading satellite transmissipn components. This request is the second
phase of a continuing replacement program., '

2, $56,000 for refurbishing existing stream gages as needed to maintain operational reliability of stream
flow data. This request is anticipated to be an annual cost due to deterioration and projected life
expectancy of the physical and mechanical aspects of the stream gages.

Introduction

i
The Division of Water Resources and CWCB continue to imRrove the utility of the stream-gaging program
to support multi-agency and water user needs such as flood forecasting and warning, water rights
administration, compact protection, and Decision Support System implementation and use. DWR must
maintain the electronics in satellite-linked data collection stations, refurbish the station structure and non-
electronic hardware for stations that are deteriorating, harden certain key stations against flood events so
that we can continue to collect critical, real-time stream flow data in times of flood, and continue, as
necessary, the operation of vital gages which are currently dperated by the United States Geological
Survey (USGS). This Is part of a continuing annual request :for funds to support this program.
, '!
Backaround i

The CWeB provided $398,000 In FY02 for telemetry replacement, flood hardening and stream gage
refurbishment. $248,000 Is being spent to replace 14 sets Of satellite-linked monitoring equipment in the _
South Platte and Arkansas River basins and upgrade the radio to HDR in 65 existing sites. A short list of .,
40 sites developed through coordination with the USGS, CWCB, NWS and DWR staff is being used to '
select the critical streamgaglng sites to flood harden, The balance of $50,000 is being used to repair,a[l9_