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Non-state entities continue to increase their involvement in operating satell ite-l inked data collection stations in Colorado. These include the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, City of Aurora, City of Colorado Springs, Bureau of Reclamation, and the National Weather Service. The number of DCP's operated by these entities and monitored by the state's receive site totals over 100 stations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - National Environ- mental Satellite Data Information Service (NOAA-NESDIS) continues to hold quarterly meetings for users of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES). Two of these meetings were attended by the system Project Manager during this last year. The spring meeting was sponsored by the City of Colorado Springs, and held in Colorado Springs on May 20-21, 1987. A consortium of federal agencies has formed the Satellite Telemetry Interagency Working Group (STIWG) to promote the advancement of GOES Data Collection System (DCS) technology and ensure its continuation for environ- mental data collection. This is important for two reasons. First, the GOES DCS is being redesigned with implementation to occur in 1990. Second, GOES DCS has secondary priority relative to the operation of the GOES spacecraft. Weather imaging has the highest priority, resulting in frequent repositioning of the spacecraft for optimization of imaging at the cost of effective DCS. NOAA-NESDIS launched its last available GOES spacecraft (GOES-7) on February 26, 1987. The spacecraft was moved to the east position at 750W equatorial. GOES-CENTRAL (GOES-6) was relocated to the WEST position from 1070W to 136'W equatorial. The state has transmitted through GOES-6 during the last year of operation. The new GOES series prototype, scheduled for operation in 1990, will have narrower band widths to accommodate additional channels and increased transmission rates to handle increased data volume. Minor modifications to existing DCP's may be required at that time. Efforts by NESDIS to establish a Standard Hydrological Exchange Format (SHEF) are nearing completion. Sutron has agreed to implement SHEF and will update the Hydromet software accordingly. NESDIS announced plans for an improved DCS ground system to be operational by 1990. System capacity will be increased to 100,000 DCP's and 5,000 users. Data transfers, aside from privately operated GOES receive sites, will be accomplished through the NOAA-PORT system utiliz- ing the DOMSAT communications system and low-cost Direct Readout Terminals (DROTS). A DOMSAT downlink is planned for operation in Boulder, Colorado. This office remains concerned with possible future policy change by NESDIS that may require user fees to be paid to NESDIS for GOES DCS usage. The use of GOES DCS has been free of charge to the state. A major thrust in FY 87-88 will be toward the enhancement of the monitor- ing system capabilities. The addition of other sensor types, including water quality, precipitation, air temperature, water temperature, and soil moisture can significantly increase the utility of the system. This office plans on making the system data base more accessible to the average individual interested in streamflow conditions through the purchase and operation of a unit (DECTALK) that will' provide automatically updated computer-generated voice-synthesized messages by phone. More detailed data could be requested in similar output by giving commands utilizing the keyboard on a touch-tone phone. -7-