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<br />final record for those gaging stations operated by non-state entities, such as <br />the U. S. Geological Survey-Water Resources Division, is the responsibility of <br />that entity. Modifications to the real-time records for these stations are <br />accepted by the state of Colorado. <br /> <br />C. Water Resources Accounting <br /> <br />There is a growing need for the ability to perform automated water <br />resources accounting. Currently, the satellite-linked monitoring system is <br />being utilized for such accounting for the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. the <br />Dolores Project, and the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Winter Water Storage. The <br />abil ity to input real-time data into these accounting programs allows for <br />current and on-going tabulations. Since the computations are performed on a <br />computer, the accuracy is increased significantly. <br /> <br />D. Dam Safety <br /> <br />Dam safety monitoring has developed in recent years into a major issue. <br />Numerous on-site parameters are of interest to the State Engineer in assessing <br />stability of a dam. At this time, the system monitors seven reservoirs in <br />Colorado. Currently, the parameters monitored are limited to inflow, outflow, <br />and stage elevation. These data do, however, provide a basis for evaluating <br />current operating conditions as compared to specific operating instructions. <br />The installation and operation of additional sensor types could provide essen- <br />tial data on internal hydraulic pressure, vertical and horizontal movement, <br />and seepage rates. <br /> <br />E. Automated Flood Warning System <br /> <br />The Office of the State Engineer, Division of Water Resources, in cooper- <br />ation with the National Weather Service - Central Forecast Office (NWS-CFO) in <br />Denver, operates a statewide flood warning system utilizing 78 stream gaging <br />stations that are part of the Colorado satellite-linked water resourcesmoni- <br />toring network operated by the State Engineer. The NWS-CFO, which operates on <br />a 24-hour basis, is alerted to changing flow conditions. If conditions <br />warrant, either a flood WATCH or a flood WARNING is issued. <br /> <br />Table 2 lists the incorporated stream gaging stations with the desig- <br />nated alert levels used to flag high water conditions. A synopsis of how the <br />system operates follows: <br /> <br />1. Remote Data Collection/Data Transmission <br /> <br />Stream stage levels are measured and recorded every fifteen minutes for <br />transmission at standard 4-hour intervals, If stage alert levels are sur- <br />passed, emergency transmissions are made at random intervals of from 2-10 <br />minutes, All transmissions are sent via the Geostationary Operational <br />Environmental Satellite. Transmissions are received and processed at the <br />receive site located in Denver operated by the State Engineer. <br /> <br />-53- <br />