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<br />NWS Forecasting, Fro," the preceding InforiMtion, it appe,us that
<br />~~S pcedlctlons or detection of rainf<lll would be possible for ~o~t
<br />.tOrmS. Th~ Cheyenne radar (~hich ~as installed afre. the 1976 gig
<br />rhom~~on River flood) is p<lrtlculll.rly usef\ll in ahmdn!! raiabU ia the
<br />1l0untaiaportionoftheCZlChejaPoudreRiverba61n. In the event of
<br />it being tu.ned off," s""rdty of ground ob6etvor6, or una$ual
<br />weather, hal/ever, a backup fbah flood detection .ysrem 18 desirable.
<br />The private ~eather consultant may increase chances of a succe$sful
<br />foreca6t, ",Uh aMlys13 concentrating on" .<Oaller <lrea.
<br />
<br />Volunteer Radio~. Volunteer~ should be eq<.lipped ",ith vo lee radios
<br />$imibr to tho~e used by the Boulder volunteer~ for proper communica-
<br />tion wtth a hase stilt ion. These are "",bite or porr~ble VHF high-band
<br />F}l radios. Obaervers c~n th"" be alerted by the b.'~e station ~'ith FM
<br />paglng d"vl"e~. This ",ould in~re<ls" the relillbility of the "bservation
<br />n'H",ork. A radio for voic" co""""ntcation should be located at the base
<br />
<br />station.
<br />
<br />Volunteer Rain Gages, Volunteers for the KWS, private con6ul-
<br />tsnrs, and the Boulder flood ~<lrning system use simple plll6ttC rain
<br />gagea. During cloudbur~t", observers "",y be reluctant to veUllre out.
<br />Also, observers may report a"cumulated rainfall b<.lt may not ~now ",hen
<br />the rain started. Thus, the Inte1l5ity of rain ""'y not he ",ell dafined.
<br />To ir::prova "",,liability, a~ otltdoer tipptne hnckpt lage wouid be used.
<br />A paper tape r"corder could 00 located t<ldoors and connee<~d by ",ir~ to
<br />the rain gagc. Thus, the observer could be indoors ..~d the dOle
<br />distribution of rain could be seen on the tape.
<br />
<br />A<.ltomat1cRainCages. Automattcr<l1ngagesotthetypedeseribed
<br />(7)
<br />byllurnashandT"'edt and in use by the Caltfornia-NevadllRFC at
<br />S<lcramento, California, and at Boulder would be used. These are
<br />self-coatatned, event-reporting, tipping-bucket gllgeS ",hich report
<br />increments of rninhU by radio to a base station. Station health or
<br />functionability is indicated by periodtc signals. These gages include
<br />a metal cylinder housing about 10 feet high ..nd i foot in dta~etar, a
<br />concrete post-hole type foundation, a battery, a tipping bucket gage,
<br />an electronics package, a radto transmitter, a"d an antenna. The
<br />battery and so~ other ?'Irt. could be .e1:lOvedduring the "'inter or the
<br />device could be left Out all year.
<br />
<br />A flash flood "'drning system dependent on only one device is
<br />questionable and redundancy should be Incorporated into the system.
<br />(Intervtew ",ith ~r. Ellis B~rton, D~nver Weather Service 'orecsst
<br />OfUee, 20 OecelDber 1979).
<br />
<br />V<:>lunteer Staff Ca~. Volnnt~er .t~ff gages could be pol~s of
<br />",ood, ~te"l, or fib~rgla8~ with elevatioo. boldly lDarked on them.
<br />These .hould be loc~ted tn the atrea" near th~ nsi,~~nce of ,Tn
<br />
<br />,\uto1l\ati~ Strea" Cagea. 'rhe ate"", ga~es ..~ulJ be th~ ';I0l<' ~ype
<br />used at Boulder. These consist of electronIc s",ttche~, ~~unt"d ,0 .s
<br />to be set off in sequence as thewaterrisca to toucheatn s....1tch. A
<br />depth-discharge rattng curve ~ould ne"d to be developed f~r ~sch gage
<br />sIre. The gages have" transmitter and directional "nt"n"". The
<br />"peratton is entirely electronic and avoids pro~l~~s "-s~ociated ~'1~!1.
<br />m"dldnicalg<l8".'
<br />
<br />observer. Binocuhrs <lnd a spotHght ~'Quld be furnished for "ig:,t
<br />obscrvatioa. Staf f gage~ W'ould be <!lOst ly fr"egt<l"d lng, al though they
<br />could be' 'wunted on " bridge H one is ~uitebly ~oc:l.ted. A depth-
<br />dlscharg.. c"l.lUollshlp "'''"ld need to ~ developed i". cae'. sHe.
<br />
<br />!(epeaterStations. In order totra"smH fromobsecvers or gages
<br />in the rtlountaIn. to a base station at Fon Collin., repe.,tH .tations
<br />(relay tran.",itterd 01\ tower") would be "eededat htg\1 ioterOlCdia te
<br />~cints b line ~'1th both field "-lld base "ta~'l(>n.. Dn" repc_'Cer ~tHio"
<br />""'-lId b,' loeated in the vicinity of '.ilite Pine ~~our\t3ln In tile
<br />
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<br />8'
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