Adnan Akyuz (adnan.akyuz@ndsu.edu)North Dakota State University;;William Angel(william.e.angel@noaa.gov)NOAA/NCDC;Scott Archer(Scott_Archer@blm.gov)Bureau of Land Management;Mike Asmus(mike.asmus@noaa.gov)NOAA/NWS - Southern Region;Tony Bergantino(antonius@uwyo.edu)Wyoming State Climate Office;Mike Borengasser(michael.borengasser@arkansas.gov )Arkansas State Climate;Joel Cline(joel.cline@noaa.gov)NOAA/NWS - COOP Program;Nolan Doesken(nolan@atmos.colostate.edu)Colorado State University;Laura Edwards(cocorahs@dri.edu)(Desert Research Institute;Melissa Griffin(griffin@coaps.fsu.edu)Florida Climate Center;Rob Gillies(robert.gillies@usu.edu)Utah Climate Center;Pat Guinan(GuinanP@missouri.edu)University of Missouri;Steve Hilberg(hberg@uiuc.edu)Midwest Regional Climate Center;Timothy Kearns(timothy.kearns@noaa.gov)NOAA/NWS - Central Region;Matt Kelsch(kelsch@comet.ucar.edu)UCAR/COMET;Mary Knapp(mknapp@ksu.edu)Kansas State University;Esmaiel Malek(emalek@mendel.usu.edu)Utah State University;John McLaughlin(John.McLaughlin@noaa.gov)NOAA/Office of Education;Steven Quiring(squiring@tamu.edu)Texas A&M University;Henry Reges(hreges@atmos.colostate.edu)CoCoRaHS - Colorado State University;Dave Robinson(drobins@rci.rutgers.edu)Rutgers University;Zach Schwalbe(zach@cocorahs.org)(CoCoRaHS - Colorado State University;Nancy Selover(selover@asu.edu)(Arizona State University;Lee Sommers(lee.sommers@colostate.edu)Colorado State University;Kris Stepenuck(kris.stepenuck@ces.uwex.edu(Wisconsin Volunteer Stream Monitoring;Julian Turner(julian@lamar.colostate.edu)CoCoRaHS - Colorado State University
This was the first meeting of the WERA-1012 group and it served to establish an executive committee, determine goals, and to form working groups to accomplish those goals. The Executive Committee for 2009 is comprised of Chair Henry Reges, Chair-Elect Adnan Akyuz, and Secretary Tony Bergantino. Each will serve in the current position for one year with the Chair-Elect transitioning to the Chair the next year.
The following sections were covered during the course of the meeting:
1. History of Rain Gauge Networks - A lot of Territory to Cover...with Volunteer Rain Gauges
2. Rain Gauge Performance -- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
3. Volunteer Recruiting/Retention -- How to Catch "Observation Fever"
4. Metadata for 'unofficial' Networks
5. Volunteer Education -- Volunteer Observing as a method for Extending Climate and Environmental Literacy
6. Training Volunteers -- Best Practices...Developing Great Observers
7. Volunteer Support -- Helping Volunteers Feel Needed and Supported
8. Network Funding -- Garnering Support for Volunteer Networks
9. Data Quality Control -- Did you really measure seventy-two inches of rain in ten minutes?
Following each of these nine sessions, participants broke into two groups for detailed discussions on each of the topics with the aim of deciding specific areas that the WERA-1012 group could help.
Five major working groups were established.
1. CoCoRaHS/COOP Collaboration
2. Sustainability/Funding
3. Training and Education
4. Data Quality Assurance and Control
5. Precipitation Measurement References
CoCoRaHS/COOP Collaboration: Chaired by Scott Archer (USDI-BLM) with Mike Borengasser (AR), Dave Robinson (NJ), Henry Reges (CoCoRaHS), Joel Kline (NWS), and William Angel (NCDC).
Identify ways to help tie together the NWS Cooperative Observer Network and it's long term functions with the higher resolution but more flexible and low cost Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network CoCoRaHS
Sustainability/Funding: Chaired by Laura Edwards (WRCC) with Henry Reges (CoCoRaHS), Leeann DeMouche (NM), Phil Mote (OR), Ryan Boyles (NC), Kevin Stewert (Denver Urban Drainage and Flood Control District), and Dennis Todey (SD).
Develop and pursue specific and achievable goals to provide support to volunteer observing networks.
Training and Education: Chaired by Melissa Griffin (FL) with Mary Knapp (KS), Steve Hilberg (MWRCC), Leeann DeMouche (NM), Nolan Doesken (CO), Adnan Akyuz (ND), Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux (VT), Kris Stepenuck (WI), Matt Kelsch (UCAR-COMET), Dave Robinson (NJ), Zach Schwalbe (CoCoRaHS), Julian Turner (CoCoRaHS), Dennis Todey (SD), and a NOAA Office of Education representative (yet to be named).
Gather together training products that have been developed and put into a Training Library.
Develop ways of evaluating deficiencies in the training programs.
Committee for Data Quality Assurance and Control: Chaired by Steve Hilberg (MWRCC), Tim Kearns (NWS), Tony Bergantino (WY), Zach Schwalbe (CoCoRaHS), and William Angel (NCDC).
Develop a set of checks that can be implemented in CoCoRaHS.
Committee for Precipitation Measurement References: Chaired by Steven Quiring (TX) with Tony Bergantino (WY), Nolan Doesken (CO), Adnan Akyuz (ND), and Matt Kelsch (UCAR-COMET).
-Develop a comprehensive bibliography of literature on precipitation measurements.
-Provide in PDF where possible
One additional committee was discussed although. This committee could serve to motivate NOAA to have a well planned and coordinated program tailored after the very successful Centennial Celebration to raise the awareness and visibility of the COOP network, its leaders, and its wonderful volunteers. The 125th Anniversary will be in 2015, so planning should begin around 2012 with some institutional preparation within NOAA prior to that time.
NWS COOP 125th Anniversary Planning Committee: Mike Asmus (NWS).
Assist NOAA with the preparations for the 125th Anniversary of the COOP network.
- Collaborative activities are just beginning, as this was the first ever meeting of this coordinating committee. Many impacts are anticipated for the future that have not yet been realized.
- a)Improved training materials for volunteer weather observing programs b)Effective low-cost ways to support and encourage rain gauge volunteers c)Improvements in data quality from volunteer weather networks resulting from entry-point data checks, visualizations, and observer feedback
- d)An easy-access bibliography of publications and studies focused on precipitation measurement accuracy, gauge comparisons, wind effects on gauge catch, data quality control, etc. e) Integration of data from the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer network with data from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network to provide the most extensive national precipitation network of all time for monitoring the nation‘s climate f)Stronger Federal, State, University partnerships in support of low tech volunteer programs.(began the early planning stages for the 2015 national celebration of the 125th anniversary of the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer network) g)Stable long-term funding for managing and promoting volunteer precipitation networks.
Again, since the group just met for the first time on a topic that is not the primary focus of most participant's research, no publications were submitted this year. As our committee matures and collaboratively undertakes a number of tasks, we anticipate a variety of publications in the near future. Two publications prepared by members of the WERA1012 committee but prior to the formation of the group are of particular utility at this early stage. They are:
Doesken, Nolan. "Let it Rain." Weatherwise July-August 2007: 50-55.
Elizabeth Herron, Linda Green, and Kris Stepenuck. "Volunteer Management and Support." Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring. 01 JUL 2008. USDA National Facilitation of CSREES Volunteer Monitoring Efforts Website, Web.