Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Lee Sommers - Administrative Advisor -. Congress is in process of finalizing budget for current year. Tentative budget approval waiting for conference committee. Bottom line: unlikely to be major changes to USDA funding. Anticipate flat budget. New competitive grant program in NRI - larger grants (~$300-500K), but total funding fixed, so fewer grants funded. For the National Research Support Projects (NRSP) (e.g., Atmospheric Deposition Project), new review process initiated to help monitor projects.

Mike Harrington in his role as Executive Director in the western region is involved in developing enhanced joint efforts between AES, CES, and academic programs. New efforts to have greater cooperation between cooperative extension and experiment station researchers.

Many coordinating committees are not up to date on their reporting. Directors passed resolution that if a particular committee lacks reports, a request for continuation would not be considered-rather it would be sent back to the coordinating committee without review. Our committee is current, so this is not a problem for us. There are approximately 70-80 committees in the western region; about one-half of these are coordinating committees. Coordinating committees purpose is to coordinate multi-state research/projects and related extension or academic programs. Funding can only be used to support travel. A Powerpoint presentation was shown on ?Communicating outcomes and impacts? What is impact? What is it not? Why? Who Cares? A national database on impact statements is at: http://www.reeusda.gov/success/impact.html

Presentations were made on example applications of weather and climate data, incorporating information on the concept of risk, variables required, sensor/measurement requirements, data availability, delivery, presentation, extension efforts, acceptance.

Climate tools developed at New Mexico State Univeristy (Ted Sammis) have integrated all automated weather stations in the state of NM. Three tools have been developed 3: (1) Rangeland carrying capacity map for ranchers to use to manage cattle numbers during droughts; (2) Wind direction and intensity maps-for engineers designing wind generators and buildings; (3) Crop development map for farmers to look at crop development rate between years. Also, a drought tool was developed for the Governor.

The Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington (Philip Mote)discussed Piloting Climate Services for the Pacific Northwest. Sectors: Water Resources, Salmon, Forests, Coasts, [Human Health], [Agriculture]. Scope of Work: Climate Variability, Climate Change. Research Approach: Retrospective - establish past impacts of climate and societal responses; Interdisciplinary - linking research with outreach and stakeholders. Example 1: long-lead 12-month stream flow forecasts for the Columbia River. In the past, stream flow forecasts were not made until January snow survey data were in. However, there is benefit to having forecasts several months earlier, hence the justification for this project. Example 2: Planning for climate change: municipal water supply for the City of Portland, Oregon. Example 3: Planning for climate change: water resources in the Columbia basin. There is need to interject climate change information into existing river basin planning activities, rather than expect agencies to adopt new planning models. Example 4: Forecasting Coho ocean survival. Example 5: Climate and Fire Risk. Summary: Many climate-sensitive natural resources Seasonal forecast possibilities outlined. Growing demand for advice on future climate change Before/After surveys indicate that use of climate change data has dramatically increased since the development of these climate change products.

An educational effort discussd by Joyce Strand was the University of California Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program. IPM is ecosystem-based strategy. Pesticides used only after monitoring indicated they are needed. Weather data used to determine timing of application. Risk management: crop; human health; environment, etc. Audience and Training: growers; licensed pest control advisors; field days and workshops; Print and web dissemination of training; publications. Some Interventions dependent on weather?Strategic choices of crop and location; biological methods-host plant resistance, introduction/enhancement of organisms; Cultural tactics; Physical; Chemical. Weather and the decision to intervene: Intervention method; Intervention timing. Simple methods: degree-days. Bottom Line: fewer growers are spraying weekly, and more are spraying based on evidence of need. This has been promoted for the past 23 years in California, and is now pretty regularly accepted. It has taken a substantial amount of hounding to accomplish. Some more complicated scenarios: Grape powdery Mildew. Weather Impacts: temperature minimum required for spore germination; ideal temperature range exists; if temperature exceeds sustained threshold, spores killed. Developed model based on this information, post model information to web. Farm advisors indicate information is being used by growers.

Peter Palmer-U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Update on Agrimet network. Discussed sensors, instrument siting, annual calibration, data retrieval, data quality control, ET calculation using Kimberly-Penman Evapotranspiration Model (alfalfa reference). Crop specific consumptive use is also calculated using crop coefficients. Agrimet supports itself through Federal appropriated dollars. New stations are established by request of end-users. End user pays for 100% of installation/purchase cost, and for annual maintenance. Objective is to get the greatest number of users in order to achieve conservation of the largest amount of water. Access: www.usbr.gov/pn/agrimet

Nolan Doesken-Colorado State University. This year?s activities have been drought dominated, even though the state received a reasonable amount of precipitation. Water year precipitation for Colorado showed a big bulls-eye of above average precipitation in headwaters of Colorado river. This happened to be in vicinity of a Denver Cloud seeding project, which appears good. However, the data shows that most of the precipitation fell during non-seeded events. Many people think of climate in terms of forecasts, and do not understand the value of historical climate data. Activities of interest to WCC-102: (a) CoAgMet - meteorological network which has been in operation for over a decade now; (b) CoCoRaHS - has deployed 1200 non-recording rain gages over the past 5 years, 750 of which are currently regularly reporting data; has received NSF funding to use this network for a water-balance educational program; this program seems to have had the greatest impact of anything activity in the last 26 years. (c) Future projects - mintain snow measurement system

Kelly Redmond ? Western Regional Climate Center. Highlights of accomplishments: Added all Pacific Ocean buoy weather data to NOAA coop and airways data system for entire period of record to present; Have funding from NSF to instrument transects on the Sierra Nevada Mountains; Kelly has been attending meetings with the new NWS climate service point of contacts and has emphasized that it is imperative for the quality of data to be good - ?Nobody remembers the forecasts, but everybody remembers the data.? And it is difficult to get the NWS interested in ?climate? data in place of ?weather? data; and
Modernization of COOP measurement system will cost about $100M; it is a significant undertaking. A paper was distributed discussing automated tools for detecting inhomogeneities in climate station records.

Myron Molnau-Retired Idaho State Climatologist. Still working with old Idaho Army Fort data. Next summer plans to travel around state to try to identify actual location of former Army fort weather stations.

Philip Mote, Washington State Climatologist, University of Washington. Gave overview of what he has done since acceptance of position in March 2003. Has developed web page for Office of Washington Climate Services. Gave some ideas regarding the type of services he would like to develop.

Ted Sammis, New Mexico State University. Continues distribution of data for NM, has integrated all automated stations in NM into his online data system. Continues Web site which houses multiple applications of weather and climate data to agriculture.

Russ Qualls, University of Idaho. Continues development of data distribution products through his Web site.

Francis Pierce?Washington State University-Center for Precision Agricultural Systems, Prosser. Updated the Washington Public Agricultural Weather Systems (PAWS) network for the State of Washington. Sixty stations, primarily in irrigated agriculture. Exxon oil originally funded some of the project. Needs: High quality data, Site Specific, mobile access. Built system from scratch; radio transmission of data; 15 minute time scale. Users can develop their own web page to incorporate the data they are interested in retrieving. Pest Monitor, retrieving data from hundreds of traps ; Insect Monitor Traps; ?FrostNet? Frost Detection sensors; Chemigation Monitoring. Cost is ~$3000 per weather station.

Joyce Strand, University of California-Davis. Discussed impact of 5-day degree-day forecast applied to cotton planting

Discussion of Expected and Achieved Outcomes for WCC-102 Objectives. Joyce Strand compiled list of outcomes achieved by participants, and links to resources addressing each objective. This list is in outline form. Over the coming year, participants will provide additional information too flesh out the outline. Joyce will send the outline.

Business Meeting. Selection of New Officers: Russ Qualls, (2003 secretary) to be 2004 Chair. Peter Palmer nominated Scott Archer for 2004 secretary. Peter Palmer will serve as secretary if Scott Archer does not agree to serve. Discussed possibility of meeting with irrigation coordinating committee. Officers of the two groups could talk about the common interests of the two groups and explore the possibility of a joint meeting during the 2005 year. It might be advantageous to have part of a day as a joint meeting, and the two groups could then meet separately for the remainder of the meeting. Peter Palmer and Ted Sammis are on both committees. 2004 Meeting will be in Albuquerque, NM. Dates to avoid: 1st week of November, October 6-8th. Possible dates: 2nd week of November.

Possible Topics of Discussion for 2004 meeting: Quality Control; Development of Impact Statements and Evaluation of Impacts.
Meeting adjourned 10 am

Strand/California: worked with University of California researchers on development of models relating weather to development of olive fruit and olive fruit fly, a new exotic pest. Temperature-based models of artichoke thistle and sting nematode were completed. Information on how to use weather-based models for timing sprays against tomato fruitworm (Helicoverpa zea) and for assessing risk of grape powdery mildew were incorporated into UC pest management guidelines.

Doesken/Colorado: Expanded CoCoRahs community-based weather network, deploying additional 550 nonrecording rain gages in 2003. He indicates that this effort has had the most impact of anything that he has done in 26 years. In association with the network, he?s conducting an NSF-funded educational program related to rainfall and water balance. He has continued an active role in Colorado drought monitoring, continued maintenance of CoAgMet network, and continued publication of the Colorado Climate magazine.

Qualls/Idaho: Idaho State Climate Services serves as a resource for drought information developed through other offices. Developed algorithms to use remotely sensed data to determine the spatial distribution of evapotranspiration, for use in irrigation scheduling and numerical weather prediction. ISCS has added to the database providing free online access to the Cooperative Observer Network climate data set for the entire period of record for the entire state of Idaho. This database is available through links from the ISCS website http://www.uidaho.edu/~climate. In addition, ISCS continues to provide data services to users around the state.

Sammis/New Mexico: For New Mexico, has developed online rangeland carrying capacity map for ranchers to use in managing cattle numbers during droughts. Developed and posted online wind direction and intensity maps designed for use by engineers designing wind generators and buildings. Also produced crop development maps for farmers to look at differences in crop development rate between years. Prepared newsletter on water, climate and agriculture, and impact of global warming on New Mexico.

Mote/Pierce/Washington: Developed a Web page for the Office of Washington Climate Services and has just begun to make plans for the office. Completely updated the Washington Public Agriculture Weather Systems (PAWS) network, using newly designed instrumentation, loggers, and radios to improve service and significantly reduce cost. Retrieves pest data from hundreds of traps to relate to weather and crop damage; frost sensors alert growers to frost/freeze conditions.

Curtis/Wyoming: Wyoming Climate Atlas ready for publication, and includes graphics, text, and complete PRISM map set for Wyoming. Has improved Web site access to the state Water Basin Plans related to surface and groundwater storage.

Palmer/ USBR: Produced almost 10,000 crop water use charts, tailored to 50 crops grown in the Pacific Northwest, generated for each station each day of the growing season, April through mid-October. Revised and updated the USBR AgriMet Irrigation Guide Web site, containing information on irrigation scheduling, soil water storage capacities, root zone depths, management allowable depletions, and irrigiation system irrigation system efficiencies.

Redmond/WRCC: Has continued to work with drought programs, including Western Governors Association National Integrated Drought Information System. Continued acquisition quality control, archival of weather and climate data for the western states. Prepared papers on extreme precipitation and growing season trends for the U.S over the past century. Contributing to Westmap, monthly time history at 1 km resolution for Western U.S., and developing Applied Climate Information System, provisional daily maps for each state. Added access to new products for RAWS locations.