SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report

Sections

Basic Information
Additional Info

Status: Approved

Basic Information

Project No. and Title: WERA_OLD1012 : Managing and Utilizing Precipitation Observations from Volunteer Networks
Period Covered: 10/01/2009 to 09/01/2010
Date of Report: 07/30/2010
Annual Meeting Dates: 05/19/2010 to 05/21/2010

Participants Adnan Akyuz (adnan.akyuz@ndsu.edu) North Dakota State University;Jeff Andresen (Andresen@msu.edu) Michigan State University;Scott Archer s4archer@hotmail.com) BLM - Retired;Mike Asmus (mike.asmus@noaa.gov) NOAA/NWS - Southern Region;Tony Bergantino (antonius@uwyo.edu) Wyoming State Climate Office;Joel Cline (joel.cline@noaa.gov) NOAA/NWS - COOP Program;Robert Davies Robert.davies@usu.edu) Utah State University;Nolan Doesken (nolan@atmos.colostate.edu) Colorado State University;" Randy Gray (randell.gray@noaa.gov) NOAA/NWS - Pueblo;Harry Hillaker (harry.hillaker@iowaagriculture.gov)Iowa Dept of Ag.;Steve Hilberg (hberg@uiuc.edu) Midwest Regional Climate Center;Timothy Kearns (timothy.kearns@noaa.gov) NOAA/NWS - Central Region;Mary Knapp (mknapp@ksu.edu) Kansas State University;Bryant Korzeniewski (Bryant.korzeniewski@noaa.gov) NOAA/NCDC;Byron Louis (byron.louis@noaa.gov) NOAA/NWS - Boulder;Henry Reges (hreges@atmos.colostate.edu) CoCoRaHS - CSU;Zach Schwalbe (zach@cocorahs.org) CoCoRaHS - CSU;Nancy Selover (selover@asu.edu) Arizona State University;Bill Sorensen (wsorensen1@unl.edu) High Plains Reg. Climate Ctr.;Kevin Stewart (kstewart@udfcd.org) National Hydro Warning Council;Julian Turner (julian@lamar.colostate.edu) CoCoRaHS - CSU;James Zdrojewski (james.zdrojewski@noaa.gov) NOAA/NWS - Climate Services

Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The third meeting of the 1012 WERA Committee met in May at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. Our two and a half day meeting was divided in two parts. The first day was focused on the National Weather Service's COOP network. The program's health and status were discussed, as well as perspectives from the field and the National Climatic Data Center. Concrete steps were taken towards 1) plans to write an "Economic Value of Cooperative Weather Observations" and 2) Beginning the early planning for the COOP's 125th anniversary in 2015. The second day focused on CoCoRaHS (The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network). An annual update was given along with reports from the WERA 1012 subcommittees that relate to CoCoRaHS. Issues and concerns for the ever expanding network were examined and commented upon. The second day concluded with a field trip to several rain gauges with the vicinity of Estes Park, including a COOP, CoCoRaHS and Snotel station. The final half day focused on setting priorities for the coming year, extending new charges to the committees which included optimizing cooperation between the COOP and CoCoRaHS networks. The final items included the introduction of the new WERA 1012 Chair, Adnan Akyuz and a decision to return to the YMCA of the Rockies for next year's meeting. *Please see attached document for a detailed accounting of the Meeting Minutes

Legacy attachment file:

[Minutes]

Accomplishments

1. Training and Outreach: Training videos showing an Overview, In Depth Snow Measuring, Ice Accretion, Measuring the Water Content of Snow by Weight, and Reporting Drought Impacts, were produced and are available for download from the CoCoRaHS website. 2. Data Quality Assurance and Control: Common data entry errors were determined and methods of flagging and correcting them developed. A survey was conducted from which information was gathered related to types of errors, methods of QA/QC used, and suggestions given for improving the abilities of coordinators to perform QA/QC. A prototype ticketing system has been developed at the Midwest Regional Climate Center which allows for reports to be flagged and assigned to appropriate coordinators. The type of error and resolution is recorded as a means of tracking their frequency. 3. Precipitation Measurements: An initial listing of publications pertaining to precipitation and its measurement has been compiled. Several of the documents in the list have been scanned and placed into PDF. 4. Sustainability: The fact that COOP and CoCoRaHS continue on despite economic challenges and that quality data are available to a wide range of public and academic users. 5. Evaluation: the CoCoRaHS network conducted a lengthy survey that was completed by 7,000 of it volunteers. Valuable feedback has been gathered and is being evaluated for future direction. 6. Portal for Discussion: The WERA 1012 meeting has become one of the new forums for non-NWS folks to chime in and provide input to the COOP networks planning and evaluation.

Impacts

Tennessee Flood: Comparisons were shown of rainfall maps generated using COOP, CoCoRaHS, and COOP/CoCoRaHS combined. Each of the two used individually gave similar but slightly different interpretations of the event. Combining the two datasets gives a much stronger and fuller picture of the event.
NWS Northern Indiana: The National Weather Service Office in Northern Indiana is producing Daily 24-Hour Precipitation and Snowfall Maps using combined COOP/CoCoRaHS data. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/iwx/program_areas/hydrology/precipmaps.php. Together they provide a powerful tool for assessing rainfall totals.
Improvements in Funding: The status of CoCoRaHS was tenuous at the time of the meeting, but the evidence shown by a very successful winter fund raising effort among the volunteers (including their supportive comments) showed that the network was very valuable to its observers. COOP seemed to be holding its place in the NWS budget.
Across the nation CoCoRaHS "real-time" Significant Weather reports have provided data used by the NWS to issue special weather statements which have provided the public with lead time to reach safety in flash flood and other precipitation related events
Economic Value: The CoCoRaHS and COOP combination provide an invaluable national data resource for monitoring weather and climate at a very low cost.
Data from the CoCoRaHS network are being used by a growing number of organizations in a variety of ways (water supply prediction and assessment, storm water management, engineering, agricultural production, etc.).
Implementation of NWS WxCoder III and IVROCS is greatly improving real time access to COOP data for many hydro and other applications while also improving observer feedback and data quality.

Publications

None in the current year.

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