Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Russ Qualls, 2004 President, asked members present for any changes to last years meeting minutes (http://weather.nmsu.edu/wrcc102/WCC-102-Minutes-2003.pdf); as there were none, Ted Sammis moved that the 2003 Meeting Minutes be accepted as is; motion seconded by Nolan Doesken; approved unanimously by all members present. As Scott Archer, 2004 Secretary, will automatically become the 2005 President, nominations were solicited for 2005 Secretary. Kelly Redmond (Western Regional Climate Center) was nominated unanimously by all members present. In case Kelly is unable to serve, Greg Johnson (Natural Resources Conservation Service), was nominated first-alternate unanimously by all members present. The Committee discussed the need to encourage more participation at the Annual Meetings. Nearly 20 individuals are currently listed as Committee members. Outreach will be made to National Weather Service Climate Staff, as well as other individuals recommended by current Committee members. The Committee identified two possible locations for next years annual meeting, tentatively scheduled for September 20 - 21, 2005, at either: the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove (Monterey County), CA (http://www.visitasilomar.com/discover/index.html); or the Ramada Inn at Laramie, WY (http://www.ramada.com/Ramada/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=02823&brandInfo=RA). Scott Archer will pursue making reservations, but ideas regarding a pre-meeting field trip/sponsor on Monday, September 19, 2005, are welcome. Alternative dates include: October 4-6; October 12-13; and October 18-20; but not October 24-28, 2005. Lee Sommers provided information on the National Research Support Projects' procedures (such as NADP, IR-4 Minor Use Pesticides, etc.). A review was conducted, procedures revised, and budget modifications were implemented. There may be a need for new National Support abstracts, as well. The Federal budget is currently under Continuing Resolutions, there is debate on the Farm Bill, and possible new programs within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including developing 'Centers of Excellence' to address: Risk Analysis Use, Food Safety (MN), and Zoonotic Diseases (UC-Davis and Texas A&M). The Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) is also examining biosecurity efforts, like non-selective agents (toxic, but not extreme), in cooperation with the National Institute for Agricultural Security (an NGO). The USDA Research, Economics and Education Task Force (chaired by Dr. William Danforth, Washington University) has recommended the creation of an independent National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA; see http://www.asa-cssa-sssa.org/temp/050315/National_Institute_Food_Ag.pdf), which would fund extramural, peer-reviewed basic research, employing a model much like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. According to the Task Force Report, NIFAs mission would be to support fundamental agricultural research in order to: increase international competitiveness; develop foods that improve health and combat obesity; create new plant and animal products; improve food safety and security; enhance sustainability and improve the environment; strengthen rural community economies; develop bio-fuels to reduce dependence on foreign petroleum sources; and improve productivity of subsistence farmers in developing countries. The goal is $1 billion in research over five years time. The regions and the Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (http://www.colostate.edu/Orgs/WAAESD/) have developed a new activity application, approval and implementation system. That is why WCC-102 has become the WERA-102 (same basic activity with a new name to reflect education/extension and research). WAAESD has implemented the National Information Management and Support System (NIMSS; http://www.nimss.umd.edu/), based an Oracle-based on-line submission process. The Annual Meeting Report is due within 60 days after the meeting is concluded. Next years meeting will not be authorized until all reports are current. The Activities are approved on a five-year basis, with an Activity Review conducted during year three. [SECRETARY'S NOTE: The October 1, 2001 - September 30, 2006 Western Coordinating Committee Renewal Petition (http://weather-mirror.nmsu.edu/wrcc102/proposal.htm) was recommended for approval by the Regional Coordination Implementation Committee, and accepted by the WAAESD, WED and AP during their joint meeting on July 17, 2001, at Keystone, CO (see http://www.colostate.edu/Orgs/WAAESD/WAAESD/S01min.pdf).] The process for renewing WERA-102 is: 1. Develop a draft submission in the NIMSS or share drafts among members via email; 2. Administrative Advisor will: notify the Agricultural Experiment Station Center Directors of new objectives; and requests new participation (from all Experiment Station Directors.); 3. All participants must file Appendix E material either through their Director (Land Grant Universities) or through the Administrative Advisor (non-Land Grant Universities). To develop a new project (activity), submit: Project number; title; duration (five-years); statement of issues/justification; related/current/previous work (citations); objectives; and methods (can be entered at: WERA_TEMP_1321). Appendix E includes: name; email address; organization; objectives; classification (research problem area/subject); FTE and SY (Scientist Years). See AES Project Information Required for Appendix E (http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/AES/projs/appxe/topfr.htm). Once completed materials are sent to the Administrative Advisor, he will approve and forward. Please send new WERA-102 Objectives to the Administrative Advisor: by January 15, 2005 with final proposal due in March 2005; or by May 15, 2005 - with final proposal due in July 2005. The renewal will be effective from October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2010. Lee's discussion included a MS Power Point presentation (2004 Sommers.ppt) and a copy of the NIMSS User Manual (nimssman.pdf).

Wyoming - Jan Curtis (Wyoming State Climatologist; http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrds/wsc/wsc.html) reported on drought issues, including agricultural funding to support expanding the CoCoRaHS (http://new.cocorahs.org/) monitoring network throughout Wyoming. There are now about 100 stations, with 2 - 3 times expansion in one year alone. However, farm services participation is critical. Also, the Wyoming Climate Atlas is now available with updates on-line (http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrds/wsc/climateatlas/title_page.html). Hard copies are also available: $10 ea for CD-ROM; $25 + $5 shipping and handling for printed. Originally developed over two years at $700K with USGS-WRD seed money, it takes about $150K per year soft money to update (about 50% water and 50% climate support). Jan used a MS Power Point presentation to accompany his talk (2004 Curtis.ppt). USDI-Bureau of Land Management - Scott Archer (Senior Air Resource Specialist, National Science and Technology Center) gave an update on the Interagency Remote Automated Weather Station network operated by BLM (RAWS; http://www.nifc.gov/nifctour/remsens.html): out of about 2,300 stations total, about 200 only report once daily (via telephone) and about 500 are inoperative for a variety of reasons. All other stations report weather data hourly. Recent data are provided via the web by the NWS (http://raws.boi.noaa.gov/rawsobs.html) and the MesoWest (http://www.met.utah.edu/jhorel/html/mesonet/), with archived data available from the WRCC (http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/wraws/). RAWS data are reported from 48 States (we are missing CT, DC and MA) plus Guam and British Columbia. Numerous local agencies and organizations now link to RAWS, including the City of Beverly Hills (90210), California. More information is available on-line (http://www.fs.fed.us/raws/), including a web-based newsletter. In addition, BLM is pursuing funding to support CoCoRaHS expansion, particularly with rural families who utilize the Public Lands. Finally, Scott asked Committee members if they had any experience/research concerning changes in snowmelt and resulting stream flow in the last few years throughout the West. Several potential leads were provided, including: Philip Mote, University of Washington (http://www.cses.washington.edu/cig/outreach/presentfiles/Mote_SenateTestimony_050604.pdf); Tom Pagano, NRCS (http://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/73003.pdf); Gregory McCabe, USGS (http: //wwwbrr.cr.usgs.gov/projects/SW_precip_runoff/McCabe/papers/snowcc/snowclus.newmod.paper.awra.html); Alan Hamlet, UC-B (http://www.x-cd.com/mcss04/papers/P29.pdf); Jessica Lundquist, Scripps Institute (http://tenaya.ucsd.edu/~dettinge/Lundquist_synchmelt.pdf); and Kelly Redmond, WRCC (http://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/85170.pdf). New Mexico - Ted Sammis (New Mexico State Climatologist; http://weather.nmsu.edu/) described an ongoing study to model potential Phytophthora root rot disease of chile pepper plants (Capsicum annum) using meteorology and soil parameters. Jones and Kiniry (1986. Ceres-N Maize: a simulation model of maize growth and development. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Temple, TX) developed the basic algorithms, where observed TMAX, TMIN, solar radiation, soil albedo/bulk density/moisture are used to predict soil temperatures at multiple depths (2, 4, 8, 20 and 40 inches). Threshold temperatures (15, 25 and 35 degrees) can then be identified based on a previous one-year observation record. Although this predictive methodology can not be used to identify frost depth, it is a useful, first-order approximation. Ted used a MS Power Point presentation to accompany his talk (2004 Sammis.ppt). California - Joyce Strand (Coordinator, Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California-Davis; http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/index.html) described the Western Integrated Pest Management Centers coordination of IPM issues throughout California, including processing grants and strategic planning efforts. There is a need for quality, real-time weather data to support agriculture/business, especially for pests infestation and crop modeling. For example, the Integrated Pest Management Center has an on-line degree-day calculator (http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/WEATHER/ddretrieve.html). They are using an interagency Weather Systems Working Group to support IPM efforts, with plans to build risk understanding into various degree-day period calculations. When asked about measured (instrumented) v. calculated leaf wetness, Joyce indicated that some groups believe they can calculate the condition better than measuring it. Joyce also used a MS Power Point presentation to accompany her talk (2004 Strand.ppt). USDA-Forest Service - Francis Fujioka (Research Meteorologist, Pacific Southwest Research Station Forest Fire Laboratory; http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/) has worked with Tim Brown (DRI; http://www.cefa.dri.edu/) on fire management issues, and has been particularly involved in the MM5/Farsite fire behavior model applications (http://farsite.org/) and the Hawaii Fire Danger Rating System (http://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/65639.pdf). Francis - MS Power Point presentation (2004 Fujioka.ppt) focused on lessons learned from the October 2003 southern California wildfires. USDI-Bureau of Reclamation - Peter Palmer (AgriMet Program Coordinator; http://www.usbr.gov/pn/agrimet/) presented both a detailed written report (2004 Palmer.pdf), as well as an oral summary of the satellite-based network of automated agricultural weather stations located in irrigated agricultural areas throughout the Pacific Northwest. These data are used for regional crop water use modeling, agricultural research, frost monitoring, and integrated pest and fertility management. For example, data provided to individual farmers and irrigators is used to help them apply the proper amount of irrigation to crops at the right time. Potential program benefits include conservation of water and power resources, improved agricultural production, reduced soil erosion, and improved surface and ground water quality. Colorado - Nolan Doesken (Climatologist and Senior Research Associate; http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/) went on-line to demonstrate the Colorado Climate Center's new Home, and toured the site showing the capabilities and available resources. The growing CoAgMet program (http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/%7Ecoagmet/) is now nearing 60 hourly reporting weather stations, designed to provide those data that would be most useful to a broad spectrum of agricultural customers. Similarly, the voluntary CoCoRaHS program (http://new.cocorahs.org/) is rapidly expanding, both within Colorado and into neighboring States. Nearly 900 volunteers report the previous 24-hour rain, snow and hail information each morning, based on 4 inch storage gauges, snow boards and custom hail pads. Idaho - Russ Qualls (State Climatologist; http://snow.ag.uidaho.edu/index.html) assisted the Idaho Transportation Department with their plans to re-align highway US-95, by identifying various climatic conditions (such as fog formation, visibility, frost/ice, etc) for alternative routes. Russ presentation led to Committee discussion regarding new, solid state temperature/humidity sensors/logger, such as the iButton sensors (http://www.maxim-ic.com/products/ibutton/ibuttons/thermochron.cfm). When combined with a simple radiation shield (such as NMCC's Temperature Sensor Shelter), these inexpensive sensors/loggers may be very useful.