Snowpack Telemetry Now Yields Data Hourly

Terry Gonzales and Jenny Castagno taking snow survey readings from a sample tube in the Absaroka Mountains of Wyoming (NRCS image -- click to enlarge)

Historically, NRCS SNOTEL network forecasts have been issued once per month from January through June, mostly because the data were collected manually by snow surveyors. SNOTEL now provides hourly and daily snowpack and precipitation information thanks to new technology. These data are used to drive an automated forecast system that provides a daily update to the seasonal water supply forecasts. As storms pass through the watersheds, water managers can now get an instant assessment of how much their situation has improved or how much they have yet to go before they have an adequate supply. These forecasts are also made possible by an innovative statistical regression technique developed five years ago at the NRCS National Water and Climate Center (NWCC). Maps and graphs of the real time forecasts as well as technical documentation about how they are produced are available at the NWCC website.

For close to 70 years, NRCS has provided seasonal water supply outlooks for use by western U.S. water managers. These outlooks are a critical component in effective water management and are utilized by a broad spectrum of users for a variety of purposes, ranging from irrigated agriculture, flood control, municipal water supply, endangered species protection, power generation, and recreation.
Your contact is NRCS hydrologist Tom Pagano at 503-414-3010.