CASM Update: Snow-Free Memo and Flight Season Begins
Hi CASM stakeholders, here are a few quick updates on CASM activities:
Flight Season Starts Soon
Snow Free Memo Published
Flight Season starts soon
Colorado’s first ASO snow surveys of the year have been conducted over the East and Taylor Rivers. More are are being for the first week of April in the Dolores. Stakeholders in those basins include the Dolores Water Conservancy District, the US Bureau of Reclamation, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, and many others. These groups are hoping to get a snow survey as close to Peak SWE as possible, so our fingers are crossed that this happens. Other basins throughout Colorado are aiming for their first flights of the season to be closer to the middle or end of April (depending on how conditions evolve).
These flights are coordinated at a weekly meeting of the Flight Coordination Committee, hosted by Erik Skeie of the CWCB (erik.skeie@state.co.us). At these meetings, various considerations are balanced including stakeholder need, weather, aircraft availability and other logistical factors. This group will meet regularly throughout the runoff season, so please contact Erik if you are interested in being a part of these.
Snow Free Memo Published
Memo here
The CASM team has finalized a memo describing the snow-free data acquisition activities from 2022 (click link above to access the memo). All of these 2022 snow-free data acquisition flights were funded by the 2022 Colorado Water Plan Grant. In total, the 2022 snow free data acquisition flights covered 15,778 acres of high elevation watersheds, which more than doubled the total amount of snow-free data coverage in Colorado (all 2022 snow-free data acquisitions are shown in orange on the map below). This is a major advancement in CASM’s program development as it allows for significant expansion of snow-on ASO survey coverage. As a reminder, before any basins can receive ASO snowpack measurements, that basin must have a complete “snow free” dataset flown, processed and prepared for use. Since these flights can only occur during the summer once all snow has melted, they pose a challenge in terms of timing and funding since a basin must be prepared 6 to 9 months in advance of its snowpack measurements.
Here is a map showing existing, recent and proposed snow-free coverage throughout the state.
Statewide snow free data coverage
More updates to follow as flight season begins here in Colorado! Tune in to CASM’s next stakeholder call on April 21st at 1pm MT for an overview of flight results (respond to this email if you would like to attend but do not see the meeting on your calendar)
