Project Timeline

Grassroots Organizing

ASO Pilot Flights (2013-2020)

Many stakeholders including Denver Water have paid for ASO flights over specific basins. These flights are typically done in springtime where SNOTEL measurements no longer provide meaningful measurements of remaining snow water equivalent.

Grant Funding (2020-2021)

While some stakeholders were willing to donate their time, we still needed a little funding to truly explore the idea. We submitted a grant application to the Water Supply Reserve Fund of the CWCB. As of spring 2021 we have been approved for matching funds by nearly every Basin Roundtable.

Groundwork and Group Organization (2020)

Denver Water, Northern Water, ASO Inc. and Lynker put our heads together to discuss the efficiencies that would come from collaborative funding of ASO. If enough groups are willing to support the project, maybe ASO could become a regular part of the Colorado hydrosphere.

Plan Development and Implementation (2021)

Once funded, we will conduct detailed interviews around the benefits of ASO, ideal flight paths, and an appropriate governance and funding structure to make Colorado ASO a sustainable program.

Stakeholder Buy-In (2020)

We talked to whoever we thought might have the remotest interest in ASO as a regular data product. We gave presentations, attended conferences and talked to our networks. The list of stakeholders and interested partners has grown rapidly.

Ongoing ASO in Colorado (2021-Onward)

Once funding and governance is in place, Colorado ASO can coordinate flights every year, and water stakeholders across the State can reap the benefits of single digit accuracy in snow measurement.