SNOW SURVEY, SNOTEL (SNOwpack TELemetry)

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SNOW SURVEY, SNOTEL(SNOwpack TELemetry)SCAN(S
oil Climate Analysis Network)

• Presented at
• NWS Cold Regions Workshop
• November 15 - 19, 2004

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NRCS-NWCC

• Mission
• The Natural Resources Conservation Service
  (NRCS), National Water and Climate Center (NWCC)
  mission is to lead the development and transfer
  of water and climate information technology that
  supports natural resources conservation.

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Snow Survey History Dr. Church
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Federal Snow Sampler
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SNOW COURSES

• Large Manual Climate Network
• Began in 1930s
• Over 1500 remote sites
• Generally in high elevation areas
• Located in the 12 Western States and Alaska
• Monthly Measurements
• Collects Depth and SWE

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SNOTEL

• Large Automated Climate Network
• Began in 1978
• Over 700 remote site
• Generally in high elevation areas
• Located in the 12 Western States and Alaska
• Utilizes meteor burst communication technology to
  telemeter data

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SNOTEL Meteor Burst Communication Technology
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SNOTEL Coverage
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SNOTEL

• Typical Sensors
• Snow Pillow used to measure snow water content
  (Fluid based system)
• All Season Precipitation Gage
• Air Temperature
• Includes current, 24 hour maximum, minimum, and
  average
• Snow Depth

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SNOTEL

• Other Sensor
• Relative Humidity
• Solar Radiation
• Wind Speed and Direction
• Barometric Pressure
• Water Level
• Soil Moisture and Temperature
• Fuel Moisture
• Water Quality

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SNOTEL

• SNOTEL Properties
• Utilizes Battery Packs and Solar Panels
• Hourly Data Transmission Possible
• 99 Daily System Response
• Real-Time Data Validation
• Quality Controlled Data Set
• Computer Accessible in near real-time
• Analysis Products Available

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SNOTEL/Snow Course SITE SELECTION

• Accessibility
• Security
• Gentle Slope
• Aspect
• Protected by wind
• Solar Window
• Area of Representation (Precipitation/Elevation
  Area Analysis)

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Typical SNOTEL Site
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SNOTELSnow Pillow
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SCAN(Soil Climate Analysis Network)

• Background
• A pilot project was started in 1991
• Pilot project objectives were to
• Develop technical expertise in monitoring
  Soil-Climate interface
• Demonstrate the technical feasibility for a
  nationwide data network
• The current network has 90 sites in 36 states

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SCAN Site Locations
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SCAN

• Real-Time Monitoring
• Uses meteor burst communication to obtain remote
  site data
• Collects hourly data

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SCAN

• Typical Data Parameters Monitored
• Atmospheric Monitoring
• Precipitation incremental or accumulated
• Air Temperature current, maximum, minimum, and
  average hourly and 24 hour
• Solar Radiation hourly and 24 hour average

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SCAN

• Atmospheric Monitoring (Continued)
• Wind speed and direction hourly and daily
  average and maximum wind speed for the hour
• Relative humidity current, maximum, minimum,
  and average hourly
• Barometric pressure current

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SCAN

• Below Ground Monitoring
• Soil moisture
• 2, 4, 8, 20, and 40 inch depths
• Current
• Soil temperature
• 2, 4, 8, 20, and 40 inch depths
• Current

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Typical SCAN Site
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SCAN Sensors

• All season storage precipitation gage
• 30 inch capacity
• Weighing gage
• 0.01 inch resolution

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SCAN Sensors

• Tipping bucket precipitation gage
• 0.01 inch resolution

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SCAN Sensors

• Relative Humidity
• Air Temperature

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SCAN Sensors

• Solar Radiation

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SCAN Sensors

• Wind Speed and Direction

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SCAN Sensors

• Snow Pillow for measuring snow water content

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SCAN Sensors

• Snow Depth
• 0.5 inch resolution

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SCAN Sensors

• Soil Moisture and Temperature
• Typically measured at 5 depths (2, 4, 8, 20, 40
  inches)

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Uses of SNOTEL SCAN Data

• Drought and flood monitoring and mitigation
• Streamflow forecasting
• Reservoir operations management
• Irrigation water management
• Fire risk assessment
• Crop production
• Disease and pest outbreak mitigation
• Natural resource management
• Recreation
• Avalanche Forecasting

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SNOTEL and SCAN

• Data Access
• Data available on NWCC homepage
• http//www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov
• FTP access for various text based products
• SHEF encoded data via NOAA Family of Services
• Direct system access via User Access Agreements

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SNOTEL and SCAN

• Conclusion
• Near Real-time monitoring
• Snow Survey data has a long period of record.
• Greater than 10-year life expectancy
• Cost efficient systems
• Low maintenance requirements
• Capability of monitoring other data parameters,
  such as
• water depth, water quality, water level, etc..

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Contacts

• Garry L. Schaefer, Water Climate Monitoring
  Branch Leader101 SE Main St., Suite
  1600Portland, OR 97204Phone [phone] Fax
  503-414-3101Email gschaefer_at_wcc.nrcs.usda.gov
• Tony Tolsdorf, Hydrologist101 SE Main St., Suite
  1600Portland, OR 97204Phone [phone] Fax
  503-414-3101Email ttolsdorf_at_wcc.nrcs.usda.gov