NOAA in the Colorado River Basin

1. Robert S. Webb NOAA in the Colorado River Basin

2. Linking Research and Decision Making Planning Planning Planning Planning Planning Hydropower Decision Calendars Municipal & Industrial Decision Calendars Aquatic Ecosystems Decision Calendars data data data data data Outdoor Recreation Decision Calendars decisions decisions decisions decisions decisions Agriculture Production Decision Calendars tion planning tion planning tion planning tion planning tion planning gmentation gmentation gmentation gmentation gmentation releases releases releases releases releases Oct Oct Oct Oct Oct

3. Climate Attribution • Attribution is the scientific process of establishing the physical causes or physical explanation for observed climate conditions. • Attribution, by scientifically ascertaining mechanisms responsible for climate conditions, informs predictability and prediction science. • Explain persistent drought conditions in the West

4. Reconciling Projections of CO River Flows • ISSUES • Topography & resolution matter • Physical processes are not well observed or represented in models • Communication matters • Wide range of 2050 projections • NOAA PSD, WWA, Scripps, U. Arizona, U. Washington, Reclamation, CBRFC, USGS

5. Hydroclimate Testbed Soil Moisture Monitoring • Five sites have been deployed in the San Pedro Basin in AZ (a sixth later this Spring) • One site deployed near Granby, CO, and a second later this spring near Gunnison. • Measurements include soil moisture and temperature at 5 depths, surface air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation. • Monitoring supports model verification, surface water and energy balance studies to understand snowpack, runoff and ET processes