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The Oklahoma Mesonet: Creating a Multi-Purpose Network

The Oklahoma Mesonet: Creating a Multi-Purpose Network. Ronald L. Elliott Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering Dept. Oklahoma State University. Topics To Be Addressed. What is the Oklahoma Mesonet? How did the Oklahoma Mesonet come to be?. What is the Oklahoma Mesonet?.

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The Oklahoma Mesonet: Creating a Multi-Purpose Network

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  1. The Oklahoma Mesonet:Creating a Multi-Purpose Network Ronald L. Elliott Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering Dept. Oklahoma State University

  2. Topics To Be Addressed • What is the Oklahoma Mesonet? • How did the Oklahoma Mesonet come to be?

  3. What is the Oklahoma Mesonet? • A multi-purpose, statewide, environmental monitoring network • A unique information infrastructure emphasizing value-added applications • An active partnership between Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma • A successful model for inter-agency cooperation • A valuable resource that is meeting important state needs • A state-of-the-art network that is recognized nationally and internationally

  4. The Physical Network

  5. Remote Stations(data collection) • 115 Mesonet stations • at least one in each of Oklahoma’s 77 counties • average station spacing = approx. 30 km • 42 USDA-ARS Micronet stations (reduced set of sensors) • research watershed near Chickasha • average station spacing = approx. 5 km

  6. Self-Contained Sites • Self-reliant, 2-way communications • Solar powered • Data storage capacity: from ~5 to nearly 30 days

  7. Variables Measured at All Mesonet Stations • Air temperature (1.5 m) • Relative humidity (1.5 m) • Rainfall • Atmospheric pressure • Solar radiation • Wind speed & direction (10 m) • Soil temperature under bare soil and sod (10 cm)

  8. Supplemental Measurements (~100 of the 115 stations) • Air temperature @ 9 m • Wind speed @ 2 m • Sod soil temperature @ 5 and 30 cm • Bare soil temperature @ 5 cm • Soil moisture @ 2 to 4 depths(58 stations have all 4 soil moisture depths)

  9. “OASIS” Measurements • Research emphasis(surface energy balance) • 90 “standard” sites • 10 “super” sites

  10. Equipment Deployed and Maintained • More than 3000 sensors • More than 1800 dataloggers/radios/power systems/etc.

  11. Maintenance Activities in 2001 • Conducted 430 standardized “routine” site visits • Acquired 4800 digital site photos • Calibrated 1475 instruments in the laboratory • Resolved 950 instrument “trouble tickets”

  12. Communications Network(data transmission) • Line-of-sight radio to/from OLETS • Oklahoma Law Enforcement Telecommunications System • reliable • high bandwidth • two-way communications • OLETS to/from Mesonet computers

  13. Central Computers(data processing & sharing) • Data ingest and “hole filling” software • 1.15 million observations per day • 99.8% archiving efficiency in 2001 • Extensive data quality assurance routines • More than 150 unique web-based products • ~63,000 files per day • ~1,500 web accounts • ~33 million web hits in 2001

  14. Oklahoma Climatological Survey • Mesonet’s operational home • State agency based on the OU campus in Norman • Legislative mandate to acquire, process, and disseminate climate and weather information for use by the state's citizens

  15. Topics To Be Addressed • What is the Oklahoma Mesonet? • How did the Oklahoma Mesonet come to be?

  16. The Mesonet’s Timeline 1980’s Pre-funding phase 1990-1993 Design-and-build phase 1994-present Operational phase

  17. Early to Mid 1980’s • Stillwater (OSU) • Established ad-hoc committee on Agro-Meteorological Systems • Sought to improve weather data availability for agricultural applications • Norman (NWS, OU, NSSL) • Tulsa flood of 1984 stimulated thinking • Proposed concept of a statewide mesonetwork

  18. 1987 • Proponents in Stillwater and Norman became aware of each other’s interests • Informal, cooperative, working team was quickly established

  19. August 1988 • Open meeting in Norman to present the Oklahoma Mesonetwork concept • Preliminary proposal discussed • Many organizations represented • Very positive feedback

  20. 1988 – 1990 • Refined the proposal • Approached the Governor’s office • Eventually were awarded $2 millionin oil overcharge funds(via the Oklahoma Dept. of Commerce)

  21. The Mesonet’s Timeline 1980’s Pre-funding phase 1990-1993 Design-and-build phase 1994-present Operational phase

  22. The Steering Committee • 6 individuals with varied backgrounds • Shared governance (OU & OSU) • Empowered by university administration • Meetings as needed • Consensus decisions • Prepared agendas, minutes, reports • Shared vision and close working relationships

  23. Current SC Members • Ken Crawford (meteorologist) • Ron Elliott (agricultural engineer) • Howard Johnson (climatologist) • Steve Stadler (geographer) • Dave Stensrud (meteorologist) • Al Sutherland (horticulturalist)

  24. Previous SC Members • Gerrit Cuperus (entomologist) • Chuck Doswell (meteorologist) • Jim Duthie (plant pathologist) • Mike Eilts (meteorologist)

  25. The Mesonet Manager • Oversees day-to-day activities • Technical & managerial responsibilities • Reports to SC & OCS leadership

  26. Mesonet Managers(listed chronologically) • Fred Brock • Tim Hughes • Scott Richardson • Chris Fiebrich

  27. The Planning Subcommittees • Helped ensure that good decisions were made • Encouraged a sense of ownership in the system • Were mission oriented • Had a reasonably short life • Interacted with related subcommittees • Made recommendations to the steering committee

  28. Subcommittee Themes • Site Standards • Site Selection • Out-Year Funding • Station Maintenance • Quality Assurance • Data Management • Products/Dissemination • Parameter Selection • Sensor Specification • User Fees/Data Sharing

  29. Stakeholder Representationon Subcommittees • Oklahoma State University • University of Oklahoma • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • U.S. Geological Survey • USDA Agricultural Research Service • USDA Soil Conservation Service • National Severe Storms Laboratory • National Weather Service Forecast Office • NEXRAD Operational Support Facility • Oklahoma Water Resources Board • Stillwater Emergency Operations Center • Private-sector meteorology

  30. Retrospective Observations on Subcommittees • All provided valuable input to the Steering Committee • Subcommittee work led to enhanced awareness and buy-in by stakeholders • Some topics were front-burner issues early on (site standards, site selection, etc.) • Other topics tended to receive more focus at a later date (out-year funding, user fees, etc.)

  31. Three Planning Forums April – June, 1991Stillwater, Norman, Oklahoma City“an opportunity to learn of current plans for the Oklahoma Mesonet and to contribute towards its final design”

  32. Some Technical Milestones • March 1991 • Began data communications testing • December 1991 • Installed first towers at field sites • April 1992 • Established sensor calibration lab • December 1992 • Received first FCC radio licenses • July 1993 • Installed last of the original 108 stations

  33. Some Programmatic Milestones • September 1991 • OSU hired agricultural meteorologist(J. D. Carlson) • June 1992 • NSF funded OCS’s EARTHSTORM educational outreach program • August 1992 • Micronet cooperative agreement signed with USDA-ARS • October 1993 • Installed first public display cabinet

  34. In 3 short years, the Mesonet team had …. • Hired staff with a variety of expertise • Found and leased (at no cost) 108 field sites • Decided on the variables to be measured • Performed in-house system integration • Selected, purchased & installed sensors • Developed & tested a data communications system • Instituted maintenance & preliminary quality assurance procedures • Developed value-added products and means of dissemination • Stayed within budget!

  35. The Mesonet’s Timeline 1980’s Pre-funding phase 1990-1993 Design-and-build phase 1994-present Operational phase

  36. Over the last 8 years ….. Evolution and maturation of procedures related to: • Site & equipment maintenance • Sensor calibration • Data ingest & processing • Data quality assurance • Software development • Serving the end user

  37. Over the last 8 years …. Considerable effort has been expended in securing andsolidifying operational funding.

  38. Primary Funding Sources(for network operation) • The Noble Foundation (1994-1995) • State agencies (1994-1996) • OU and OSU (1994-present) • Federal partnerships (1994-present) • Grants and contracts (1994-present) • Legislature/Regents (1996-present) • User fees (1996-present)

  39. The vision of a multi-purpose network has been realized …. • Weather forecasting • Emergency management • Agriculture • Education • Research • Water resources • Energy management • Law enforcement & public safety • Transportation • Recreation • Etc.

  40. The Oklahoma Mesonet is now: • A proven resource • On a firm financial footing • Viewed as a model • Poised for even greater service

  41. For the Mesonet team, it’s been a long, challenging, exciting, and extremely rewarding journey.

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