Mountain hydrology LLC proposes a collaboration with airborne snow observatories, INC., the wind river water resources control board, and the university of nevada, reno to undertake 3 years of snow…

This Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program (CFDA 15.078) provides $1,340,879.80 to Mountain Hydrology LLC to conduct a 3-year project focused on improving snow monitoring and water supply forecasting in the Wind River Range of Wyoming.

The key products and services to be delivered include: 1) Conducting annual spring airborne LiDAR snow surveys over 10 watersheds in the Wind River Range to map snow depth and water equivalent; 2) Updating digital elevation models of Wind River Range glaciers to improve the accuracy of the LiDAR snow measurements; 3) Integrating the airborne snow data into statistical runoff forecasting models to enhance the reliability of seasonal water supply projections; and 4) Developing a decision support tool for the Wind River Water Resources Control Board to optimize reservoir and diversion management based on the improved water supply forecasts. The project involves a collaboration between Mountain Hydrology, Airborne Snow Observatories, the University of Nevada, Reno, and the Wind River Water Resources Control Board, with the goal of delivering benefits to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes, the Bureau of Reclamation, and local irrigators and communities.

Mountain hydrology LLC proposes a collaboration with airborne snow observatories, INC., the wind river water resources control board, and the university of nevada, reno to undertake 3 years of snow surveys in the wind river range, wyoming, and to incorporate results from these surveys into forecast-informed adaptive water and agriculture CO-management strategies. The purpose of this project is to improve the quality and usefulness of snow data available in the underserved wind river and upper green river watersheds by deploying and interpreting airborne snow observatories, INC. Snow surveys in late spring, when current snow monitoring techniques are insufficient to meet management needs. In late may or early june of 2024, 2025, and 2026, airborne snow observatories, INC. Will acquire lidar-based snow depth maps over 10 important watersheds in the wind river range and deliver maps of snow water equivalent using snow density fields constrained by mountain hydrology the university of nevada, reno fieldwork and modeling. We will demonstrate an improvement to the accuracy of lidar snow depth acquisitions by updating snow-free digital elevation models of the wind river range glaciers at the end of each ablation season, made possible thanks to airborne snow observatories, INC. Generous in-kind commitment to public benefit glaciology. After each spring snow survey, mountain hydrology and the university of nevada, reno will test, evaluate, and refine seasonal water supply forecast models using direct insertion of airborne snow observatories, INC. Snow water equivalent data into bayesian (statistical) runoff models. The project team, including senior advisory board members, will consult with the wind river water resources control board to develop a decision support tool that identifies potential reservoir and diversion scheduling actions in response to water supply guidance on the wind river indian reservation. Project results will be disseminated directly to collaborating water managers in addition to the preparation of relevant scientific analyses for peer-review in partnership with the university of nevada, reno. Beneficiaries of this work include the eastern shoshone tribe and northern arapaho tribe, whose representatives form the joint wind river water resources control board the bureau of reclamation, whose regional forecaster has successfully used previous airborne snow observatories, INC. Data to increase reservoir scheduling confidence and local irrigators rural communities who stand to benefit from increased efficiency of water management.