The wasatch front, a metropolitan region in the north-central part of utah and within the great salt lake basin is experiencing mounting pressure on limited water sources, including declining levels…

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation awarded a $1,953,858 Cooperative Agreement on February 7, 2025 to the State of Utah's Division of Water Resources under the CFDA 15.078 Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program. The project aims to enhance snowpack monitoring and streamflow prediction capabilities in the Weber River watershed in north-central Utah over a 3-year period, ending on September 30, 2027. Key activities include conducting airborne snow observatory flights to gather snowpack data using aerial LiDAR and spectrometer surveys, and integrating this data into weather and hydrological forecasting models. The project objectives are to improve the skill of snowpack measurements and streamflow predictions, enabling water managers to optimize reservoir operations, mitigate drought impacts, and better allocate water resources in the region. The funding will support this collaborative effort between the Division of Water Resources and key stakeholders to address water supply challenges in the Great Salt Lake Basin.

The wasatch front, a metropolitan region in the north-central part of utah and within the great salt lake basin is experiencing mounting pressure on limited water sources, including declining levels in critical reservoirs and the great salt lake. The proposed project seeks to address these challenges by implementing airborne snow observatory technology in the weber river watershed. The project will involve conducting airborne snow observatory flights to gather snowpack data via integrated aerial light detection and ranging and spectrometer surveys combined with real-time simulation and assimilation into the weather research and forecasting hydro model for forecasting. Evaluation of the airborne snow observatory-informed forecasts will be conducted against conventional methods (forecasts from operational agencies) to assess improvements in water management outcomes and associated costs. The project aims to enhance the skill of snowpack measurements and streamflow predictions, and through collaboration with key stakeholders, empower weber river water managers to optimize reservoir operations, mitigate drought impacts, and better allocate water resources. The project will take place in the weber river watershed in north-central utah over a 3-year period and shall be completed by september 30, 2027. Its success will be measured by its impact on the areas reservoir management and water delivery.