Funding for the expansion of the open soil water sensor network in the state of colorado, a congressionally-directed special community project requested by senator michael bennet and senator john…

Funding for the expansion of the open soil water sensor network in the state of colorado, a congressionally-directed special community project requested by senator michael bennet and senator john hickenlooper and identified in the consolidated appropriations act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42), signed into law on march 9, 2024. Soil moisture monitoring networks are interconnected networks of instrumented environmental monitoring stations across an entire state, or a small footprint of a state/region. The capital outlay provided will expand the current network with more than 100 additional fixed-location soil moisture sensors at strategic sites across the state, focusing on four regional watersheds for which colorado serves as the headwaters state. Funding will also be utilized to expand the states monitoring capabilities by augmenting and connecting existing networks to help water managers and weather forecasters better understand drought and critical water supplies across the state. The expanded network will also improve drought risk assessments and management, water supply forecasting and wildfire protection.