A06 Specifications.docx

Salient Characteristics S20127 The USGS Colorado Water Science Center needs to purchase a snowpack sensors capable of measuring snow depth, snow density, snow water equivalent, content of liquid water, contents of ice, snowmelt, and snow drift particle flux. This equipment is intended to be used for snow monitoring in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

The equipment is needed for monitoring and recording snowpack conditions as it pertains to water storage in snow and snowmelt timing that is critical for reservoirs and water supply. The equipment will be used to develop a test bed for innovative technology as part of the Next Generation Water Observation System (NGWOS). This equipment is intended to be installed in an open meadow at 9,500 feet a.s.l. outside of any danger related to avalanche or other disturbances. In order to successfully develop this snow hydrology test bed, we will need to install this equipment during September 2020, before the snowfall season in Colorado begins. Therefore, it is imperative that this equipment meet or exceed the requirements listed below.

SNOWPACK SENSORS

SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

1 EA, Snow Water Analyzer:

1. Shall be capable of recording each of the snow parameters: snow water equivalent and liquid water content, in a snowpack.

2. Shall have integrated GNSS based sensor.

3. Shall be compatible with GPS, Glonas, and Galileo Satellite systems.

4. Shall only detect snow and liquid water particles.

5. Shall include calibration function.

6. Shall have SDI-12 and RS-485 serial interface.

7. Shall be capable of making measurements not affected by weather, air temperature, or rain and humidity in the air and atmosphere.

2 EA, Snow Depth Sensor:

8. Shall be capable of continuously detecting the reflective surface of snow to measure snow depth.

9. Shall have a snow depth measurement range between 0 to at least 10m with a measurement duration of at least 2 seconds, and a resolution of at least 1mm.

10. Shall have integrated temperature compensation allowing an accuracy of at least 0.1% (FS).

11. Shall include a serial interface with RS 485, SDI-12; ASCII format and Modbus RTU.

12. Shall have an operating temperature that ranges between -40 °C to at least 60 °C.

13. Shall have integrated air-temperature sensor with radiation shield.

a. Shall have measurement range between -40 °C to at least 60 °C.

b. Shall have at least a 0.1 °C resolution.

14. Shall have a housing with at least an IP 66 rating.

15. Shall have integrated lightning protection.

16. Shall include analogue interface with snow depth or distance at a minimum of 4 - 20mA signal; resolution at 14 Bit max. load at 250 Ω and air temperature at a minimum of 4 - 20mA signal, resolution of 14 Bit max. load at 250 Ω.

1 EA, Snow Drift Sensor:

17. Shall be capable of recording each of the snow parameters: snow drift (particle flux) and wind speed.

18. Shall have a cable of at least 3m long.

19. Shall include acoustic sensor technology.

20. Shall measures wind speed up to at least 250km/h.

21. Shall detect only snow and ice particles.

22. Shall have SDI-12, two x 4-20mA, and RS-232 serial outputs.

23. Shall be capable of making measurements not affected by air temperature or rain.

2 EA, Data Logger:

24. Shall be capable of remote data transmission using at least 2G.

25. Shall be operated independently through external power supply and integrated solar charge controller.

26. Shall be capable of USB memory stick or Bluetooth readouts.

27. Shall have an operating temperature that ranges between -30 °C to at least 60 °C.

28. Shall have at least 4 MB flash memory.

29. Shall have at least 99 number channels.

30. Shall have at least four (4) analogue, two (2) counters, one (1) frequency for wind gust, one (1) potentiometer for wind directions inputs.RS-485

31. Shall have at least one (1) for ASCII protocol, one (1) for web cam and one (1) for SDI-12 interface.

32. Shall have display with LCD unit with digital contrast setting and LED backlight for data read out.

33. Shall have RS-232, USB host and Bluetooth communications.

34. Shall have weatherproof, pounder coated, aluminum enclosure with at least an IP67 rating.

35. Shall include operational software.

36. Shall take measurements at least every 2 seconds.

2 EA, Data Logger Cable:

37. Shall be compatible with Data Logger above.

1 EA, Snow Scale:

38. Shall be capable automated continuous measurement of snow water equivalent of a snowpack

39. Shall be a non-fluid (no antifreeze liquid required) design that uses load cells.

40. Shall have measurement range from 0 to at least 1.000 mm SWE.

41. Shall have resolution of at least 0.1 KG/M² equal to by definition 0.1 MM Snow Water Equivalent.

42. Shall have accuracy of at least 0.3 % (FS).

43. Shall have measuring surface at least 6.72 m².

44. Shall have aluminum box with lightning protection that has at least an IP 68 rating.

45. Shall run on at least 10 VDC.

46. Shall have an operating temperature range from -40 to at least 176° F.

47. Shall have inclination no more than 5°.

48. Shall have SDI-12, RS-485 ASCII, and RS-485 MODBUS output.

1 EA, Snowmelt Analyzer:

49. Shall be capable of recording each of the snow parameters: snow water equivalent, snow density, liquid water content, and ice content.

50. Shall utilize an impedance analyzer for performing the measurements of the complex impedance along the sensor and within the base of the snowpack.

51. Shall include a serial interface with RS 485 and SDI-12.

52. Shall have an operating temperature range from -35 to at least 80° C.

53. Shall have measurement range from 0 to at least 1,000 kg/m3 snow density.

54. Shall have resolution of at least 0.1 KG/M² equal to by definition 0.1 MM Snow Water Equivalent.

55. Shall have accuracy of at least 0.3 % (FS).

56. Shall have measuring surface at least 6.72 m².

57. Shall have inclination no more than 5°.

1 EA, Snowpack Analyzer:

58. Shall be capable of recording each of the parameters: snow water equivalent, snow density, liquid water content, ice content, and snow depth.

59. Shall be capable of recording the progress of snowmelt, including the liquid water content held within the snowpack, and the expected quantities of water to be released from the snowpack.

60. Shall provide energy-saving sleep mode for solar-powered stations.

61. Shall be capable of recording information regarding the complete snowpack or about specific snow profile depths.

62. Shall utilize an impedance analyzer for performing the measurements of the complex impedance along the sensor and within the snowpack.

63. Shall have a snow depth measurement range of 0 to at least 2.5 meters, snow water equivalent measurement range of 0 to at least 1000 millimeters, snow density measurement range of 0 to at least 1000 kilograms per cubic meter, volumetric water content measurement range from 0 to at least 100 percent, and volumetric ice content measurement range from 0 to at least 100 percent.

64. Shall have a weatherproof and UV-resistant design to protect the sensors from harsh environmental conditions.

65. Shall include a solid aluminum construction for the fixation and tensioning of the impedance sensors.

66. Shall have an operating temperature that ranges between -35 °C to at least 60 °C (-31 °F to 140 °F).

67. Shall include a serial interface with RS 485, SDI-12; ASCII format.

68. Shall be solar powered and operate within a power range of 9 to 15 VDC.