TY - Generic T1 - A centralized forecasting system for the western United States T2 - 54th Annual Western Snow Conference Y1 - 1986 A1 - Shafer, B.A. A1 - Huddleston, J.M. KW - Forecasting system, Hydrologic data bases, SNOTEL, Streamflow forecasting, Water management planning AB - As a result of a reorganization in the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Snow Survey Program in 1983, a number of functions including streamflow forecasting, data base support, hydrologic modeling, and report generation were assigned to the West National Technical Center in Portland, Oregon. To fulfill these responsibilities, a Data General MV-8000 minicomputer was acquired and a centralized forecasting system (CFS) designed and implemented on it that supports snow survey activities in 12 western states. Within CFS, an operational data base consisting of daily and monthly time series data has been created. Access to CFS is provided to other federal and state agencies as well as the general public through both asynchronous and synchronous communications. CFS is conceptualized as the primary focal point for snow survey data collection, data exchange, and forecast product dissemination. It is being integrated into SCS' Field Office Communication and Automation System (FOCAS) implementation plan to help expedite delivery of planning information to local users. JF - 54th Annual Western Snow Conference T3 - Proceedings of the 54th Annual Western Snow Conference PB - Western Snow Conference CY - Phoenix, Arizona UR - sites/westernsnowconference.org/PDFs/1986Shafer.pdf ER - TY - Generic T1 - Analysis of 1983 snowmelt runoff production in the Upper Colorado river basin T2 - 52nd Annual Western Snow Conference Y1 - 1984 A1 - Shafer, B.A. A1 - Jensen, D.T. A1 - Jones, K.C. KW - Colorado flooding, SNOTEL, Snow cover, Snowmelt runoff, Streamflow forecasting AB - Spring and summer streamflow for 1983 was extraordinarily high in the Colorado River Basin as well as many others in the Western United States. Streamflow forecasts in these areas were low by from 30 to 100 percent. An investigation was undertaken to examine the hydrometeorological interactions that produced the unusually high runoff and caused such large errors. The synergistic interaction of snow water equivalent, snow areal extent, temperature, precipitation, and soil moisture were evaluated. SNOTEL data combined with satellite imagery were shown to be highly valuable in interpreting the sequence of events during the runoff period. Major causes for the extreme runoff are summarized and recommendations are made for improving forecast models to better predict future events of a similar nature. JF - 52nd Annual Western Snow Conference T3 - Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Western Snow Conference PB - Western Snow Conference CY - Sun Valley, Idaho UR - sites/westernsnowconference.org/PDFs/1984Shafer.pdf ER - TY - Generic T1 - Development of a surface water supply index (SWSI) to assess the severity of drought conditions in snowpack runoff areas T2 - 50th Annual Western Snow Conference Y1 - 1982 A1 - Shafer, B.A. A1 - Dezman, L.E. KW - Drought, Drought Index, Frequency analysis, Water supply AB - Colorado has experienced recent periods of drought in the winters of 1976-77 and 1980-81 which were detrimental to the state's economy. To deal with these conditions, Colorado has developed a drought response plan which relies upon a water availability assessment. A Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI) has been developed which when combined with the Palmer Drought Index, acts as both a triggering mechanism to activate the state's drought response plan as well as a yardstick to determine when a drought has effectively terminated. A single SWSI number is generated for each major basin on a monthly basis throughout the year. The index is derived from the cumulative probability distributions of snow course, precipitation, reservoir, and streamflow data. Each of the constituent variables in the index is weighted in proportion to its probable impact on total surface water resource of the basin. A SWSI map of Colorado is developed to display the information. The development of SWSI has been a joint endeavor of the Colorado State Engineer's Office and the U.S. Soil Conservation Service. JF - 50th Annual Western Snow Conference T3 - Proceedings of the 50th Annual Western Snow Conference PB - Western Snow Conference CY - Reno, Nevada UR - sites/westernsnowconference.org/PDFs/1982Shafer.pdf ER - TY - Generic T1 - Interpreting snow survey data for use in environmental planning T2 - 43rd Annual Western Snow Conference Y1 - 1975 A1 - Shafer, B.A. A1 - Farnes, P.E. KW - Snow survey - uses for planning AB - Historically the Snow Survey Program has been directed toward gathering and processing of snow survey data to provide timely and accurate forecasts of forthcoming water supplies. In recent years the wealth of data gathered and cataloged in this program has become of even greater value. Mounting pressures of industrial , urban, and recreational development in the foothills and mountains of the West have resulted in planners and mangers demanding more extensive climatological and hydrological information than has hitherto been available. Snow hydrologists in the snow survey program responding to this need are providing answers to many of their requests. Planners are being given help in such diverse areas as reservoir management, snow loads, snowfall, and snow depths, ski and snowmobile area evaluations, mountain hydrology, and average annual precipaitation. Much has been accomplished in the field in interpretations for planning but much remains to be done. JF - 43rd Annual Western Snow Conference T3 - Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Western Snow Conference PB - Western Snow Conference CY - Coronado, California UR - sites/westernsnowconference.org/PDFs/1975Shafer.pdf ER -