Remote sensing by event and satellite hydrology stations: present and anticipated utilization in water supply and snow melt forecasting

The state of California Snow Surveys Office collects data for the California Cooperative Snow Surveys program from 93 remote telemetered sensors located in the Sierra Nevada and northern California mountains. The Mid-Pacific Region, USBR, provides funding and support for 24 of these stations. Sensing at each of the stations includes precipitation, snow, and temperature. The California standard, four 1.2 X 1.5 meter stainless steel tanks containing 190 liters glycometh, is the snow water equivalent measuring devise. Comparisons of the telemetered and snow tube measurements are described and illustrated. Real time reporting from the 'event' type stations provide valuable information on watersheds during storms. Reports are used to evaluate and arrive at inflow predictions for USBR reservoirs. Both 'event' and 'satellite' type station data provide information during the snow accumulations and depletions to update water supply forecasts and adjust the reservoir operations to meet demands of the Central Valley Project.