Snow Research Meets Water Resources Operations in the San Juans: Current State and Future Collaborations

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Snow Research Meets Water Resources Operations in the San Juans: Current State and Future Collaborations  is a workshop hosted by the Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies (CSAS) and Colorado State University (CSU) in Silverton Colorado on Tuesday, February 7th, 2023, from 9-5, and via Zoom. The workshop is free whether you are attending in person or Zoom. It will be informative whether you are a scientist, water professional, or curious citizen. We have an exciting lineup of presenters and panelists that will provide a wide range of perspectives.

What: Snow Research Meets Water Resources Operations in the San Juans: Current State and Future Collaborations

When: Tuesday, February 7th, 2023.  9 am – 5 pm.

Where: Silverton, CO. At City Hall (upstairs) located at 1360 Greene Street.

Or Online

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/97082249265?pwd=WW94WS9qSlhkQjdVMmxpbVNlQnFiUT09

Meeting ID: 970 8224 9265

Passcode: 295543

One tap mobile

+17193594580,,97082249265#,,,,*295543# US

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Register: Please register, especially if attending in person, register here for the Workshop.

Workshop Goals:

1) define the current and future needs of water managers,

2) provide a forum for various stakeholders (and researchers) to discuss water, and

3) define research needs related to current and future water management needs.

Agenda:

09:00  Introductions and Purpose/Goals of the Workshop – Workshop Steering Committee

  • The Structure of the Workshop: Panels and Research Talks
  • Overview of the Panels: Present, Future, and How to Get There
  • Objectives of the Workshop – what do we want to get out of this

09:15  “Snow” Research in the San Juans and CSAS – Jeff Derry (CSAS)

09:30  Panel – the Present: A Glimpse into How Water Management Decisions are Made

  • Panelists
    • Erik Skeie (Colorado Water Conservation Board)
    • Karl Wetlaufer (NRCS, Denver, CO)
    • Tony Mitchell (TriCounty Water)
    • Ken Curtis (Dolores Water Conservation District – Mcphee Reservoir)

10:30  Break (drinks and snacks provided)

10:45  Research Talks

  • Modeling Snowpack Albedo Emphasizing Fresh Snow – Danielle Reimanis (City of Fort Collins)
  • Effects of Deposited Dust on Colorado Snowpack – Caroline (Rosie) Duncan (US Army Corps of Engineers)
  • The Hydrological Importance of High Elevation Wetlands – Nick Chohan (CSU Geosciences)
  • Searching for Permafrost in the San Juan Mountains – Heidi Steltzer (Fort Lewis College)

11:45  Morning Discussion and Recap

12:00  Lunch (provided)

12:15  The Airborne Snow Observatory – Jeffrey Deems (lunchtime seminar/overview)

12:45  Research Talks (60 minutes including question and answer)

  • Evaluating the Forest Structure, Water Resource Nexus in the San Juan Mountains – Jake Kurzweil (MSI)
  • Groundwater in the Mountains – William Sanford (CSU Geosciences)
  • Estimating the Double Streamflow on the Uncompahgre River – Lenka Doskocil (US Fulbright Scholar to Ecuador)
  • High Resolution Current and Future Climate SnowModel Simulations in the Upper Colorado River Basin – Graham Sexstone (USGS Colorado Water Science Center)

14:15  Panel – the Future: Required Information to make Better Informed Decisions

  • Panelists
    • Graham Sexstone (US Geological Survey – USGS)
    • Susan Behery (Bureau of Reclamation – BoR)
    • Taylor Winchell (Denver Water)
    • DK/David Kanzer (Colorado River Water Conservation District – CRD)
    • Marc Pons (Andorra Recerca + Innovació)

15:15  Break (drinks and snacks provided)

15:30  Panel – Needed Research/Tools/Data Products/Training

  • Panelists
    • Sunshine Swetnam (CSU)
    • Tanya Ishikawa (Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership – UWP)
    • Ashley Neilson (Colorado Basin River Forecast Center – CBRFC)
    • Heidi Steltzer (Fort Lewis College)
    • Jake Kurzweil (Mountain Studies Institute – MSI)

16:15  Open Discussion and Next Steps

  • Other ongoing Water Resources Operational – Research Efforts

16:45  Summary, Next Steps, and Closing Remarks – all

17:00  End of Workshop

Register: Please fill out the following form, especially for those planning to attend in-person: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc3ah5Av4dM4wJDCLirf9wBXwginTPu9hmn9Ce82cOPR2gDKw/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0&usp=mail_form_link

Logistics: For those who will stay in Silverton, a block of rooms is being reserved at Teller Hotel https://tellerhouse.com/ and the Alma House Inn https://www.innoftherockies.com/. When booking, state that you are with the CSAS Snow–Water Resources Workshop (and that Jeff Derry sent you). The weekend prior (Feb 4-5) Silverton is hosting “Whiteout”, an all day bike race and activities. Follow this link for more information as well as a complete list of accommodations in Silverton (scroll to bottom of page).

Snacks and drinks will be provided during the breaks, and lunch will be provided for those in person. To order enough food and not waste food, plus to accommodate dietary restrictions, we ask you to fill out this online form.

Relevant websites: Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies (CSAS). Colorado Dust-on-Snow Program (CODOS).  Colorado State University (CSU).