US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG Missouri River Basin Cooperative Plains Snow Survey Kevin Grode, P.E. Reservoir Regulation Team Lead Missouri.

US Army Corps of EngineersBUILDING STRONG®

Missouri River BasinCooperative Plains Snow SurveyKevin Grode, P.E.Reservoir Regulation Team LeadMissouri River Basin Water Management

Northwestern Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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Cooperative Plains Snow Survey Periodic plains snow survey

Depth & SWE Two-week frequency Standardized method & reporting

Volunteer surveyors Northern Plains in Missouri Basin

Stationary sites where surveyors are available Supports flood, runoff/water-supply, and

reservoir release forecasts

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Cooperating Agencies

State of North Dakota & South Dakota County Emergency Managers National Weather Service U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Geological Survey Private citizens

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Data Uses

NOAA Snow model verification (NOHRSC) MRBWM short/long-term forecasting

►Monthly volume forecasts►Modeled snowmelt runoff forecasting►Aid regulation decisions

Emergency management decisions

Survey Equipment 40-inch snow tube* Spring or digital scale Sample bucket Shovel Snow survey data sheet Pick axe

* Omaha District design, locally fabricated

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#5

#2

#3#1

#4

Snow depth/water equivalent from composite sample

Frost depth & estimated soil moisture

Ground ice thickness

Survey Data

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2011 Survey Network

77 individual locations sampled►38 repeat locations►27 supplemental locations

Surveyor profile►6 USACE reservoir projects►5 National Weather Service offices►14 county and state governments or private

citizens►Omaha District personnel

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2012 Snow Survey

Surveys scheduled every two weeks from Jan. 3 – Apr. 2

Due to lack of plains snow, surveys will commence if/when significant snow develops

Data posted to MRBWM website Data will be shared with NOHRSC & all

cooperators

Plains Snowpack20 January 2012

9

Source: NOAA - National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center

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www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/

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We need volunteers!!

The Corps will provide a snow tube

and digital scale. You provide a bucket and

your time.

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Missouri River Basin Snowmelt Models

Fort Peck

Garrison

Oahe

Fort Randall

Gavins Point

St. Louis

Nebraska City

Sioux City

Montana

Kansas

Iowa

Nebraska

South Dakota

Wyoming

Missouri

Colorado

NorthDakota

Knife RiverHeart RiverGrand RiverMoreau River

James RiverBig Sioux River

Gridded Snowmelt ModelingNOHRSC SNODAS

Model

CRRELGridded Snow

Products

Gridded Temperature

Gridded Precipitation

+ +

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Assessing Runoff from Plains Snow

Modeling …Quality of input = Quality of output► Current conditions► Forecasted conditions

Basin / Climate Conditions► Conditions vary over large upper basin area► Soil moisture, frost depth, evapotranspiration► Land use changes (tiling, vegetation)► Weather forecast accuracy > 1 week

►Collaboration / Patience

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Questions