Click the link to read the article on the Gunnison Country Times website (Bella Biondi). Here’s an excerpt:
March 13, 2024
Although the Upper Gunnison has proven the value of ASO flights, the agency — as well as many other water districts in Colorado — cannot pay for the costly technology alone. This year, the district created an Upper Gunnison Basin ASO funding partnership, a growing collective of local agencies that will divide the cost of running flights.
Link to the Colorado Airborne Snow Measurement Program website
“For the Western Slope, it’s incredibly important to be able to predict annual hydrology so that we can live within our means on the river,” said District General Manager Sonja Chavez.
The annual cost of conducting snow surveys for the East and the Taylor River watersheds exceeds $300,000. These basins, which encompass roughly 570 square miles, are prioritized because they typically hold the most snow and generate the largest amount of water in the spring…After a $50,000 investment from the water district, the Gunnison County Electric Association, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the Upper Colorado River Commission and the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) helped cover the rest. Chavez said she plans to expand the partnership next winter.