The snow continues to accumulate in the Upper Colorado River Basin with a basin-wide average snow water equivalent (SWE) of 137 percent as of February 7, 2023 (Upper Colorado River Basin SNOTEL Snow/Precipitation Update Report (usda.gov))
As part of the Next Generation Water Observing Systems (NGWOS) program, the USGS has established a core network of continuous snow-monitoring stations in the Headwaters of the Colorado and Gunnison River Basins (table 1). These stations utilize new monitoring technologies to fill key data gaps and provide real-time, representative data on snowpack, soil moisture, and meteorological conditions in previously unmonitored areas.
In late January, Graham Sexstone and William McDermott visited two of the newly installed high-elevation NGWOS snow-monitoring stations in the Eagle River watershed (Ptarmigan and Boss Basin) to conduct spatial ground-based surveys of SWE and snow depth in areas surrounding the stations. Over the two field days, a storm totaling 10.5 new inches of snow depth and 1 new inch of SWE was observed.
Real-time data from these new snow-monitoring stations are publicly available through the National Water Information System (NWIS) database. The data are being used in conjunction with SNOTEL station data and remotely sensed snowpack measures, such as from the Airborne Snow Observatory and satellite imagery, to improve hydrologic models and predictions of water availability. New NGWOS non-contact stream gages at Resolution Creek and Turkey Creek are situated downstream of these snow monitoring stations, and the new datasets will support USGS water-cycle component evaluations focused on linking snowpack to streamflow.
Table 1. New USGS snow-monitoring stations and NWIS data links.
| USGS Station Number |
Link to Station Data |
| 402945105543801 |
CAMERON PASS METEOROLOGICAL STATION, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 395811105480401 |
DEVILS THUMB METEOROLOGICAL STATION NEAR FRASER, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 395709105582701 |
BLUE RIDGE METEOROLOGICAL STATION NR FRASER, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 395448105453601 |
RANCH CR MEADOW METEOROLOGICAL STA NR FRASER CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 394759105464101 |
BERTHOUD PASS METEOROLOGICAL STATION, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 392954106162501 |
PTARMIGAN METEOROLOGICAL STATION, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 392820106154601 |
BOSS BASIN METEOROLOGICAL STATION, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 392810106221001 |
HOMESTAKE METEOROLOGICAL STATION, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 391326106452601 |
HUNTER CREEK METEOROLOGICAL STATION NEAR ASPEN, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 390447107175001 |
CHAIR MOUNTAIN METEOROLOGICAL STATION, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 390622106343001 |
INDEPENDENCE PASS ALPINE METEOROLOGICAL STATION CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
| 375429107433201 |
SENATOR BECK METEOROLOGICAL STATION NR IRONTON, CO - USGS Water Data for the Nation |
