Mono Basin Clearinghouse Updates for 11/13/02From: Greg Reis
Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 2:59 PM
Subject: Mono Basin Clearinghouse Updates for 11/13/02
Dear Friends,
There have been lots of updates in the Raw Data section this month.
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RAW DATA
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Lee Vining Weather Summary for October 2002
Last two days of the month missing due to a weather software upgrade. For
October, it had the lowest average windspeed and lowest precipitation on record
(period of record is since 1998, although NOAA records show less precip in Oct.
1997). The month didn't start out mild--snow falling in Lee Vining on October
1st is the earliest snowfall I remember since 1995, and October 3rd is the
earliest the temperature has dipped into the 20s since at least 1993 (based on
NOAA records).
See http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/weather.htm
Real Time Data Explanations Page
Now updated for the October-March season, with required minimum flows in bold.
Very favorable reactions from L.A.'s chief hydrographer in Bishop and some
others involved with the restoration effort when asked for comments. And the
real time data was very useful in tracking the hydrologic response to last
week's rainstorm. Lee Vining got 4 inches of rain in a day and a half with high
snow levels, causing Lee Vining Creek to rise to 70 cfs and fall back to 30 cfs
within 2 days. Walker Creek rose from 1 cfs to 18 cfs and has remained at 10 cfs
since. Parker Creek only came up to 8 cfs (from a baseflow of 2 cfs) and Rush
Creek at Damsite peaked at 152 cfs (from a baseflow of 90).
See http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/mbrtdframes.htm
Aqueduct Reports
DWP emails us the Northern District Daily Report every weekday. After 11am (for
days that I'm in the office, typically Tues-Fri) you can find that day's report
posted. This is a good (preliminary) check on the real time data website, which
has certain stations consistently wrong (these incorrect stations are noted on
the explanations page).
See the link on the explanations page noted above and http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/#HYDROLOGY
Lake Level
Mono Lake rose about 0.13 feet during last week's rainstorm. The monthly lake
level chart is up to date through November 1st and the yearly chart is up to
date through October 1, 2002.
See the links here: http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/#HYDROLOGY
Tioga Pass Opening and Closing Dates
Tioga Pass closed on November 6th this year, and was open 166 days.
See the data, averages, and extremes since 1933 here: http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/tiogapass.htm
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CURRENT RESEARCH
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Lee Vining Canyon Wind Study
I ran into Craig B. Clements at the Sierra Nevada Science Symposium in early
October. He had a poster in the poster session on his Lee Vining Canyon wind
study. I remember Geoff McQuilkin and I helping him launch and track weather
balloons from Aspen Meadow on crisp moonlit winter nights in 1996. Apparently
down-canyon daytime winds are unusual in mountain environments (or at least in
the literature), but Lee Vining Canyon has them. He tried to email me his poster
but so far the attachment hasn't been readable--nevertheless, the link to his
website will take you to some info about the project.
Mono Lake Snowy Plover Survey
PRBO has conducted an All-lake Snowy Plover Survey 2001-2002. They are planning
on doing it again next year. Look for the data here soon, but the research
effort is now listed on the Current Research page.
Lee Vining and Rush Creek Piezometer Monitoring
There is now a page that describes this monitoring and links to the monitoring
protocol and the data files. I have not updated the data yet for this year--I
only have Rush Creek entered so far and I want to read the Rush Creek
piezometers one more time. I'm pretty close to having it ready, so look for that
next month.
See http://www.monobasinresearch.org/research/
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LINKS
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The USGS has produced a beautiful color bathymetric map of Mono Lake based on
the 1986-87 Pelagos survey. This is similar to a map of Lake Tahoe bathymetry
also produced by the USGS. This Mono Lake map, available for download in several
formats, is linked from both our links page and our GIS page.
For the watersheds surrounding the Mono and Owens Basins, the USGS has real-time
streamflow data compared to the historical average for the date. Maps with
colored dots show at a glance which areas of the state and nation have greater
than average runoff.
Find the links under "USGS" here: http://www.monobasinresearch.org/links/
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Just one final note, I realize that under "Current Research" I'm promising three
different things that aren't online yet. When I'm working on getting something
for the Website, I'll often mention it here. Sometimes it takes a while to
actually get online, and I apologize for those items I've mentioned in the past
that still aren't there yet. I'll periodically remind the researchers that
promised these things to me, so hang in there!
Thanks for your interest in Mono Basin Research,
Greg
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Greg Reis, Information Specialist, (760) 647-6386 x41
Mono Lake Committee, ph (760) 647-6595, fax 647-6377
Hwy 395 & 3rd St., P.O. Box 29, Lee Vining, CA 93541 USA
Websites: monolake.org - monobasinresearch.org -
leevining.com - livinglakes.org - fallcentury.org