Reclamation Information Sharing Environment (RISE)

In Water Year 2022, three snow-on Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) flights were completed in the Carson, Tahoe, and Truckee Basins. The ASO data was integrated into the California-Nevada River Forecast Center (RFC) models to produce experimental runoff forecasts. Results of the RFC’s standard and experimental runoff forecasts were run through the Truckee River Operating Agreement (TROA) Reservoir Operations RiverWare model. Actual reservoir operations were compared to operational model results driven by both runoff forecasts; ASO informed RFC forecasts matched actual operations better than the standard RFC forecast. The ASO results were also used for numerous smaller analyses to provide any operational insight possible. The smaller studies checked runoff efficiency, back-checked forecasted runoff volumes, and compared ASO estimates of SWE to RFC’s SNOW-17 estimates of SWE. The ASO data improved the initial state of the snowpack within the forecast throughout the year and improved the model fit of forecasted operations compared to actual operations. This report summarizes the results of the ASO flights, compares RFC’s standard and experimental forecasts, and presents the operation modeling results compared to actual operations using both forecasts.