Molotch

Framing the climate conversation through art, science and community collaborations (CU Boulder Community Outreach & Engagement)

Anonymous — Fri, 31 May 2024 21:55:16 +0000

Framing the climate conversation through art, science and community collaborations (CU Boulder Community Outreach & Engagement) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/31/2024 - 15:55

Jane Appel , CU Boulder

Coloradans are experiencing climate change. Residents face challenges like fires, drought and poor water and air quality. The Colorado Arts Science Environment Program’s (CASE) is addressing critical environmental and social issues across Colorado through a collaborative exhibition that brings together CU Boulder scientists and artists from various parts of the state.

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A new look at western water

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 23:38:43 +0000

A new look at western water Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/04/2024 - 17:38

Shelly Sommer

The Mountain Hydrology Group will be developing a new snowpack data set to inform water supply management in the western United States, thanks to grant funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Maps show various aspects of snow-water equivalent for California's Sierra Nevada. The maps are part of the April 1, 2024 report from the Mountain Hydrology Group.

Researchers in the Mountain Hydrology Group currently produce near-real-time estimates of snow water equivalent, or the amount of water contained in fallen snow, for mountainous areas in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Reports and data are released to water managers and forecasters and are also available to the public.

With the new grant of $1 million over the next three years, the group will be able to expand its estimates to all 17 western states, notably adding mountainous areas in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington and large mountain ranges such as the Cascades and northern Rocky Mountains.

The grant will support Noah Molotch (lead PI), Leanne Lestak, Emma Tyrrell, and Karl Rittger in analyzing snow data and producing biweekly snow water supply reports to support decision making by federal, state, and local water management entities responsible for managing water supplies in the western United States.

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded funds to 15 different projects as part of its Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program to improve water supply forecasting.

Photo at top of the page: Noah Molotch shows information about the snow-water equivalent for California during a television interview at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Photo copyright by and courtesy of Pier Gagné, Radio-Canada.

The Mountain Hydrology Group will be developing a new snowpack data set to inform water supply management in the western United States, thanks to grant funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

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LogOn: Satellites, lasers help estimate snowpack in drought-stricken regions (VOA)

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 21:53:47 +0000

LogOn: Satellites, lasers help estimate snowpack in drought-stricken regions (VOA) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/27/2023 - 14:53

Matt Dibble

Video interview with Noah Molotch about how remote sensing technology is helping forecast water availability in the Rocky Mountains. Watch this two-minute, well-edited interview, interspersed with clips of fieldwork and explanatory illustrations.

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Californie, quand l'impensable se produit (Radio-Canada)

Anonymous — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 22:10:25 +0000

Californie, quand l'impensable se produit (Radio-Canada) Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 12/09/2023 - 15:10

France Beaudoin

If there's a place that embodies climate extremes and their impacts on agriculture, it may be California. After years of drought, last spring devastating floods hit the state of the West Coast. Noah Molotch weighs in on the hydrology. (French language broadcast.)

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Colorado artist, CU Boulder scientist band together to spotlight Dillon Reservoir and the state’s water issues (Summit Daily)

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 17:05:52 +0000

Colorado artist, CU Boulder scientist band together to spotlight Dillon Reservoir and the state’s water issues (Summit Daily) Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/26/2023 - 11:05

Robert Tann

Their collaborative art piece, part of a CU Boulder-sponsored exhibit, is one of several hanging in the Colorado State Capitol building.

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Scientists take flight to map California’s vast snowpack and measure flooding threats (L.A. Times)

Anonymous — Fri, 26 May 2023 20:15:00 +0000

Scientists take flight to map California’s vast snowpack and measure flooding threats (L.A. Times) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/26/2023 - 14:15

Ian James , Los Angeles Times

Noah Molotch is quoted in this Los Angeles Times article about mapping the recent historic snowpack in California using laser pulses and spectrometers from the air. The flights are collecting data to estimate when and how fast the snow will melt, helping officials prepare for the runoff, manage water releases from dams, and asses areas at risk of flooding.

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Earlier snowpack melt in the West could bring summer water scarcity (CU Boulder Today)

Anonymous — Thu, 25 May 2023 22:54:48 +0000

Earlier snowpack melt in the West could bring summer water scarcity (CU Boulder Today) Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/25/2023 - 16:54

Kelsey Simpkins , CU Boulder

Snow is melting earlier, and more rain is falling instead of snow in the mountain ranges of the Western U.S. and Canada, leading to a leaner snowpack that could impact agriculture, wildfire risk and municipal water supplies come summer, according to a new CU Boulder analysis. Kate Hale and Noah Molotch are authors on the study.

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Art and climate science converge in new exhibit at the Colorado Capitol (KUNC)

Anonymous — Wed, 24 May 2023 21:46:29 +0000

Art and climate science converge in new exhibit at the Colorado Capitol (KUNC) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/24/2023 - 15:46

Emma VandenEinde

An exhibit that just opened in the Colorado capitol building's rotunda features artwork made in the process of partnerships between artists from around Colorado, their communities, and CU Boulder scientists. Called “Coloradans and our Shared Environment in Times of Challenge and Change,” the art grapples with the climate and environmental challenges that are part of Coloradoans' lives: drought, decreasing groundwater, acid mine drainage, wildfire, pine beetle tree mortality, and more.

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Coloradoans and our shared environment in times of challenge and change (CU OOE)

Anonymous — Thu, 18 May 2023 18:02:12 +0000

Coloradoans and our shared environment in times of challenge and change (CU OOE) Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/18/2023 - 12:02

CU Office for Outreach and Engagement

A collaborative exhibition tells the story of how Coloradans are experiencing interrelated challenges of fire, drought, and water and air quality in their communities. Artists (the CASE Fellows) partnered with scientists and communities to make visible the connections between Coloradans and their environment. Several INSTAARs acted as scientist partners. This website showcases the artwork, as well as quotes from the partners, explorations of the issues, and what you can do to act.

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Scientists are using lasers to uncover the secrets of Colorado’s snowpack. So what does it mean for your water supply? (Colorado Sun)

Anonymous — Fri, 12 May 2023 16:57:26 +0000

Scientists are using lasers to uncover the secrets of Colorado’s snowpack. So what does it mean for your water supply? (Colorado Sun) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/12/2023 - 10:57

Shannon Mullane , Colorado Sun

In Colorado, 83% of the state’s water supply comes from surface water fed by winter snowpack and spring runoff. Colorado’s snowmelt also flows downstream to millions of other users in the Colorado River Basin. Having the most accurate snowpack measurement possible is vital for water agencies, which use the data to figure out how much ends up in home faucets and on farms for irrigation. The search for new, more accurate ways to measure snowpack is on.

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