Why Do We Measure
A program and panel at the upcoming Upper Mississippi Conference at Stoney Creek is entitled “Why do We Measure?” It has speakers Nina Struss, from Prairie Rivers Network and Steve Hilberg, Midwest Climate Scientist for CoCoRaHS, the provider of data-collecting rain gauges.
This question is relevant to everyone because, today, everyone is at risk of flooding. It is important that we all understand the risk through observations. Today, with new technology, observers can collect rain, hail, and snow data in a special rain gauge and then provide information to: scientists (the National Weather Service scientists will use it to calibrate flood modeling), community officials (The Corps of Engineers will use it to justify levee repairs), farmers, emergency managers, friends, and neighbors.
Steve Hilberg will explain how to send data to the central collection site. Each student who attends the Next Gen Summit on October 16, we expect 100 high school and college students to participate, will take home a CoCoRaHS rain gauge. By the way, CoCoRaHS is the acronym for Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, & Snow Network.
This program allows students to give back to our community by letting them, after getting the training on how to use the online technology, take home the gauges and start measuring precipitation in rain and snow events. The entire region, both Scott and Rock Island counties, will be served. Weather and flood alerts from the National Weather Service use the data for accurate forecasts of creek and river flood levels. Area high schools and colleges will benefit from the involvement because they can use the data in curriculum writing and other environmental club activities.
Why do we measure? Probably the best reason is to manage and set realistic, achievable plans for emergency management, and that needs to be done at the federal, state, county, city, and household levels. Why? Because everyone, today, is affected by climate and at risk of flooding.
The conference is on October 15 & 16. Early bird registration fees extend to October 5. Go to riveraction.org/umrc to register.