AGCI releases guidebook on soil moisture data for the Roaring Fork Watershed
As Colorado communities confront new challenges in water availability and ecosystem health, robust and reliable environmental data can provide a foundation for building community resilience. In the face of changing hydrology in the western United States, communities are looking for improved and expanded soil moisture monitoring data along with help understanding when and how that data can inform decision-making. To address both the desire for more access to data and to clarify when and how these data can be used responsibly, Aspen Global Change Institute (AGCI) and partners have developed a new guidebook focused on soil moisture in the Roaring Fork Watershed.
A Guidebook to Soil Moisture in the Roaring Fork Watershed utilizes data from AGCI’s 12-year record of soil moisture monitoring in the Roaring Fork Watershed to explore how and when soil moisture data can inform water supply planning. The Guidebook was developed to delve into a series of questions, including:
- Where does the water go in the Roaring Fork Watershed?
- How is soil moisture estimated?
- How much do summer conditions impact soil moisture going into winter?
- How are soil moisture, snowpack, and streamflow related, and how does their interplay inform streamflow forecasts?
- How will climate change impact soil moisture?
The release of the Guidebook is paired with a newly upgraded portal for accessing environmental data, including soil moisture, from the Roaring Fork Observation Network (also known as “iRON”). Data can be accessed both on AGCI’s Roaring Fork Observation Network webpage or on Synoptic Data PBC’s dataviewer.
On October 10, AGCI held a public launch event at the Glenwood Springs Library to celebrate the Guidebook release. Community members, researchers, and local stakeholders gathered to explore the Guidebook and discuss the role of soil moisture in understanding water dynamics in the Roaring Fork Watershed. The event featured talks by Peter Goble (Climatologist at Colorado State University), Elise Osenga (Program Coordinator for the National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Program at NIDIS, and former AGCI Community Science Manager), and AGCI researchers. The event fostered connections between science and community, sparking meaningful conversations on how soil moisture insights can inform water management and resilience efforts in the region.