Grand Mesa CODOS Site
Elevation: 10,630'
Latitude: 39°3'3.03"N
Longitude: 108°3'40.63"W
Slope: 2° Aspect: NNE
Adjoining Watersheds: Surface Creek, Plateau Creek
Associated Snotels: Mesa Lakes
Grand Mesa CODOS Site
Elevation: 10,630'
Latitude: 39°3'3.03"N
Longitude: 108°3'40.63"W
Slope: 2° Aspect: NNE
Adjoining Watersheds: Surface Creek, Plateau Creek
Associated Snotels: Mesa Lakes
Grand Mesa CODOS Reference & Archives
Grand Mesa Study Plot, April 9, 2017
See CODOS Updates & Alerts for state-wide and general dust-related posts
Dust Enhanced Runoff Classification
Dust Enhanced Runoff Classification
CODOS has now observed eleven seasons of dust-enhanced snowmelt runoff behavior throughout the Colorado mountains (WY 2006-2018). Hydrographs at headwater stream gauges have been evaluated and classified within the framework of this dust enhanced snowmelt runoff space utilizing a 3 x 3 x 3 cell matrix corresponding to general characterizations of SWE, dust intensity, and spring weather, as shown in this figure.
A conceptual dust enhanced snowmelt runoff model integrating the interactions of March 1 SWE, dust intensity, and spring precipitation.
Water Years 2006-2018 have been analyzed and classified for the following stream gauges associated with the Grand Mesa CODOS site:
Plateau Creek near Cameo (pdf)Surface Creek near Cedaredge (pdf)
For a detailed discussion of this approach, see the state-wide Dust Enhanced Runoff Classification section.
March, April, May Precipitation
March, April, May Precipitation
SWE Plots
for Grand Mesa CODOS site
SWE Plots
for Grand Mesa CODOS site
The first nine plots below show a single Water Year's SWE relative to the site's historical record (1971 - current). The last two plots compare SWE and Dust on Snow events for two consecutive years. The shaded bands represent non-exceedence percentiles in the following order (from the bottom up):
Minimum - 10th percentile (dark gray)
10th - 30th percentiles (medium gray)
30th - 70th percentiles (light gray) with 50% trace in the middle
70th - 90th percentiles (medium gray)
90th - maximum (dark gray)
For a more detailed explanation, see http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/spi/explanation.html
Snowmelt Rates
for Grand Mesa CODOS site
Snowmelt Rates
for Grand Mesa CODOS site
Analysis of the nearby Mesa Lakes Snotel data for Water Years 2006-2017 snowmelt seasons showing date and quantity of peak SWE, days from peak SWE to “snow all gone” (SAG), total additional precipitation after the date of peak SWE, an “adjusted” mean daily rate of snowmelt adding the additional precipitation to the peak SWE total, the maximum five-day moving average of daily melt, and the mean air temperature over the entire snowmelt period, from peak SWE to SAG. POR refers to the snotel's entire period of record. The Mesa Lakes Snotel site is partially shaded by surrounding forest and lies 600’ lower in elevation than the Grand Mesa CODOS snowpit site.
Our Snowmelt Excel Workbook for Mesa Lakes contains spreadsheets for each year, including a summary aggregating all years. See our Snotel Dataset page for downloadable Excel files for each CODOS site, and an "All CODOS Sites Aggregated" Excel workbook containing spreadsheets for Water Years 2006-2017 and a summary of all years combined.
Hydrographs
for Grand Mesa CODOS site
Hydrographs
for Grand Mesa CODOS site
Snow Profiles
for Grand Mesa CODOS site
Snow Profiles
for Grand Mesa CODOS site
Download: All 14 CODOS Snow Profiles at Grand Mesa from WY 2010 - WY 2013 (pdf).
Photo Gallery
for Grand Mesa CODOS Site
Photo Gallery
for Grand Mesa CODOS Site
Dust-on-snow fieldwork photos available for publication, with most recent photos displayed at the top. Please send requests for additional photos or for captions to jderry@snowstudies.org. All Photos © Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies.
Click each photo for a larger version and for captions. Mouse over the large images to display captions, including the date of the photo.
