Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations

FIRO is a proposed management strategy that uses data from watershed monitoring and modern weather and water forecasting to help water managers selectively retain or release water from reservoirs in a manner that reflects current and forecasted conditions.

FIRO is being developed and tested as a collaborative effort focused on Lake Mendocino that engages experts in civil engineering, hydrology, meteorology, biology, economics and climate from several federal, state and local agencies, universities and others.


 

Overview
News
Executive Summary
Preliminary Viability Assessment
Watershed Characteristics and Challenges
Interagency Cooperation

Jay Jasperse

(Sonoma Water)

F. Martin Ralph

(Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography)

Michael Anderson

(California State Climate Office, Department of Water Resources)

Levi Brekke

(Bureau of Reclamation)

Michael Dettinger

(United States Geologic Survey)

Nick Malasavage

(US Army Corps of Engineers)

Alan Haynes

(Caifornia Nevada River Forecast Center, NWS)

Joseph Forbis

(US Army Corps of Engineers)

Natalie Manning

(NOAA Restoration Center)

Cary Talbot

(US Army Corps of Engineers)

Robert Webb

(NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory)

Arleen O’Donnell

(Eastern Research Group)

Ann Dubay

(Sonoma Water)

David Ford

(David Ford Consulting)

Rob Hartman

(RKH Consulting Services)

Lake Mendocino Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) Workshop

August 1-3, 2017

Workshop Notes

La Jolla, CA

Meeting Purpose:

  • Provide briefing on Lake Mendocino Preliminary Viability Assessment
  • Present and discuss framework for Final Viability Assessment
  • Detailed discussions on Final Viability Assessment scoping
  • Discuss other FIRO topics

Logistics

Location:

Seaside Forum

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

8610 Kennel Way

La Jolla, CA

Food: Continental breakfast will be provided Wednesday and Thursday and lunch on Wednesday.

Dress: Casual

Poster Session: We will be hosting a poster session at the workshop this year! If you are interested in submitting a poster please reply yes when registering and fill in the required information. We are planning a sponsored poster session reception to feature your projects and promote networking.

Meeting sponsored by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes and Sonoma County Water Agency

Agenda: Click for PDF

Tuesday, August 1st

12:30-1:00

Arrival

1:00-1:15

Opening Remarks and Agenda Preview

  • Introductions and Opening Remarks (Marty Ralph, Scripps CW3E and Jay Jasperse, Co-chairs)
  • Review Meeting Objectives and Agenda for the Day (Arleen O’Donnell)

1:15-2:30

Steering Committee Roundtable – Highlight FIRO Activity

  • FIRO Steering Committee Members – 5 min each
  • Discussion

2:30-2:45

Break

2:45-4:15

FIRO Preliminary Viability Assessment Briefing

  • Overview of Findings (Jay Jasperse) 10 min
  • Summary of Modeling Results (Rob Hartman) 10 min
    • Questions/Discussion 15 min
  • Summary of Science Informing PVA (Marty Ralph) 15 min
    • Questions/Discussion 15 min
  • Next Steps and High-level Summary of Major Issues for Final Viability Assessment (Marty Ralph, Jay Jasperse) 10 min
    • Questions/Discussion 15 min

4:15-4:45

WY 2017 Demonstration Recap: Comparing Virtual FIRO Operations with Actual Operations (Chris Delaney, SCWA)

4:45-5:00

Wrap Up/Review Day Two Agenda (Arleen 0’Donnell)

5:00

Happy Hour/Dinner – On Your Own

Wednesday, August 2nd

8:30-9:00

Arrival and Coffee/Continental Breakfast

9:00-9:15

Opening Remarks, Reflections on Day One

  • Opening Remarks (Marty Ralph, Scripps CW3E and Jay Jasperse, Co-Chairs)
  • Reflections on Day One (All)
  • Review Objectives and Agenda for the Day (Arleen O’Donnell)

9:15-9:30

FIRO Final Viability Assessment Framework (Jay Jasperse, Marty Ralph)

9:30-10:30

FIRO Viability Assessment Components – Status report

  • Interim Operations (Joe Forbis and Jay Jasperse)
  • Decision Support Tool Development (Rob Hartman)
  • Science (Marty Ralph and Cary Talbot)
  • Outreach (Ann DuBay and Arleen O’Donnell)

10:30-10:45

Break

10:45-11:45

FIRO Viability Assessment Components, Cont’d

  • Technical Studies – Status Report and Worksheet Demo (Rob Hartman)
  • Charge to Break-Out Groups (Arleen O’Donnell)

11:45-12:30

Lunch

12:30-2:30

Breakout Groups – Work on Final Viability Assessment Scoping

  • Decision Support Tools and Interim Operations (Rob Hartman, Jay Jasperse, Joe Forbis)
  • Science (Marty Ralph, Cary Talbot)
  • Outreach/Communications (Ann DuBay, Arleen O’Donnell)

2:30-3:00

Break (Arleen and Ann synthesize break-out results)

3:00-4:00

Share Break-Out Action Items and Discuss Inter-Dependencies

4:00-5:30

Poster Session and Reception

Thursday, August 3rd

8:30-9:00

Arrival and Coffee/Continental Breakfast

9:00-10:30

Beyond Lake Mendocino – Exploring other FIRO Topics

  • Prado Reservoir (Adam Hutchinson, Orange County Water District)
  • U.S. Bureau of Reclamation FIRO Projects Update (Ethan Rutledge, USBR)
  • Exploring the Flood Reduction Potential of FIRO (Joseph Forbis, USACE)
  • Briefing from U.S. Army Corps (Cary Talbot, USACE-ERDC)

10:30-10:45

Break

11:00-11:30

Beyond Lake Mendocino Open Session (Arleen O’Donnell facilitates)

  • Open sharing of Ideas, Comments, and Questions Looking Forward

11:30-11:45

Wrap Up

11:45

Adjourn Workshop

11:45-2:00

Steering Committee Meeting: De-brief and Schedule Next Meeting