The Great Basin Climate Study for Range Fire Management

The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) fire management personnel routinely use a fire danger computer program to estimate the effects of recent weather upon the fire hazard on the BLM rangeland sites. The program used for this purpose is the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) which was developed by the National Forest Service (Deeming, 1978). The NFDRS was used in conjunction with fire weather stations in the Great Basin for the dual purposes of evaluating the ability of NFDRS to predict fire danger and of determining the effectiveness of the present fire station network in detecting fire weather on the Great Basin rangelands. Seasonal fire frequency and real time fire occurrence were examined with respect to climatic and weather variable to determine the meteorological parameters which are most closely related to fire occurrence. These parameters were then used to delineate zones within the Great Basin of approximately equal fire climate. The climate relationships are also discussed with regard to the possible development of pre-season fire projection models

Brief Abstracts of some Papers on Seeding Agents

During the preparation of a work plan for a study of the atmospheric water resources in Utah, a number of publications were studied which presented information pertaining to agents used to modify weather. These publications have been compiled to eliminate repetition of this laborious task. Brief abstracts of these papers were prepared to help investigators determine whether or not they wish to see the original publications

Atomic Absorption as an Index of the Silver Concentration in Precipitation, Silver Iodide Plume Studies, Part 1

The Perkin Elmbver Model 303, equipped with the DCR-1, digital concentration readout, was evaluated as to its ability to provide an index of silver concentration in water solutions, without concentrating in any manner. The procedures, principal settings, and adjustments which must be observed are described. This instrument can detect the difference between concentrations of 10-15 and 10-12 gm/ml. However, as the concentration of silver decreases the experimental error increases to a point at which the error becomes greater than the differences in readout due to differences in silver concentration

Urban Storm Runoff Inlet Hydrograph Study Volume 3: Hydrologic Data for Two Urban Highway Watersheds in the Salt Lake City Area, Utah

The main objective of this study is to develop an accurate design method for computing inlet hydrographs of surface runoff, with average recurrence intervals of 10, 25, and 50 years, from typical urban highway by flood routing technique. Hydrologic data such as the rainfall intensity, runoff flow rate, air temperature, wind velocity, and soil moisture content were collected during rainfall seasons in 1972 and 1973 on two urban highway watersheds in the Salt Lake City area, Utah. These data were used in the verification of a mathematical model simulating the surface runoff from such highway watersheds. The difficulties and inherent problems associated with field data collection from urban highway cross-section are discussed and possible remedies recommended. Hyetographs and the corresponding hydrographs of major storms which occurred in 1972 and 1973 at both sites are presented. Watershed infiltration capacities of sideslopes at both sites are empirically evaluated

A Theoretical Study of Infiltration into Range and Forest Soils

More than 400 rainfall simulator experiments were examined to detect which soil properties could be used to computer infiltration time relationships. Three theoretical equations were tested to determine their efficacy for calculating infiltration time relationships from soil and site characteristics. It was shown that both the modified Green and Ampt and Fletcher equations could by successfully used. Darcian type equations were developed on laboratory type samples which would show the relations between soil, solution and rainfall properties and infiltration. These latter equations have not been tested on undisturbed soils but give excellent agreement between measured and computed values for time before flooding and infiltration time relationships

Runoff Estimates for Small Rural Watersheds and Development of a Sound Design method. Volume II, Recommendations for Preparing Design Manuals and Appendices B, C, D, E, F, G, & H

Frequency analyses of more than 1,000 small watersheds in the United States and Puerto Rico were used to develop the estimation method for design of peak flow for ungaged watersheds. This method, called the Federal highway Administration (FHWA) method, is conceptually similar to the Bureau of Public Roads (BRP) method developed by W. D. Potter. The FHWA method relates the runoff peak to easily determined hydrophysiographic parameters and is intended for use on watersheds smaller than 50 square miles. The concept of risk is incorporated inot the design procedure. The risk is the probability that one or more events will exceed a specific peak flow within the usable lifetime of the drainage structure. The return period of the design flood peak can then be modified according to the risk the designer is willing to take. Another concept dealing with the probable maximum runoff peak derived as a function of watershed area is included. The flow obtained from this relationship is considered to be the upper limit of the design flow that may realistically be expected to ever occur. As such it may be appropriate to use in situations where the consequences of failure are extremely great

Runoff Estimates for Small Rural Watersheds and Development of a Sound Design Method: Volume I. Research Report

Foreword: This report is composed of thee volumes; Volume I is the Research Report; Volume II consists of recommendations for establishing design manuals and Appendices B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, which are the design aids required for establishing design manuals; Volume III consists of Appendix A, and accumulation of the data base used in the study, FHWA chose to arrange the report as described to facilitate distribution of the results. The methods reported herein are designated as the Federal Highway Administration Methods are designed to be applied to watersheds smaller than 50 square miles but may be used on areas up to 100 square miles in size. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. Sufficient copies of Volumes I and II will be distributed to provide a minimum of one copy to each FHWA Regional office, FHWA Dibision office and State Highway Agency. Volume III will be distributed only upon special requirest since it will be of interest primarily to individuals wishing to verify equations of develop new questions. Direct distribution is being made to the Division offices

Runoff Estimates for Small Rural Watersheds and Development of a Sound Design Method: Volume III. Appendix A

Foreword: This report is composed of thee volumes; Volume I is the Research Report; Volume II consists of recommendations for establishing design manuals and Appendices B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, which are the design aids required for establishing design manuals; Volume III consists of Appendix A, and accumulation of the data base used in the study, FHWA chose to arrange the report as described to facilitate distribution of the results. The methods reported herein are designated as the Federal Highway Administration Methods are designed to be applied to watersheds smaller than 50 square miles but may be used on areas up to 100 square miles in size. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. Sufficient copies of Volumes I and II will be distributed to provide a minimum of one copy to each FHWA Regional office, FHWA Dibision office and State Highway Agency. Volume III will be distributed only upon special requirest since it will be of interest primarily to individuals wishing to verify equations of develop new questions. Direct distribution is being made to the Division offices

Development of Cold Cloud Seeding Technology for Use in Precipitation Management

This is a report of the world accomplished and results obtained under a 2-year contract. The primary objective of the Wasatch Weather Modification Project is to assess the effectiveness of selected procedures for increasing the water supply in the Wasatch Mountains by cloud seeding. As part of this overall objective, an airborne seeding experiment has been conducted for two winter seasons. Preliminary results of this experiment indicate a positive seeding effect within and on the periphery of the designated target area. A summary of project designs, procedures, and problems encountered is also included. Data processing, editing, analysis and display procedures, and computer programs are described. Hydrologic and climatological support studies are described and results presented

The Water Requirements and Pollutant Potential in the Gasification of Carbonaceous Shales

A laboratory-scale, batch operated gasifier was used to evaluate the heating value, process and cooling water requirements, and water pollution potential of gasification of carbonaceous shales. These potentially valuable fossil fuels are found over large areas of Southern and Eastern Utah and vary widely in quality depending on the amount of intermixed inorganic material. The results indicate that a synthesis gas, consisting primarily of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, can be produced from carbonaceous shales. The total heating values of the synthesis gas from the carbon shales examined ranged from 4 to 62 percent of that of coal. The process water requirements per unit of heaing value obtained for gasification of the carbonaceous shales tended to be 5 to 15 percent higher than that for coal. Cooling water requirements were similarly higher due to the greater quantity of ask quenching water needed for the shales. The quantity of phenols, ammonia-N, and total organic carbon produced from the gasification of coal was significantly greater than for either of the shales, when compared on a mass basis. Differences in process condensate constituents, such as mutagenicity and trace elements, were also determined for the coal and shale samples