Montana Climate Information at Your Fingertips

It’s been ten years since MSU’s Joe Caprio retired as state climatologist, meaning Montana is one of three states currently without an official climatologist and state climate office. That’s what got folks at the University of Montana to think about developing a hub web site for Montana climate information. Now you can go to the Montana Climate Office (MCO) web site to see what the MCO has in store.

The idea came from University of Montana forestry professor Steve Running who joined forces with Don Potts, also a forestry professor and current director of the MCO.

With backing from the University’s Research Office, a webmaster was brought on to build the web site which directs visitors to relevant Montana and regional climate-related information.

The sole mission of the MCO is to provide easy access to Montana climatologic services. “We don’t need a physical office; what we do want is to create a web-based center leading people to the data,” says Potts. Right now users of the site are a diverse group ranging from out-of-state sportsmen who want to know what to expect when hunting in Montana, to eastern Montana ranchers concerned about drought, to professional hydrologists accessing precipitation and streamflow data.

In the coming year, Potts is hopeful that the Governor will designate the MCO as the official Montana State Climate Office. This will allow Montana’s membership in the American Association of State Climatologists (AASC) and in the National Climate Services Partnership as an AASC Recognized State Climate Office (ARSCO). The ARSCO mission it is to promote cooperation among state climatologists and agencies that collect, analyze, and disseminate climate information. In the meantime the Montana Climate Office is the ideal clearinghouse for Montana climate data. Check out the MCO web site and see!

New "MONTANA WATER" Web Site Features

We've added some new features to the MONTANA WATER web site to make it even more helpful and informative.

The biggest change is the revamping of the Events Calendar. Events are now displayed in a calendar format to make it easier to browse and find specific events. The most immediate events are also listed on the home page.

An "Announcement" area has also been added to the home page to highlight the more urgent messages we have for the water community.

Visit the MONTANA WATER web site and stay up-to-date on water-related issues affecting Montana and beyond.

Television Special about Watersheds

EPA announces another showing of its half hour television special about watersheds, co-produced with The Weather Channel. “After the Storm” is scheduled for broadcast on Saturday, June 26 at 8:30 and 11:30 pm EST and Saturday, September 18 at 8pm and 11:00pm EST. "After the Storm" shows the connection between weather and watersheds and the importance of watershed protection.

You can visit the EPA web site for more information and a free brochure about stormwater pollution. Get free VHS copies of the program by contacting the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) at 513-489-8190 or 800-490-9198 or send an email to ncepimal@one.net. Be sure to mention "After the Storm (VHS)" and refer to #EPA 840-V-04-001.

From Montana’s Legislative Environmental Quality Council (EQC) The EQC has several publications for public comment until June 30th. You can access them at the EQC web site, or by calling the EQC office at 444-3742. An EQC focus throughout the interim has been Montana's water adjudication. "Montana's Water -- Where is it? Who can use it? Who decides?" [PDF document] is a draft report on the topic and provides initial findings and recommendations.

The Council’s 4-member Work Group is addressing this issue and will conduct a public hearing on future funding of the adjudication program at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman on June 7.

For more meeting information, see the public hearing details in the Events Calendar.

Allocating Water: Economics and the Environment

Portland, OR, July 20 - 22, 2004

This conference will bring together academics, federal and state agencies, water managers, and other professionals to discuss approaches and policies for allocating water. Interesting and innovative case studies, analyses of current water allocation problems in several US river basins, and proposed new techniques will be presented. [INFO]