A PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING

A MESONETWORK OF AUTOMATED ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

SYSTEMS ACROSS KENTUCKY

by the

Kentucky Mesonet Task Force

University of Kentucky
243 Agricultural Engineering Bldg.
Lexington, KY 40546
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

2. BASIC RATIONALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

3. ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSED KENTUCKY MESONETWORK . . . . . . 12

Data Communications System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Data Collection at Observing Sites . . . . . . . . . 13
Maintenance of System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Central Processing Facility. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Interface with Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Archiving Facility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Public Displays in Kentucky. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Management Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

4. BRIEF SURVEY OF POTENTIAL BENEFITS. . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Agriculture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Improved Flood Watches and Warnings. . . . . . . . . 20
Improved Winter Forecasts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Forestry Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Improved Climatological Information. . . . . . . . . 23
Education and Basic Scientific Research. . . . . . . 23
Wider Access to Weather Information. . . . . . . . . 25
Kentucky in a Leadership Role. . . . . . . . . . . . 26

5. APPENDICES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28-41
 APPENDICES

Appendix A. Site Criteria and the Potential Location of Stations 28

Appendix B. Field Data Acquisition and Information

Dissemination System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Appendix C. Summary Table of Procurement, installation

and Start-Up Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Appendix C.1. Justification of Procurement, Installation

and Start-up Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Appendix D. Summary Table of yearly Recurring Costs

for Maintenance of Network. . . . . . . . . . . 36

Appendix D.1. Justification of Yearly Recurring Costs

For Maintenance of Network. . . . . . . . . . . 37

Appendix E. Schedule and Milestones. . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Appendix F. Letter of Support. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 41

 A PROPOSAL FOR A MESONETWORK OF AUTOMATED
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING STATIONS ACROSS KENTUCKY

by the

Kentucky Mesonet Task Force

243 Agricultural Engineering Bldg.
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture proposes to establish real-time,

research quality weather stations for industry and public use across Kentucky.

INTRODUCTION

Weather has such a pervasive influence on people's lives and the functioning
of
society that observed and forecast weather information is sought eagerly by nearly
everyone. Despite the need, limited real-time weather information is available in
Kentucky,
a state with 120 counties covering almost 40,000 square miles. Only 10 stations
across
the state report the weather at least hourly (See Figure 1). This means that each
of these
stations supposedly represents the weather conditions over an area averaging 4,000
square miles, or about five counties. Unfortunately, the weather observation sites
are
unevenly distributed across the state with some sites closing at night. During
"fair" weather
conditions, such representation is probably adequate to serve most potential end-
users.
However, during the variable and often stormy weather that can characterize
Kentucky's
meteorology, this limited network often fails to detect and depict localized
conditions
responsible for major inconveniences even death and destruction upon the general
population.

SEE STATIONS.JPG IN ABOUT THE MESONET

Figure 1: Map of current weather stations in Kentucky. The Green and

Red symbols indicate stations that report hourly or less. The Blue symbols
indicate stations that report daily.

SEE MESONET.JPG IN ABOUT THE MESONET

Figure 2: Map of proposed weather station placements for the Kentucky
Mesonet.

On the other hand, there exists an official network of 120 stations in

Kentucky
operated by the National Weather Service that was established for the purpose of
defining
the temperature and precipitation climatology of the state. Once each day,
cooperative
observers at these sites record maximum and minimum temperatures and/or rainfall.
Unfortunately, data from this network becomes available to most outside users when
it is
published months later by the National Climatic Data Center.
The nearest to real-time access of data from this climatological network is
afforded
by single reports each weekday from 10 agricultural weather stations. Unlike most
other
observation stations in other states, data from Kentucky agricultural weather
stations are
based on the 24 hour period from 7 PM to 7 PM. Of the 11,000 cooperative climate
stations in the U.S., most are AM stations. Overall, reporting consistency of
Kentucky's
agricultural weather stations tends to peak at about 80% of the reports expected
(observer
sickness, vacation and motivation account for some of the "missing" observations).
Thus,
considerable utility of the information from this dense climatology network is lost
due to the
unavailability of data until its publication several months later.
We propose to activate a dense network of 120 automated weather stations
across
the state (See Figure 2), observe the agricultural, hydrological and meteorological
conditions every 15 minutes and make this data available to statewide users through
the
Internet within minutes of each observation time. These data will also be
processed and
assembled to provide climatological information over time periods ranging upwards
from
a day to a year or longer.
Each site will serve as the focus to feed local data into a statewide Internet
system.
Potential weather station sites are University of Kentucky Agricultural Research
Stations,
4-H Camps, parks, government sites, and voluntary farm owners to name a few.
Details
on the site criteria are provided in Appendix A.
The proposed network will be designed to serve diverse enterprises across
Kentucky to guarantee continuity, interest and support from individual users. Even
so, the
proposed network will not be designed as a "white elephant" since every concept
behind
this proposal for Kentucky can be duplicated across the United States.
The development of a dense, statewide network of observation stations
(hereafter
called a "mesonet") that reports data in real-time follows a similar example in
Oklahoma
and less ambitious examples operating in California, Nevada, Arizona, Nebraska and
Minnesota. The concept of sharing environmental information below the county level
mirrors a flood warning system developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
the
National Weather Service for the Passaic River Basin in New Jersey. For
Kentuckians,
the development of this proposed mesonet opens the door of opportunity to mirror
and
improve upon the high-tech, fully integrated network operated by the Oklahoma
Climatological Survey.
An unusually strong spirit of cooperation exists in Kentucky among a variety
of
private interest, local, state and federal government agencies, and the University
of
Kentucky. This vital fact, coupled with recent and continued technological
advances in
computer, telecommunications and automated weather-station industries, signals that
the
time is right for such a network in Kentucky. Thus, Kentucky has an opportunity to
join
Oklahoma in being a national leader in minimizing the adverse economic and health
impact of severe weather-related events upon society, while also providing an
opportunity
to enhance profitability for agriculture in Kentucky and improve quality of life
for the
general public.
 BASIC RATIONALE

Three broad categories of weather information are in demand: weather of the

past
(climatology), weather of the present (current observations), and weather of the
future
(forecasts). Past weather information is essential to assess, plan and design for
the
variety of weather sensitive activities that exist across Kentucky. For example,
the
engineering of highways and bridges along with water conservation and the
mitigation of
flood damages are heavily dependent on rainfall depth-duration frequencies provided
by
the appropriate assembly of past weather information. Airport runways are aligned
by the
wind history for the area the airport will serve. In addition, the agriculture
community has
seen a dramatic increase in its use of climatological, present and forecast weather
information in their experimental and operational models built to assess production
strategies. Even the legal community traditionally has been a heavy user of
climatological
information.
Present weather information is of considerable value to a myriad of users who
seek
to optimally manage resources during their daily activities. Interests such as
agribusiness,
water and forestry management, aviation, energy distribution, construction,
transportation,
chemical and petro-processing, recreation, law enforcement or just planning the
proper
dress for work and school are all dependent upon knowing what is happening right
now
in the weather. Likewise, weather forecasts are essential for all of the above-
mentioned
interests and more.
In bare essentials, forecasting the weather is essentially a process of
projecting a
trend in time beyond what is going on at any moment in the atmosphere. Knowledge
of
present weather and why it is happening form the basis for making skillful weather
forecasts. Without detailed information and an understanding of what is happening
now,
weather forecasters are like those who start on journeys without a sure knowledge
of their
starting points. The same is true of agricultural and hydrological forecasters:
their forecast
accuracies depend directly on the quality and timeliness of weather-related
observations.
Our understanding of the weather and its consequences, along with an ability
to
forecast the vagaries of nature have grown at a pace governed by the amount of
weather
data available to researchers and forecasters. With World War II came an
acceleration
in the development of world-wide weather observing systems. Since that time, many
research programs have been designed and executed that depended on having networks
of observing sites packed together more closely than the routine reporting sites.
These
networks usually operated only for brief periods and over relatively small areas,
but they
provided the basis for most research into understanding important local weather
systems
and their consequences. The message has been the same from each research effort:
new
concepts for understanding and forecasting broad scale weather patterns depend
critically
on details in the atmosphere that are not collected by existing observing systems
other
than the Oklahoma mesonet.
A major limitation to the practical value of this past research has been the
short-
term, intermittent nature of these special networks. Societal benefits do not
accrue from
the research because meteorologists, hydrologists and agricultural specialists are
unable
to take full advantage of the knowledge gained since detailed network information
is not
available routinely. Because these special purpose observations are so localized,
the
relationship between them and those from the much more widely-spaced conventional
systems has remained hidden. The proposed mesonet will surely spawn research
concerning meteorological, hydrological and agricultural linkages between the two
scales
of observation systems. More importantly, the proposed network will permit an
almost
immediate application of past research bringing societal benefits to Kentuckians
impacted
by atmospheric phenomena.

ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSED KENTUCKY MESONET TO

COLLECT AND DISSEMINATE AGRICULTURAL, METEOROLOGICAL,
AND HYDROLOGICAL INFORMATION

An operational system of agricultural weather observation and dissemination

sites
requires several elements to function routinely. The primary subsystems include:
(1)
observation instrumentation and local communications hardware and software at each
site;
(2) communications capability to and from each site to a central data-collection
facility; and
(3) data processing hardware and software at the central site. Details of the
field data
proposed for collection and the information dissemination system are described in
Appendix B.
Until recently, instrumentation required to operate a dense statewide network
of
observation sites was cost prohibitive and impractical. However, major advances in
technology have opened the door to this feasible yet challenging project. Further,
an
opportunity has arisen in Kentucky to overcome one of the more difficult obstacles
in
operating a wide-area network: The need for an integrated, rapid and cost-effective
communications subsystem...the INTERNET.

Data Communications System

Direct access to network data sources via conventional phone lines or their
interface to satellite downlinks is prohibitively expensive, making real-time
access to the
mesonet impractical. Sometimes, the integrity of data being retrieved can be
compromised through information exchanges via conventional land lines. Network
sites
may even be located where land lines do not exist. Indeed, most network expenses
can
be borne if the continuing cost of communications are cost-effective. Our solution
to this
fundamental requirement for real-time telecommunications is an exciting alternative
to
installing numerous land lines or satellite downlinks.
Thus, the foundation supporting this proposed network is its communications
subsystem..the INTERNET.

Data Collection At Observing Sites

The type of observation stations proposed for the network are basic
agricultural
weather stations. At each of the proposed 120 sites across the state, a basic
package of
weather sensors will provide 15 minute observations of wind speed and direction,
dewpoint
temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, air and soil temperature, soil
moisture,
solar radiation, evapotranspiration, and precipitation. Sites can eventually be
augmented
with additional sensors if needed to serve site-specific observational requirements
(e.g.,
fuel-moisture, stream stage and water temperature). It is important to note that
the
modular design of this network in conjunction with the INTERNET capacity means that
sensors and sites can be added to the network as needs dictate. A detailed
discussion
of the data collected at each site is contained in Appendix B.
First year start up costs are estimated at $5.7 million. Details are provided
in
Appendix C.

Maintenance of System

Proper system maintenance is critical to the operation of a real-time

observation
system. This includes keeping the platforms and enclosures clean and well
maintained,
providing emergency repairs, calibrating the sensors, and verifying the continuity
and
integrity of the observation and communications system. Our objective is a steady
flow of
reliable and accurate weather-related information; anything that degrades the data
quality
or interrupts its flow is detrimental to the project.
Maintenance and calibration would be performed by the electronics technicians
from
the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Kentucky in
Lexington, KY. Since these technicians would be involved in system development,
acquisition, and deployment, it is logical for them to oversee maintenance as they
assume
network responsibility.
Annual recurring costs to maintain the Kentucky mesonet (which includes
funds to replace equipment every 10 years) are estimated at $900,000. Details are
provided in Appendix D.
Central Processing Facility

Another key subsystem is the central data processing facility, located in the
U.K.
Agricultural Engineering Bldg on the Lexington campus. The integration of a
central
processing unit into the communications system is crucial to providing service for
data
users since that facility will control virtually all of the data processing and
publication
associated with the mesonet. Details are provided in Appendix B.

Interface with Users of the Data

There are many potential users of the real time observational data, from
federal,
state and local agencies to non-governmental organizations and individuals.
Although
University of Kentucky is attempting to make all data available for free over the
Internet,
a policy fee of quid-pro-quo to access the data is still being formulated; that
policy will be
made in light of a successful funding strategy for annual recurring costs. Those
needing
tailored products could obtain them directly on the Internet from the computer
facility at
Lexington. U.K. will assume full responsibility to implement and operate the
central
processing facility, including quality assurance, operation of the data archive,
and filling
user requests.

Archiving Facility

U.K. would operate the central data collection system and archive its data
base
through the U.K. Agricultural Weather Center. The U.K. archiving facility will be
as close
to "state of the art" as practical to minimize storage costs and maximize
flexibility in
accessing the data to meet users needs.

Public Displays in Kentucky

A potential element in marketing this proposal is the development of public

information display systems that will be located throughout Kentucky. Possible
locations
include rest areas/welcome centers on Kentucky Interstate highways, various
government
buildings, state/county fairs and expos, and other high visibility functions. Each
public
display will be interactive for immediate response to an operator's selection of
products.
The central data collection facility will be tasked to support these public
displays.
The purpose of these displays is to inform Kentucky citizens of the existence
of the
mesonet and to promote use of is environmental information in planning and decision
making. In order to acknowledge those who actively supported development of this
network, each public display will list contributing agencies that helped make the
network
a reality.

Management Structure

The proposed management structure found will begin with the Mesonet
Director, who will oversee all aspects of the mesonet project. The
next level will be the Project Manager, Senior Computer Programmer, and the Quality
Assurance/Data Manager. The Senior Computer Programmer and Quality Assurance
Manager will report to the Project Manager who will in turn report to the Mesonet
Director.
The computer programmers and web designer will report to the Senior Computer
Programmer. The mesonet operators will report to the Project Manager while the
meteorological technicians will report to the Quality Assurance Manager. The
Mesonet
Director, Project Manager, Senior Computer Programmer, and Quality Assurance
Manager
will be the members of a "steering committee" for the mesonet project. This
committee will
be created to make major decisions about the mesonet.

BRIEF SURVEY OF POTENTIAL BENEFITS

Since the initial cost of the mesonet is significant, societal benefits should
begin
accruing as soon as possible. Thus, this section is intended to justify network
expenditure
by detailing the diverse areas of society where network information will have an
economic
impact.

Agriculture

Agriculture is one of many industries that is extremely dependent on the

weather.
Since Kentucky agriculture is the single largest industry in the Bluegrass state
and brings
in over $3 billion in sales annually according to the Kentucky Agricultural
Statistics
Service, Kentucky's economy also depends a great deal upon the weather. With
Kentucky's economy being so weather dependent, any system that improves the
accuracy
and type of measurements of past, present, and future weather will benefit all
Kentuckians
not just those in the agricultural industry.
A way to improve the industry was discussed in a report on Agricultural
Weather
Information Systems published at Michigan State University that noted that "in an
era when
efficiency has replaced increased yields as the route to improving farm
profitability, better
weather information is a key to restoring the health of American agriculture. When
used
as part of a modern farm management system, weather information can, in essence,
substitute for supplies, services and capital. ... of equal importance is the use
of weather-
based information to help minimize impacts of agriculture on the environment. By
reducing
unnecessary and untimely use of water, pesticides and fertilizers, the quality of
water
supplies, farm soils and the American food supply can be improved." While these
statements provide strong support for the proposed mesonet, more specific utility
of
network information is detailed below.

(1) Irrigation Scheduling

The current economic situation in agriculture has placed greater emphasis on
the
efficient use of irrigation water and the energy associated with pumping that
water.
Instead of making irrigation decisions based on very subjective information such as
the
crop appearance or the number of days since the last irrigation, farmers are
interested in
better matching water applications to the need of the crop. This involves
irrigation
scheduling, the process of deciding when to irrigate and how much water to apply.
Weather-based estimates of crop water use are an important input for effective
irrigation
scheduling programs. Implementation of such programs in Kentucky has been hindered
by a lack of timely and complete weather information. The mesonet would enable
agricultural research and extension to provide county by county crop water use
estimates
on a daily basis throughout the growing season. This should lead directly to water
and
energy conservation, and improved profitability in agriculture. One need only to
recall the
drought of 1999 to recognize the importance of weather information to agriculture.

(2) Crop Growth Simulation Models

Crop growth models are receiving increased attention as useful tools in
improving
on-farm decision making. Such models can be used in a variety of ways, including
analyzing the effects of various production inputs on crop yield and assisting in
management decision related to water, diseases, and pests. Accurate and timely
weather
data are absolutely essential for the use of such models.

(3) Drought Analysis

A Kentucky mesonet also provides the opportunity for drought analysis at a
county
level instead of a regional level. This means that the Palmer Drought Severity
Index and
Crop Moisture Index, which are the main indices used in drought analysis, can be
calculated for each county in the state. Drought analysis for each county provides
an
opportunity for better water management practices in each county and allows the
governor
and other government officials to have a more accurate assessment of each county's
condition when considering implementation of water restrictions and declaring
emergencies for providing relief funds to those areas that actually need the relief
which
could lead to less payment of disaster relief.
(4) Pests and Diseases
The mesonet could also improve pest and disease forecasts. Improved forecasts
could mean better management of pesticides. With improved current and forecast
weather
conditions for the farmer's area instead of the area two counties away could
decrease the
amount of these chemicals wasted and found in run-off due to over application or
improper
conditions at time of application.

Improved Flood Watches and Warnings

This type of network can also improve flood watches and warnings. With the
data,
especially rainfall data, collected in the network forecasters will be able to have
a more
accurate account of how much water has fallen in an area which can lead to earlier
and
more accurate warnings allowing people more time to get out of flooding areas to
safety.
This data can also help emergency managers direct emergency services and relief to
the
most affected areas in a timely fashion.

Improved Winter Forecasts

An important key to improved winter weather advisories is a real-time

reporting
network with observations on a scale much smaller than the present surface network.
The
availability of this type of information is of paramount importance if forecast
products are
to skillfully highlight the correct areas of concern, initiate proper responses by
safety,
transportation and utility agencies, and protect lives and property. Thus, the
proposed
Kentucky-wide mesonet represents an important step in eliminating the information
short-
fall which frequently accompanies critical winter weather events.

Forestry Management

Before each growing season begins, many farmers, ranchers and foresters across
Kentucky initiate prescribed burns on their property as a modern-day approach in
effective
land management. The purpose of these controlled burns is just that: to control
the
burning of undesirable underbrush for healthier, more productive land. The
alternative long since rejected by forestry agencies across the United States is to
permit
nature to take its course through random wildfires. That scenario often creates
out-of-
control fires that produce excessive heat and destroy vital soil material in the
process.
Thus, the modern-day land manager and forester have developed a keen eye for
the weather in order to suppress wildfires, and schedule prescribed burns to ensure
healthy, productive land. Timely weather information plays a vital role in these
activities
in the following ways:
(1) Spot weather forecasts of wind direction and wind speed for a prescribed
burn dictate the burn strategy. Once a burn is underway, unpredicted
wind
conditions can mean the difference in controlling the burn, protecting
personnel and equipment versus losing control of the fire and endangering
all resources. These situations become more complex when expensive
equipment and aerial ignition from helicopters are involved. Obviously,
once
a considerable amount of fire is ignited, unpredicted weather conditions
can
be devastating.
(2) In some areas of our nation, the U.S. forest Service uses current weather
information to determine initial responses to a fire. Their objective is
to
minimize operating expenses by sending only the people and equipment
required. Once on the scene, real-time weather information is used
heavily
in decisions to protect personnel and extinguish the fire.
(3) Finally, each controlled burn has a legal liability that accompanies the
smoke
created should it unexpectedly drift over highways, camp sites, resort
and
residential areas. Decisions regarding smoke dispersion and smoke drift
critically depend upon the local wind and temperature field.
The proposed statewide mesonet will provide the critical information needed by
these diverse interests and thus, will assist with more effective land management
across
Kentucky.

Improved Climatological Information - Higher Resolution

Although climatological information, by its very nature, does not depend on

real-time
access to the data, having a mesonet reporting several times hourly will offer
higher
quality, higher resolution weather data for climatological analysis. The result
will be a
more detailed and more informative climatological database about Kentucky weather
patterns. Those statements can best be appreciated in light of comments made
recently
by H.Tennekes of the Netherlands Meteorological Institute:
"High-resolution maps of wind, radiation and precipitation climatology are
needed
to help solve problems of zoning, site selection for industrial plants,
agricultural use
patterns, surface water control, irrigation, flood protection and many other
interests."
While these comments were made with regard to European meteorology,
they can just as well apply across the Unites States and in Kentucky. The proposed
Kentucky mesonet will fulfill this need.

Education and Basic Scientific Research

Over the past 3-4 decades, research mesonetworks, other than the Oklahoma
mesonet, generally have been temporary in nature, collecting data during limited
time
periods rather than functioning 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, every year.
This
means that many interesting weather phenomena have not had as many as 120 observing
sites operating nor have many covered an entire state with nearly uniform density.
Real-time access to such an extensive mesonet, with such a complete package of
sensors, is unprecedented in Kentucky and all of the United States except for
Oklahoma.
Therefore, it is manifestly evident that the proposed mesonet can add in a
substantial way
to research studies of Kentucky weather systems of all types during all seasons.
As with
other components of the rapidly-changing operational observing systems, the
mesonet's
value in research will be materially enhanced in combination with other means of
obtaining
weather data through the NEXRAD systems, wind profilers and sophisticated
satellite-
borne observing systems.
The Kentucky mesonet can be of benefit to all types of research not just
meteorological. Many different areas of agricultural research could benefit from
the
extensive weather data collected by the mesonet. Energy and engineering research
could
also benefit to name a few. With the mesonet comes new opportunities for critical
and
exciting research that can benefit all Kentuckians not just from the results but
also from the
increased revenue from grants, etc. that would otherwise be unavailable if not for
a
Kentucky mesonet.
The mesonet can also provide a fun and exciting means for educating Kentucky
children. The data collected could obviously be used in many different types of
science
lessons, but also could be used to teach mathematics and computers to the students
of
Kentucky schools. These examples are only a few ways the mesonet can benefit
Kentucky
teachers and children.

Wider Access to Weather Information

The first tangible benefit will be the real-time, statewide availability of

weather data
and information to a myriad of users in much greater detail than existed
previously. It will
ameliorate the continuing problems faced by the National Weather Service and the
U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers in getting critical weather-related information to the
public.
Weather watches and warnings have traditionally been handled by the media, an
association which should continue to be productive. However, many communities
across
the state are not served by major media outlets. Occasionally, highly perishable
weather
information is slow to arrive in rural communities when life-saving weather
information is
not transmitted by meteorologically sensitive broadcasters. Access to network
information
along with other perishable products should be of considerable benefit to the using
public
in these areas. In fact, more efficient service to local law enforcement and
emergency
management personnel to help these groups save lives is one reason this mesonet is
being proposed for Kentucky.
Another obvious immediate benefit is simply the return of a ten-fold increase
in the
number of real-time observing sites across Kentucky which will provide details in
weather
patterns heretofore unseen in Kentucky that will be of immediate value to a host of
potential users. It is easy to imagine how farmers, construction and trucking
companies,
energy-generating utilities, law enforcement, recreational interests, and even the
general
public will benefit from more detailed and timely weather data whose access is
easier than
ever before. Regular regional weather round-ups, weather at (or near) recreational
sites
across the state, and detailed daily precipitation summaries, do not require
sophisticated
processing and should be available on a regular daily basis as soon as the mesonet
commences operation.

Kentucky in a Leadership Role

An intangible immediate by-product of this mesonet would be the recognition of

Kentucky's leadership role along with Oklahoma in making new technology serve
society's
real needs. If properly funded and administered, there is nothing in this network
proposal
that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Other states seeking to duplicate Kentucky
activities
would look to Kentucky for leadership. Activities within Kentucky seeking to apply
the new
network information would be in a pioneering position. This capability would not
only
benefit Kentucky, but it would be of value in other states across our nation.
Although we cannot anticipate all future breakthroughs, we offer some ideas
about
how the new data may contribute to society in the future by looking at how the
Oklahoma
mesonet has benefitted society. History teaches that information in unprecedented
detail
leads to significant practical improvements. Such gains have tended to be
overestimated
in the short term, but long run effects are often underestimated.
Perhaps the most exciting possibility is that routine agricultural,
hydrological and
meteorological forecasts will become substantially more detailed and accurate.
Such an
outcome depends not only on the mesonet, but also on how well the science of
agriculture,
hydrology and meteorology handle data from the new and improved observing systems
such as radars and satellites. It seems likely that the mesonet would complement
other
systems to improve our understanding of these sciences. Important increases in
understanding should result in improved forecasts. This is particularly valid at
the
University of Kentucky, where basic and applied researchers are working to transfer
knowledge and technology into the operational agricultural forecasting environment.
 APPENDIX A
SITE CRITERIA AND THE POTENTIAL LOCATION OF STATIONS

Some of the proposed locations of stations in the Kentucky Mesonet range from
University of Kentucky Research Stations, 4-H Camps, to volunteer farm owners.
Priority
considerations used to select the general location of stations locations include:
- Every county shall have at least one network station within the county.
- All Agricultural Research Stations in the University of Kentucky (UK)
system
shall be the site of an agricultural weather station.
- All 4-H Camp locations shall be the site of an agricultural weather
station.
- If a UK Agricultural Research Station is located within a county, the
first
station to be located in that county shall be at the Research Station.
- If a 4-H Camp location is located within a county and there is no UK
Agricultural Research Station located in that county then the first
station to
be in the county shall be located at the 4-H Camp location.
- Major public attractions in the area such as reservoirs, state and
national
parks, and recreational areas are considered excellent locations for
network
sites.
Except for the UK Agricultural Research Stations and the Kentucky 4-H Camp
locations, specific sites are not fixed for each weather station in a proposed
community.
The actual location of each station will become firm at the time of a site survey.
Station
locations on the UK Agricultural Research Stations, 4-H Camps, and at the community
sites will be selected according to well established principles that guarantee the
meteorological representativeness of the data collected.

APPENDIX B
FIELD DATA ACQUISITION
AND
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM

The Kentucky Mesonet System will consist of three principal subsystems: (1)
field
data acquisition and local information dissemination; (2) the communications
network of
the INTERNET; and (3) a central, computerized data-management and information
system.
A description of the three components follow.

Data Acquisition, Local Dissemination and Equipment Costs

A typical data acquisition system for network sites transfers data from a
station to
the central processing facility by use of the Internet. The weather station
automatically
senses and monitors hydrometeorological, agrometeorological and special purpose
parameters every 15 minutes. These data are telemetered directly or sent by
repeater
(VHF and UHF radio) to its base station "terminal" at or nearby the station. A
terminal is
equipment that intercepts and interprets the data transmitted from the station to
prepare
for transfer over the Internet. Upon receiving the latest weather observation, the
terminal
routes the new data through the Internet to the central database in Lexington.

The Basic Weather Station

A basic configuration of weather-related sensors will be provided at each of

the 120
proposed sites in the network. The basic equipment will detect the following:

BASIC AGRICULTURAL WEATHER STATION

DATA MEASUREMENTS

Wind Speed
Wind Direction

Dewpoint Temperature
Relative Humidity

Barometric Pressure
Air Temperature at 2 different
heights

Soil Temperature under sod and

bare
Soil Moisture at different depths

Solar Radiation
Evapotranspiration

Precipitation
Leaf Wetness

The leaf wetness and soil moisture are parameters that will be unique to the
Kentucky Mesonet compared to the Oklahoma Mesonet in being measured statewide.
Oklahoma currently does not measure leaf wetness but does measure soil moisture
only
at specific stations.
Additional sensors can eventually be added to stations to augment the stations
detecting capability due to the mesonet's modular design.
A self-reporting weather station, with capabilities and equipment similar
to
that described above, is priced at $20,500 per station.
 APPENDIX C
Summary Table
PROCUREMENT, INSTALLATION AND START-UP COSTS

TASKS COST

A. Station and Communication Network Survey and

Design, Bid Specification and Evaluation $ 115,927

B. State-wide Network Installation $ 90,927

C. Weather Station and Base Station Equipment $2,995,600

D. Weather Center Stand-Alone Computer, with

Redundancy Capability, and Peripheral $ 100,000

E. Spare Parts Inventory $ 175,000

F. Public Display Systems in Kentucky $ 225,000

G. Electronic Technician and Electronic Shop

Start-up tools and Equipment $ 20,000

H. Project Management and Support $ 494,580

I. Central Processing Facility Upgrade $ 250,000

J. Telecommunications $1,200,000

K. TOTAL ONE TIME COST $5,667,034

APPENDIX C.1
JUSTIFICATION OF PROCUREMENT, INSTALLATION AND START-UP COSTS
 TASKS COST

A. Station and Communication Network Survey and Design,

Bid Specification and Evaluation $115,927

1. Preliminary State-wide Weather Station and Communication

Network Design: including site survey and selection

JUSTIFICATION
120 sites x 2.0 days/site x $50 per diem = $ 12,000

Travel: 120 sites x 200 miles/site x .30 per mile = $ 7,200

Coordination, deliverables, paperwork

Labor: 6 mos x $4000/mo = $ 24,000

Labor for 240 days of site selection and survey 240/22

= 10.9 man months 10.9 months x $3000 = $ 32,727

SubTotal $ 75,927

2. Final State-wide Weather Station and Communication Design;

Preparation of bid specifications and bid evaluations $ 40,000

B. State-wide Network Installation $90,927

JUSTIFICATION
Per diem: 240 days x $50 per day = $ 12,000
(120 sites x 1.0 day/site x 2 people) = 240 man days

Travel: 240 days x 100 miles/day x .30 = $ 7,200

Labor: 240 man days 240/22 = 10.9 man months

10.9 months x $3,000 = $ 32,727

Tools/Equipment/Materials (cement, forms, etc.)

$300/station x 120 stations = $ 36,000

Preinstallation
Set-up Time and Labor $ 3,000

SubTotal $ 90,927

C. Weather Station and Base Station Equipment $2,995,600

JUSTIFICATION
1. 120 Agricultural Weather Stations
120 x $20,500 = $2,460,000
 2. 60 Repeaters
60 x $7,260 = $ 435,600

3. Basic Station Sensor Augmentation $ 100,000

4. Total $2,995,600

D. Weather Center Stand-Alone Data Acquisition and Processing

Computer, with Redundancy Capability and Peripherals $ 100,000

E. Spare Parts Inventory $ 175,000

F. Public Display Systems in Kentucky $ 225,000

G. Electronic Technician and Electronic Shop Start-up Tools

and Equipment $ 20,000

H. Project Management and Support

(Assume one year installation time) $ 494,580

5. Project Manager $ 60,000

6. Quality Control Manager $ 50,000

7. Electronic/Meteorological Technicians & Station

Installation Inspector $ 160,000

8. Computer Programmer (2) (program Weather Center

computers; program public displays) $ 95,000

9. Student computer operators (6)

24hrs/day x $8.00 x 365 days/yr = $ 70,080

10. Supplies/Expendables $ 2,000

11. Telephone $ 2,500

12. Travel (installation QC, etc.) $ 15,000

13. PC Computer (2) & peripherals $ 40,000

TOTAL $ 494,580

I. Central Processing Facility Upgrade $ 250,000

J. Telecommunications
120 x $10,000 = $1,200,000
K. TOTAL ONE TIME COST $5,666,980

APPENDIX D
SUMMARY TABLE
YEARLY RECURRING COSTS FOR MAINTENANCE
OF Kentucky MESONETWORK

TASKS COST

A. Inspection and maintenance of Network

NOTE: These costs are included in Project
Management below.

B. Parts & Repair of Field and Computer Equipment $ 123,000

C. Improvement Fund for Replacement/Upgrade of Field

Network $210,290

D. Mesonet Improvement Fund for Replacement/Upgrade

of Weather Center Central Computer/Work Station and
Public Display Systems $ 58,334

E. Project Management $370,950

F. Telecommunications $120,000

G. TOTAL YEARLY RECURRING COSTS $882,574

APPENDIX D.1
JUSTIFICATION OF YEARLY RECURRING COSTS FOR
MAINTENANCE OF Kentucky MESONETWORK

TASKS COST

A. Inspection and Maintenance of Network $113,950

NOTE: These costs are reflected in Project Management (E)
below.

1. Routine Inspections
 JUSTIFICATION
(120 sites x 3 visits/year) \ 3 station visits/day = 120 days labor
Per diem: 95 days
Travel: 120 days x 200 miles/day = 24,000 miles/year

2. Emergency Visit to Repair/Replace Sensors

JUSTIFICATION
Assume Malfunctions at 4 stations/wk x 52 weeks = 208 repairjobs
1 repair job/day = 208 days Labor
1/2 jobs require per diem = 104 days
Travel: Average 250 miles/day/job; 208 jobs x 250 miles/job=52,000 miles/year

3. Costs Summary
a. Labor
1. Routine Visits 120 days
2. Emergency Visits 208 days
3. Shoptime (repair) 88 days
4. Records/Documentation 44 days
5. Order Parts/Tests, etc. 44 days
6. Leave (sick/annual) 35 days
539 days \ 22 days/mo = 24.5 months

Conclusion: Requires Two Electronic/Quality Control Technicians to maintain

network.
Total Cost: 2 People x $40,000 year = $80,000

b. Travel (Mileage)
7. Routine 24,000
8. Emergency 52,000
9. Local 4,000
10. Total Miles 80,000
11. Cost: 80,000 miles x 0.30 = $24,000

B. Parts & Repair of Field Equipment, Computer Equipment, and

Displays $123,000

JUSTIFICATION
12. TOTAL Cost of Equipment to be maintained is $2,460,000
13. Estimate that Parts & Repair Costs yearly will be 5% of
Total System Costs ($2,460,000) = $123,000

C. Improvement Fund for Replacement/Upgrade of Field Network

After 10 Years $210,290

JUSTIFICATION
Assume: Field and Community Equipment cost $2,102,900
14. Lifetime is 10 Years
15. No Salvage Value at Eng of Lifetime
16. Interest on Improvement Fund is Offset by Inflation
and Costs of Technological Advances
17. Yearly Replacement Cost = $2,102,900 \ 10 Years= $210,290

D. Improvement Fund for Replacement/Upgrade of Weather Center

 Central Computer/Work Station and Public Information Displays $ 58,334

JUSTIFICATION
Assume: Computer and Display Equipment Cost is $350,000
18. Lifetime is 6 Years
19. No Salvage Value at End of Lifetime
20. Interest on Sinking Fund is Offset by Inflation and
Costs of Technological Advances
21. Yearly Replacement Cost = $350,000 \ 6 Years =$58,334

E. Project Management (Year Basis) $370,950

22. Project Manager = $60,000
23. Quality Control Manger = $50,000
24. Computer Programmer(2)
(Maintain System Software) = $95,000
25. Lab/Calibration Technician = $40,000
26. Supplies/Expendables = $ 2,000
27. Telephone (2 lines) = $ 4,000
28. Travel/Per Diem = $ 3,000
29. Test Equipment/Tools for Electronic Techs = $ 3,000
30. Maintenance of Network = $113,950
(From A Above)
31. Electronic Techs = $80,000
32. Travel = $24,000
33. Per Diem = $ 9,950
Total $113,950

Total Cost of Project Management = $370,950

F. Telecommunications $120,000

G. TOTAL YEARLY RECURRING COSTS $882,574

APPENDIX E

SCHEDULE AND MILESTONES

TASKS

A. PREPARING PROJECT PROPOSAL

1. Prepare draft "stawman" outline
2. Review of draft "strawman"
3. Prepare draft proposal

B. SELLING THE PROJECT

1. Prepare briefing, materials
2. Conduct briefings, talks, visits
3. Secure letters of support
4. Rewrite draft proposal to final proposal form/incorporating new information
5. Peer review of final draft
 6. Prepare final proposal

C. SOLICITATION OF FUNDS
1. Direct proposal to funding source for network equipment and installation
2. Receive reply to proposal

D. NETWORK PLANNING SPECIFICATIONS

1. Conduct preliminary site surveys
2. Prepare final site survey report

E. NETWORK INSTALLATION
1. Secure site leases (if needed)
2. Preliminary site preparation
3. Equipment delivery begins
4. Install network
5. University of Kentucky assumes network
6. Network officially begins operation

APPENDIX F

LETTER OF SUPPORT
(Attached)