This press release by the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council was published in partnership with Colorado Mountain College and organizations involved in the Yampa Basin Atmosphere and Soil Moisture Integrated Network project.
Ribbon cutting to celebrate new climate monitoring station in Steamboat Springs
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Community members are invited to attend a ribbon cutting on Monday, Oct. 6, at 10 a.m. to celebrate the latest installation in a growing network of hydrometeorological stations in the Yampa River Basin. The celebration at the Colorado Mountain College Steamboat Springs campus will include brief remarks from network partners and state and local leaders to commemorate the new station and the significance of the growing network in advancing climate awareness and resilience.
The CMC installation brings the station count for the Yampa Basin Atmosphere and Soil Moisture Integrated Network, known as YBASIN, to seven. At full build-out, the YBASIN network will feature 30 stations spanning the entire Yampa River watershed – from the headwaters of the Bear River near the Town of Yampa to
Fortification Creek west of Craig. Site investigations for two additional stations targeted for 2026 installation are already underway.
“We are working hard to steadily grow YBASIN in order to monitor changing conditions in our region connected to our changing climate,” said Jayla Poppleton, resilient water and watersheds director at Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC). “It’s critically important that we understand how aridification and dry soils are impacting runoff and water availability for our communities, agricultural producers, and ecosystems. We’d love to see community members join us to celebrate and learn about this important effort.”
The new station is the first in the network to be placed within city limits. The station’s location on the CMC campus not only fills a data gap for a portion of the watershed that lacked existing measurement, but also provides unique, hands-on learning opportunities for CMC students.
“By siting this YBASIN station at the CMC campus, our students will benefit from direct career and technical training with the opportunity to gain experience in coding, wiring, and sensor maintenance along with real-time water, soil moisture, and wildfire weather monitoring,” said Nathan Stewart, professor of ecosystem science and stewardship at CMC Steamboat Springs. “Our graduates will be more uniquely positioned than ever to compete for careers in integrated climate science and action, risk assessment and response, and beyond.” Along with YVSC and CMC, the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, also known as CW3E, based at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, is a key partner in managing the network and analyzing the data that is collected.
“The goal of YBASIN is to establish long-term soil moisture data to better understand how dry soil conditions impact snowmelt runoff across the watershed,” said CW3E Director Marty Ralph. “As extremes continue to impact precipitation – and correspondingly spring runoff and water availability – a continuous record will support more accurate water supply forecasting and help inform critical management decisions.”
The first station was installed near Stagecoach Reservoir in 2022. Between 2023-2024, the network grew by five additional stations, one in the Trout Creek Basin, one in the lower Elk River watershed, one along the Yampa River at Carpenter Ranch near Hayden, and one in the Elkhead Creek drainage. A sixth station, known as Red Creek, was installed south of Steamboat Lake in August. Funds committed by the local Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District, Glenwood Springs-based Colorado River District, and Colorado Water Conservation Board have enabled the network’s growth to date.
“The YBASIN network is a critical investment in the effective management of local water resources,” said Andy Rossi, general manager of the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District. “By enabling direct data collection in the Yampa Valley, it will enhance forecasting capabilities for water managers. These improved forecasts will benefit agricultural producers, municipalities, and the ecosystems that rely on dependable water supplies.”
Rossi is among those who will speak at the ribbon cutting, along with Colorado Rep. Meghan Lukens and Routt County Commissioner Sonja Macys.
To attend the ribbon cutting, plan to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to park and walk to the station site. Attendees are directed to enter campus on Bob Adams Drive and park in the uppermost parking lot. Signage will be posted at the parking lot trailhead to point toward the station location, which requires an uphill hike of approximately ¼ mile on a dirt trail to reach.
Y-BASIN data is publicly available via the CW3E website. You can also learn more about YBASIN by visiting Yampa Valley Sustainability Council or by emailing Sally Cariveau, YVSC’s resilient water program manager, at sally@yvsc.org.