In 1989, two unrelated research programs in Colorado, both collecting detailed weather data from a total of eight remote automated weather stations, decided to informally share resources and combine efforts to improve access to timely weather data. Since that time, interest in this cooperative effort grew, new partnerships were formed, and the system of data collection and information delivery known as COAGMET (Colorado Agricultural Meteorological Network) was born. Now in 1998, partners include the USDA - Agricultural Research Service, Colorado State University (CSU) Cooperative Extension, the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station, and several departments at CSU including major participation by the Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management and the Department of Atmospheric Science -- Colorado Climate Center. Additional important partnerships have been formed with several commodity sponsors, water conservancy districts, and resource management organizations. As of the 1998 growing season, the network consists of a total of 31 remote electronic weather stations plus additional stations belonging to other organizations. Opportunities exist to expand the network to dryland areas and to include data from other real-time data sources.
Examples of how COAGMET data are collected, processed, summarized and archived will be provided. Effective statewide communication of current information via DTN (Data Transmission Network), a commercial satellite service, and both current and historic climatological information via the Internet will be demonstrated. Examples of several major users and uses of information will be presented along with trends and projections. The logistics of operating a low-budget real-time collaborative data collection and information dissemination system will be discussed and examples of successes and disappointments will be given. Finally, plans for the future and potential opportunities and obstacles will be described.