The History of Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting

Edited by Douglas Helms, Steven Phillips, and Paul Reich, 2008

Since 1935, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has coordinated the cooperative effort in snow surveying and waters supply forecasting in the Western States, known for many years as the Federal-State Cooperative Snow Surveys. In 1939, the Soil Conservation Service assumed responsibility for administering the snow survey from the Bureau of Agricultural Engineering.

The seven oral history interviews and three articles in this volume recount significant historical developments in this program since its establishment through the full implementation of the SNOTEL system. Two articles by Douglas Helms provide an overview of the program.