Snow data in practice: A conversation on monitoring, forecasting, and AI

Join us on Thursday February 26 at 11am PT / 12pm MT / 2pm ET for a casual fireside chat with water managers and snow data practitioners from leading Western U.S. organizations, including Benjamin Barker (Placer County Water Agency - PCWA) and Taylor Winchell (Denver Water). We’ll discuss how snowpack data is collected, used, and integrated into spring runoff forecasting workflows.

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As snowpack monitoring evolves—from traditional snow courses to automated SNOTEL networks, remote sensing, and now ML-based Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) estimates—water managers face new opportunities and questions about how to best leverage these data sources for operational forecasting.
In this practitioner-to-practitioner discussion, we'll explore topics like:

• How organizations like PCWA and Denver Water are combining traditional measurements with emerging data sources like satellite-based SWE and gridded snowpack products.
• Real-world approaches to spring runoff forecasting and identifying where uncertainty remains.
• The role of machine learning models in supplementing or enhancing existing forecast methods.
• Strategies for building confidence in new tools and integrating them into operational workflows.

While our panelists work in Western U.S. watersheds, the challenges around snow data integration, forecast accuracy, and technology adoption are relevant to snow-dependent regions worldwide.

Why attend?

• Moving beyond static models: Hear how peers at Denver Water and PCWA are supplementing traditional snow-course data with dynamic, ML-enhanced SWE monitoring to improve supply reliability and operational confidence during high-uncertainty runoff years.
• Optimizing inflow timing: Gain insights into how high-resolution snowpack data and satellite-derived insights are used to tighten inflow forecast windows, helping your team maximize generation efficiency and reservoir management during the critical spring transition.‍
• Building climate resilience: Understand the practical application of emerging technologies—like remote sensing and AI—in state and provincial water management to better navigate the challenges of "snow drought" and volatile runoff patterns in the 2026 season and beyond.