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By Anna Politano


producers and weather forecasters, but that’s quickly grown to include emergency managers, energy engineers and fi re managers,” Mesonet Director Chris Fiebrich says. Much like the state’s rural electric co-op sys- tem with a presence in each county, the Oklahoma Mesonet serves residents with weather data critical to public safety and agri- cultural production. In a strategic move earlier this year that proved to be perfect timing for 2015 record rainfall, the Mesonet added an ex- tra rain gauge at each of its stations. “Not one of our 120 dual rain gauges missed a single observation,” Fiebrich says. “Our high-quality network witnessed something that’s never happened in state history.” Mesonet data contributes to the application process for drought or fl ooding assistance as well as documenting how rivers crest, monitor- ing the operations of drainage aquifers and de- termining the fl ood levels of city streets. “There are countless lessons learned as we experience extreme weather events,” Fiebrich says. “When you look back to the fi rst weather data collected in 1888, it was recorded by vol- unteer observers, including my grandmother, who wrote down reports once a day. Now we have calibrated sensors and quality equipment for more accurate assessments.” The Mesonet’s network of stations includes


120 towers, 39 repeater towers and 57 base sta- tions at sheriffs’ offi ces and police departments. In an effort to capture the diversity of weather from rural to urban Oklahoma, the Mesonet added sites in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas. It also partners with the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Telecommunications System to ensure a stable and secure network that di- rectly transmits to law enforcement. “The information is critical in rural areas—for emergency managers or fi refi ghters to see 90 mph wind gusts at a Mesonet site and know what storms are packing—they need the most reliable information,” Fiebrich says. “We want the data to add value to Oklahoma and give our state an edge.” OSU Fire Meteorologist and Central Rural Electric Cooperative member JD Carlson helped the Mesonet identify land sites for many of its original stations. Twenty years later, he integrates Mesonet data into the statewide fi re danger rating system (OK-FIRE) to pinpoint how weather will affect fi re behavior. “Real-time weather data is useful in fi ghting


wildfi res,” Carlson says. “Rainfall and soil mois- ture are critical factors for summer wildfi res, while relative humidity and wind speed are the major factors for dormant-season wildfi res.”


Continued on Page 8 Record-Setting Rainfall Impacts Electric Co-ops


Photo courtesy Red River Valley Rural Electric Association


The historic fl ooding Oklahoma experienced earlier in the year impacted elec-


tric cooperatives in more ways than one. Tornadoes, severe weather and excessive rainfall affected at least 15 electric cooperatives, bringing an approximate damage of 1,000 downed distribution poles and at least 75 damaged transmission struc- tures. At the peak of the storms and fl ooding, co-ops reported nearly 32,500 re- lated outages. Most outages were restored in a period of fi ve to seven days; however, some outages may have lasted longer due high levels of fl oodwaters. Sid Sperry, director of public relations, communications and research for the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, said co-ops collectively incurred at least $2.5 million in damages affecting distribution and generation-transmis- sion systems. “Reconstruction efforts from the storms, tornadoes and fl ooding are still under


way. Most efforts will be completed by end of year,” Sperry said. Electric cooperatives are the only utility entity that maintains infrastructure


and provides service to all 77 counties. As a result of fl ooding and related dam- ages, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved public assis- tance for 59 counties in Oklahoma. Due to the longer duration of the fl ooding, the incident period for the disaster lasted from May 5 to June 22, 2015. According to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, public assistance enables federal funds to assist municipalities, tribal authorities, counties and rural electric cooperatives with infrastructure repairs, debris removal and costs associated with responding to the storms. Counties approved for FEMA Public Assistance are: Adair, Atoka, Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Choctaw, Cleveland,


Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Craig, Creek, Custer, Delaware, Dewey, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Haskell, Hughes, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnston, Kay, Kingfi sher, Kiowa, Latimer, Le Flore, Logan, Love, Major, Marshall, Mayes, McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Nowata, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Roger Mills, Seminole, Sequoyah, Stephens, Tillman, Wagoner and Washita.


If viewing our digital edition, click here to access a video of power restoration efforts during fl ooding by East Central and Canadian Valley electric cooperative crews. Access our digital edition at www.ok-living.coop or through downloading our FREE app via the Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Amazon.


SEPTEMBER 2015 SEPTEMBER 2015


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