New CIMIS web site now online

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 23, 2001 — On Oct. 1, the California Irrigation Management Information System launched its new Web site, making an extensive array of weather and reference evapotranspiration (ETo) data available to irrigators and water agencies in California.

With this new Web site users can:

— register and create their own USER ID and PASSWORD online without waiting for the registration processes from the main office or from their local districts;

— obtain hourly, daily, monthly, and historical data over an extended period of time;

— get ETo values that are calculated and reported using the CIMIS method as well as the Penman-Monteith equation — previously only the CIMIS ETo value was being reported;

— download Comma Separated Values into a spreadsheet such as Excel; and

— choose the option of getting a pdf format for better printing quality.

Other features of the site include:

— XML format that provides extremely flexible post download processing including incorporating data into databases is available;

— limited graphics display of data; and

— better links to important information related to irrigation.

Established in 1982 as a joint project between the Department of Water Resources and the University of California at Davis, and managed by DWR since 1985, CIMIS is a network of 120 automated weather stations located at many agricultural and urban sites in California. It provides ETo and meteorological data such as solar radiation, vapor pressure, relative humidity, air temperature, wind speed and direction, and precipitation to agricultural growers and various landscape managers. For the past several years there have been over 100,000 per year direct and indirect inquiries to the system.

In addition to the new Web site, the CIMIS program is in the process of incorporating satellite data to map ETo for the entire state.

For more information about CIMIS, please visit the new Web site at http://www.cimis.water.ca.gov.

The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water needs.