The South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc. (SJRC&D), located in Columbus, New Jersey; was formed in 1974 to address environmental issues in South Jersey.  The Council covers 4,710 sq. miles and includes the eleven southern counties of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Salem.  The Council is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization and is comprised of a County government and a Soil Conservation District representative from each of the eleven counties.  The Council bridges the gap between local resource needs and community development providing a unique partnership between county, local and federal partners. 

Please forward this email to all interested parties.

In this Special Editon Issue:

New Jersey joins CoCoRaHS Network

What is CoCoRaHS?

CoCoRaHS is an acronym for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.  CoCoRaHS is a unique, non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow). The network originated with the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University in 1998 thanks in part to the Fort Collins flood a year prior.  In the years since, CoCoRaHS has expanded rapidly with over 6,500+ observers in twenty-six states.

How is New Jersey involved?

CoCoRaHS will begin in New Jersey on this Groundhog Day (2008) and is coordinated by the Office of the NJ State Climatologist at Rutgers University’s Agricultural Experiment Station. You can learn more about the network and sign up by going to http://www.cocorahs.org.

CoCoRaHS observers are trained to collect high-quality daily precipitation data.  Observations are entered onto a web form via the CoCoRaHS website, archived, and displayed on the site for end users that include meteorologists, hydrologists, farmers, water resource managers, as well as you!  The CoCoRaHS website also allows observers to report hail and intense precipitation events, observations that are immediately relayed to the National Weather Service for use in the issuance of warnings.

All that is needed to participate is an internet connection, a 4” diameter plastic precipitation gauge, and a ruler for measuring snow. Training is provided for CoCoRaHS observers, either through online training modules, or preferably, in group training sessions that will be held at several places around NJ over the coming months.

Please consider becoming a NJ CoCoRaHS observer! 

You may contact Mat Gerbush with additional questions at njcocorahs@climate.rutgers.edu. 

-- By KP Kilpatrick