Collecting data — Van Meter runs monthly precipitation routes
Image courtesy of Codie Van Meter Once a month, rangeland management specialist Codie Van Meter runs four precipitation routes in the Weston County.
Since April, Codie Van Meter, a rangeland management specialist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Newcastle, has been running monthly precipitation routes in Weston County.
Van Meter drives along four routes to collect data. She takes photos and notes snow depth, grass height, grass species, the date of the site visit and other observations, such as the presence of a potentially invasive species.
While interested community members may request the collected data from Van Meter, it is primarily used to support the drought reporting of the Farm Service Agency and to allow the Weston County Natural Resource District board to anticipate potential challenges for agricultural producers.
In comments provided to the News Letter Journal, Van Meter clarified the jurisdiction of her data collection.
“Yes, I am a federal employee, but no, this is not a federal activity – it’s just a county activity. I am a public servant for Weston County in the NRCS agency,” she said.
Van Meter said that, while on a route, she does not enter private property, perform any forage cutting or do any digging. Still, curious observers have approached
her to ask what she is doing. She said that on at least one occasion, a landowner approached her, suspicious of what she was up to. However, after Van Meter explained herself, the landowner came to appreciate the benefit of such data collection.
“You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” another landowner told her on a separate occasion.
Van Meter drives these routes around the end of the month, and each takes her about half a workday to complete. When on a route, she drives a government pickup with government plates and welcomes anyone to stop to visit and ask questions.
Van Meter may also be contacted at 307-746-3264, extension 114, or by email at codie.vanmeter@usda.gov.