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Lidar Survey Flags Record Drought, Threatens Colorado River

5/11/2026

31 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Tom Painter, CEO of Airborne Snow Observatories, flew a lidar aircraft to map western snowpack and flag a drought.
The lidar emitted about 800,000 pulses per second and made a 3-centimeter-accurate 3D snow-depth map.
The U.S. Drought Monitor said over 60% of the contiguous United States was in drought, the widest spring dry spell since 2000.
Nevada deputy state climatologist Tom Albright warned early melt threatens Colorado River reservoirs.

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Story summary

Tom Painter, CEO of Airborne Snow Observatories, flew a lidar aircraft to map western snowpack and flag a drought.
The lidar emitted about 800,000 pulses per second and made a 3-centimeter-accurate 3D snow-depth map.
The U.S. Drought Monitor said over 60% of the contiguous United States was in drought, the widest spring dry spell since 2000.
Nevada deputy state climatologist Tom Albright warned early melt threatens Colorado River reservoirs.