National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Southern Arizona Dust Storm Workshop

2022 Arizona Dust Storm Workshop Presentations (Virtual)

Goal: Virtually bring together a wide and diverse group of vested partners for the 11th annual Arizona Dust Workshop. This workshop will provide an opportunity to evaluate and discuss recent successes, while also developing future endeavors and goals. The workshop is also designed to strengthen existing relationships and develop new relationships to mitigate the dust problem.

 

Date: Thursday, March 24, 2022 - Virtual Workshop

Time: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM MST/PDT; 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM MDT

Location: Virtual Workshop

 

Social Media: Send social media status updates using #azdust22

 

2022 Presentations

8:35-8:50 AM: A Dust Alliance for North America

     William Sprigg, Science Policy Consultants, LLC

     Jenny Hand, Colorado State University 
 

8:50-9:05 AM: A Geospatial Climatological Analysis of NWS Dust Products 

     Laren Reynolds, NOAA/National Weather Service El Paso, TX 
 

9:05-9:20 AM:  Overview of Dust Emission Forecasting Research at the US Army 

     Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)

     Sandra Legrand, US Army Engineer Research & Development Center
 

9:20-9:35 AM: Shutting down Dust Emission during the Middle Holocene Drought 

in the Sonoran Desert

     Guy Tau, Geological Survey of Israel 
 

9:35-9:50 AM: Health Effects of Dust Storms in El Paso, TX

      Estrella Herrera, University of Texas at El Paso
 

9:50-10:00 AM: Questions & Open Discussion
 

10:00-10:05 AM: Future of AZ Dust Workshops
 

Break:  10:05 AM -10:20 AM
 

10:20-10:35 AM: Performance of I-10 Dust Detection System 

     Kevin Duby, Arizona Department of of Transportation
 

10:35-10:50 AM: Proposed Dust Monitoring System at El Paso Community College 

    in collaboration with NASA’s GLOBE Observer Dust Monitoring Project

      John Olgin & Olienka De La O Fernandez, El Paso Community College

 

10:50-11:05 AM: Update on the NMDOT Lordsburg Playa Dust Mitigation Project

     Trent Botkin, New Mexico Department of Transportation
 

11:05-11:20 AM: Foliar Surfaces as Dust and Aerosol Pollution Monitors: An 

    Assessment by a Mining Site

     Kira Zeider, University of Arizona
 

11:20-11:35 AM: Agricultural Best Management Practices and Mitigating Dust 

    from Fallow Fields

     Madeline Greenbaum & Luke Messer, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
 

11:35-11:50 AM: Exploring biological solutions to mitigate dust near Picacho Peak, AZ

     Joey Blankinship, University of Arizona
 

11:50 AM -12:00 PM: Questions and Open Discussion

12:00 PM: Adjourn

 


 

Previous Workshops
 

2021 Workshop
Presentations

March 24

8:40-8:50 AM: CubeSats: A New Tool In The Dust Storm Detection Toolbox  
Tom Gill, University of Texas at El Paso 
Video Link 


8:50-9:00 AM: Updates on Soil Microorganism Detection and Dust Forecasting over the Southwest U.S.
Daniel Tong - George Mason University 
Patrick Gillevet - George Mason University
Video Link 


9:00-9:10 AM: Forecasting and Numerical Simulation of Dust Storms
Peter Hyde, Arizona State University 
Video Link 

9:10-9:20 AM: Dust Storm Warning Performance over the First Three Years and Other Operational Considerations 

Jaret Rogers, NOAA/National Weather Service Phoenix, AZ 
Larry Hopper, NOAA/National Weather Service Phoenix, AZ

Video Link 

9:20-9:30 AM: I-10 Dust Detection Network Update 

Joseph Jones, ADOT 
Kevin Duby, ADOT

Video Link  

9:55-10:05 AM: FAIR Principles of Data Science 
Marcos Mendez, UTEP 
Video Link 

10:05-10:15 AM: Continuation of Service Learning with NASA’s GLOBE Observer on Dust Monitoring of the Chihuahuan Desert 

John Olgin, El Paso Community College
Video Link 

10:15-10:25 AM: Climate and Land Use Drivers of Dust and Investigating Implications for Snowmelt and Water Resources in the Colorado River Basin 
Travis Nauman, USGS
Video Link

10:25-10:35 AM: Classification of Dust Storms in Phoenix AZ and Their Implication on Air Quality 
Karin Ardon-Dryer, Texas Tech University
Video Link

11:00-11:10 AM: Linking soil health to dust prediction and mitigation: Project Updates from University of Arizona Research Team 
Joey Blankinship, University of Arizona
Video Link 

11:10-11:20 AM: Restoration Research for Mitigating Dust Emissions
Molly McCormick, USGS 

11:20-11:30 AM: Lordsburg Playa Dust Mitigation project 
Trent Botkin, NMDOT
Video Link  

11:30-11:40 AM: Agricultural Best Management Practices and Dust Complaint Response 

Madeline Greenbuam, ADEQ 
Luke Messer, ADEQ 
Video Link 

2020 Workshop Presentations

March 3rd

8:30-8:45 AM: Radar Based Characteristics of Dust Storms in Arizona
Jaret Rogers, National Weather Service Phoenix
8:45-9:00 AM: Dust-Drought Nexus in the Four Corners
Stephanie Arcusa, Northern Arizona University
9:00-9:15 AM:
ArcGIS Dashboard for Dust
Eleanor Dhuyvetter, National Weather Service El Paso, TX/Santa Teresa, NM
Supplemental Link: ArcGIS Dust Dashboard
9:15-9:30 AM: Service Learning Engaging Citizen Science with NASA's Globe Observer Dust Monitoring Project
John Olgin, El Paso Community College
9:30-9:45 AM:
Real Time Experience Studying ADOT I-10 Dust Project Implementation
David Locher, ADOT
Supplemental Link: ADOT MPD Study for US 70/US 191 detour for I-10 between Lordsburg and Deming.
9:45-10:00 AM: Dust Storms and Related Hazards: An Autonomous Vehicle
Juan Padres, Tu Simples
10:30-10:45 AM:
Low-Cost Sampling of Cocci Fungus in the Air
Daniel Tong, George Mason University
10:45-11:00 AM:
Quantitatively Characterizing Dust Source Areas at Lordsburg 
Scott Van Pelt, USDA-ARS
11:00-11:15 AM:
Update on NMDOT Plans to Address Dust Storms in the Lordsburg Playa Area
Trent Botkin, NMDOT
11:15-11:30 AM:
ADEQ Dust Project Updates
Heather Colson and Craig Pearson, ADEQ
11:30-11:45 AM:
Evaluation of Threshold Friction Velocities at Potential Dust Storm Sources in Semi-Arid Regions
Ruby O'Brien-Metzger, University of Arizona
11:45-12:00 PM:
UA Project Updates on Dust Prediction and Mitigation Near Picacho Peak
Conor Graves, University of Arizona
Conference Notes

2019 Workshop Presentations

March 5th

8:30-8:45 AM: Where Does the Dust Come From?
Peter Hyde, Arizona State University
8:45-9:00 AM: Friction Velocities Picacho Peak area 
Ruby O'Brien-Metzger, University of Arizona
9:00-9:15 AM:
Satellite-aided regional dust forecasting for Valley fever surveillance, highway accident prevention, and air quality management in the Southwestern United States
Daniel Tong, George Mason University
9:15-9:30 AM:
The Naval Research Laboratory’s Marine Meteorology Division Dust Forecasting Capabilities
Annette Walker, Naval Research Laboratory
9:30-9:45 AM:
Polygon Warning Implementation
Ken Waters, National Weather Service Phoenix
9:45-10:00 AM:
I-10 Dust Detection and Warning Project
Martin Lauber, Arizona Department of Transportation, and Ken Waters, National Weather Service Phoenix
10:30-10:45 AM:
Dust: A Perspective from Trucking
Arizona Trucking Association
10:45-11:00 AM:
Pathfinder Coordination and Public Messaging
Scott Jensen, Weathernet
11:00-11:15 AM:
I-10 Dust Mitigation/Stabilization Projects
Heather Colson, ADEQ
11:15-11:30 AM:
Testing organic - and microbial-based strategies for soil stabilization and dust mitigation in barren lands of the Sonoran Desert
Joey Blankinship, University of Arizona
11:30-11:45 AM:
Dust Mitigation Handbook
Steve Smarik, USDA-NRCS
11:45-12:00 PM:
Update on NMDOT Lordsburg Playa Mitigation Project
Trent Botkin, NMDOT
Conference Notes

2018 Workshop Presentations

Feb. 27th

8:45-9:05 AM: Updates on I-10 Dust Corridor Project
John Kissinger, Kimley-Horn
9:05-9:20 AM: NWS Dust Polygon Warnings 
Ken Waters, National Weather Service, Phoenix, AZ
9:20-9:40 AM:
NMDOT Dust Mitigation Projects
Trent Botkin, New Mexico Dept. of Transportation
9:40-10:10 AM:
Dust Mitigation Team Update
Jamie Abbott, Arizona Dept. of Environmental Quality
10:35-10:55 AM:
Mitigation on Agricultural Lands
Heather Dial, USDA Plants Materials Center
10:55-11:15 AM:
Informing Travelers Before and During Dust Storms Through Pathfinder
Mark Trennepohl, Arizona Department of Transportation
Conference Notes

2017 Workshop Presentations

8:45-9:15 AM: Detection, Prediction, and Warnings 
Ken Waters, National Weather Service
9:15-9:45 AM: Active Response 
Reza Karimvand, Arizona Department of Transportation
9:45-10:15 AM: Mitigation 
Leonard Drago and Jamie Abbott, 
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

2016 Workshop Presentations

8:45-9:00 AM: Dust Storms: Quantifying Their Sources
Peter Hyde, Arizona State University
9:00-9:15 AM: Blowing Dust and Highway Safety in Texas,

New Mexico and Oklahoma: Identifying Dust Emission "Hot Spots"
Tom Gill, University of Texas, El Paso
9:15-9:30 AM: Mexican Perspective of Dust Issue on Highway 45 
(similar to dust issue seen on I-10)

Miguel Dominguez Acosta, Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez
9:30-9:45 AM: Dust Detection Network Deployment Update
Ken Waters, NOAA National Weather Service Phoenix
9:45-10:00 AM: Evaluation of a Dust Detection and Communication

System
Dianne Kresich, Arizona Department of Transportation
10:30-10:45 AM: Media Perspectives on Blowing Dust
Amber Sullins, ABC 15 (KNXV) Phoenix
10:45-11:00 AM: Measurements of Threshold Friction Velocities on 
Abandoned Agriculture Fields near Picacho Peak using a Portable Dust

Generator
Kyle Rine, University of Arizona
11:00-11:15 AM: Dust Mitigation Overview
Steve Smarik, USDA-NRCS
11:15-11:30 AM: Dust Mitigation Using Holistic Management
Ricardo Aguirre, Holistic Engineering and Land Management

2015 Workshop Presentations

9:15-9:30 AM: Update on dust forecasting using high resolution
WRF model
Eduardo Saez, University of Arizona 
9:30-9:45 AM: Use of Remote Sensing to Detect and Monitor Landscape Vulnerability to Wind Erosion and Dust Emission

with connections to Climate and Air Quality 
Pat Chavez, Northern Arizona University
9:45-10:00 AM: Dust Detection Network
Ken Waters, NOAA National Weather Service, Phoenix AZ
10:00-10:15 AM: Research Study on Communication for Winblown

Dust
Tim Tait and Diane Kresich, Arizona Department of Transportation 
10:45-11:00 AM: Public Notification Tools, Capabilities, Limitations 
and Challenges from an Emergency Management Perspective

Pete Weaver, Maricopa County Emergency Management
11:00-11:15 AM: Fatal Accident on I-10 near AZ/NM border
John Fausett, NOAA National Weather Service El Paso 
11:15-11:30 AM: Traffic Management of a Dust Event 
Sergeant John Paul Cartier, Department of Public Safety
11:30 AM - 11:45 AM: Soil Conditions and Dust Production
James Walworth, University of Arizona
11:45 AM - 12:00 PM: Dust Mitigation Conservation Practices and

EQIP Air Quality Incentive Program
Jamilah McCoy, Natural Resources Conservation Service 
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM: Dust in Arizona: Potentials for Design 
Improvements in the Sonoran Desert

Danika Cooper, Harvard University 

 

2014 Workshop Presentations

8:45-9:10 AM: Strategic Highway Safety Plan and Operational 
Briefing
 
Rod Lane, Arizona Department of Transportation
9:10-9:25 AM: Communication Plan for Windblown Dust
Dianne Kresich, Arizona Department of Transportation
9:25-9:45 AM: Dust Detection Network
Ken Waters, NOAA National Weather Service, Phoenix AZ
9:45-9:55 AM: ADOT Safford District Dust Warning System
Arizona Department of Transportation
9:55-10:10 AM: Dust Storm Convective Index 
Joshua White, Arizona State University
10:30-10:45 AM: Valley Fever and the link to weather/climate
Heidi Brown, University of Arizona
10:45-11:00 AM: Update on the Pinal County AQ Exceedance 
PM10 Nonattainment Group and Emission Inventory
 
Bryan Paris, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
11:00-11:15 AM: Holistic Approach to Dust Mitigation: 
Vegetating Fallow Lands in Arid Regions Without Irrigation

Nathan Allan, Biosphere 2

 

2013 Workshop Presentations

9:20 AM: Review of ADOT accident data (2000-2011) for all 
dust-related accidents and discussion of dust origins projec
t
Ken Waters, NOAA National Weather Service Phoenix, AZ
9:45 AM: Health local studies 
Graham Briggs, Pinal County Health
10:00 AM: Update on the Pinal County AQ Exceedance PM10 
Nonattainment Group

Steve Calderon, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
10:10 AM: Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA): An Overview of
WEA, successes and pitfalls. Where does it go from here?

Ken Waters, NOAA National Weather Service Phoenix, AZ

10:45 AM: Executive Summary of Prevention ideas. 
Successes (or failures), Upcoming initiatives, Action 
Items from 2012 workshop.

Anthony Cox, Arizona Department of Emergency Management 
& Farzania Yasmin, Arizona Department of Transporation

2:10 PM: Shortened version of Executive Reviews 
given earlier

Glen Sampson, NOAA National Weather Service Tucson, AZ

2012 Workshop Presentations

9:15 AM: Dust Storms Described & 2011 in Review
Paul Iñiguez, NOAA National Weather Service Phoenix, AZ
9:35 AM - Air Traffic Impacts
Scott Maxwell, Sky Harbor Operations

9:55 AM - Health Impacts
Dr. Thomas E. Gill, Department of Geological Sciences, 
University of Texas at El Paso

10:30 AM - Detecting Dust Storms 
John Brost, NOAA National Weather Service Tucson, AZ
10:50 AM - Predicting Dust Storms
Mike Leuthold, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, 
University of Arizona

11:10 AM - Responding to Dust Storms
Bill Harmon, Arizona Department of Transportation

Small Group Solutions Discussions
Prevention (i.e. surface treatments, wind/dust breaks, 
land purchasing, legislation, etc.)

Facilitators: Glen Sampson & Ken Drozd
Detection and Prediction (i.e. modeling, research, 
observing systems, spotter info, etc.)

Facilitators: Paul Iñiguez, JJ Brost, and Ken Waters
Education and Response (i.e. emergency management, PIOs, 
operational responses, etc.)

Facilitators: Glenn Lader and Gary Woodall