Expanding the Berkeley Digital Seismic Network for Earthquake Early Warning (EEW): Operations, Installation and Upgrades to Seismic Monitoring

Date: 4/24/2019

Time: 02:45 PM

Room: Grand Crescent

With funding from CalOES and the USGS, University of California Berkeley Seismology Lab (BSL) is expanding the Berkeley Digital Seismic Network (BDSN) between 2015 and 2021, with funding currently committed to increase from 50 stations in 2015 to 98 stations in 2019. Additional support is in the process of being allocated to the BSL to install 45 or more stations by Spring 2021.

The rapid increase in the number of permanent co-located broadband and strong motion sites in the BDSN requires updates to our existing Network Operations, including: 1 written permits for all new and existing stations; 2 environmental permits for all new stations and upgrades; 3 improvements to techniques for evaluating existing instrumentation and QA/QC of seismic equipment being installed; 4 developing guidelines and configurations for equipment new to the BSL, including understanding firmware and working with the manufacturer to ensure its compliance with our needs; 5 station acceptance of installation quality and latency analysis for EEW ready stations; and 6 bringing in and QC-ing data for analysis and EEW from network partners such as CGS, DWR and UNR. Each of these factors presents different risks to scheduling and budgeting. Timing for steps 1 and 3 has been the most challenging.

BSL was contracted to install 43 new stations in two years using CalOES and USGS funds. The biggest impediments in preparing to install stations are scouting sites and obtaining permits. In coordinated efforts with the USGS and CalOES, BSL is participating in efforts to get bulk permits from USFS, State Parks, CalTrans, CalFire, and UCOP. “Streamlining” the permit process has brought many challenges. For example, BSL identified 19 sites on UC properties for new or upgraded stations. Although the various parties involved were very cooperative, many lawyers participated in the process to finalize a permit agreement including environmental requirements (CEQA/NEPA).

BSL is making good progress but deadlines, troubleshooting and budget creep are the largest stumbling blocks in the BSL’s build out efforts.

Presenting Author: Margaret Hellweg

Authors