Snow fencing for water supplies

Drought conditions during 1988-89 in southeastern Wyoming created opportunities to test several snow fence designs that capture snow as a water source for livestock, wildlife, and fisheries. Snow fence-embankment combinations that were most efficient in small-scale tests proved to be good choices to provide livestock water at several locations where deep wells went dry. Removal of upwind brush and installation of a metal apron in the accumulation area improved efficiency of a snow fence that supplied a guzzler for wildlife. Another snow fence accumulated enough additional water to prevent winter kill in a fishery.