Methods of estimating liquid water storage in snowpacks
Title | Methods of estimating liquid water storage in snowpacks |
Publication Type | Conference Proceedings |
Year of Conference | 1987 |
Authors | Kattelmann, R. |
Conference Name | 55th Annual Western Snow Conference |
Series Title | Proceedings of the 55th Annual Western Snow Conference |
Date Published | April 1987 |
Publisher | Western Snow Conference |
Conference Location | Vancouver, British Columbia |
Keywords | Liquid water, Snowmelt lysimeter, Snowpack water retention |
Abstract | Most streamflow forecasting procedures account for liquid water storage in the snowpack. More than a dozen methods of estimating this quantity have been developed. This paper evaluates and compares these known techniques both in terms of theory and application. The paper also compares estimates of snowpack water retention obtained from these various methods to change-in-density measurements, snowmelt lysimeter lag times, and response of small streams in the Donner Summit area of California. Measurements at the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory indicated that layers of fresh snow usually retained less than five percent liquid water by volume under conditions experienced over three winters. The response of snowmelt lysimeters to rain-on-deep-snow events indicated there are only a few hours of delay between the onset of rain and snowpack outflow. Similarly, small streams began to rise within a few hours of the beginning of rainfall. |
URL | sites/westernsnowconference.org/PDFs/1987Kattelmann.pdf |