The Importance of Snowpack to Water Availability in the Western United States
Faculty Mentor
Richard Orndorff
Document Type
Poster
Start Date
10-5-2023 9:00 AM
End Date
10-5-2023 10:45 AM
Location
PUB NCR
Department
Geology
Abstract
Snowfall and snowpack are key components of the hydrologic system, and snowpack is a cornerstone water source in the western United States. It has the potential to greatly impact water availability for millions of Americans. In mountainous states like California, snowpack is carefully monitored throughout winter and spring, and snowpack depth is used to predict summer streamflow. Despite seeing some expected increases in global temperatures thought to be associated with climate change, recent trends of snowpack decline in the West have been less severe than anticipated, with some regions experiencing short-term increases in winter snowpack. However, this unexpected stability may not be cause for celebration, for it is uncertain how long it will last. As John Wesley Powell once famously noted, "If it be true... the fact is not cheering... [As] any sudden great change [of climate] is ephemeral, and usually such changes go in cycles and the opposite or compensating change may reasonably be anticipated."
Recommended Citation
Lutz, Adam, "The Importance of Snowpack to Water Availability in the Western United States" (2023). 2023 Symposium. 47.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2023/res_2023/p1_2023/47
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
The Importance of Snowpack to Water Availability in the Western United States
PUB NCR
Snowfall and snowpack are key components of the hydrologic system, and snowpack is a cornerstone water source in the western United States. It has the potential to greatly impact water availability for millions of Americans. In mountainous states like California, snowpack is carefully monitored throughout winter and spring, and snowpack depth is used to predict summer streamflow. Despite seeing some expected increases in global temperatures thought to be associated with climate change, recent trends of snowpack decline in the West have been less severe than anticipated, with some regions experiencing short-term increases in winter snowpack. However, this unexpected stability may not be cause for celebration, for it is uncertain how long it will last. As John Wesley Powell once famously noted, "If it be true... the fact is not cheering... [As] any sudden great change [of climate] is ephemeral, and usually such changes go in cycles and the opposite or compensating change may reasonably be anticipated."
