Snowpack Variation Analysis Using GIS

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Snowpack Variation Analysis Using GIS

• Mike Lamar
• November 30, 2000

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Agenda

• Motivation
• Geography
• Data Acquisition
• Analysis
• Future Work

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Motivation

• Abandoned Mines in Colorado
• Stream contamination
• Water Use Near Mines
• Increased pollution downstream
• Example - Arapahoe Basin snowmaking
• Pennsylvania mine drainage upstream
• Snowpack Data
• Can be used to predict extent of pollution
• Water supply forecasting

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Where Is Summit County?
Denver
Summit County
Continental Divide

• West of Denver
• Continental Divide
• Southeastern boundary
• Westward streamflow

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Abandoned Mines in Summit County
Abandoned Mines
Open Mines

• 186 Mines Abandoned
• 257 Total
• Most untreated
• 1,300 polluted river miles
• Dillon Reservoir
• Downstream of mines
• Water goes to Denver

Dillon Reservoir
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Data Acquisition

• SNOTEL
• Data from USDA website
• Sites from NOHRSC
• Stream Gages from USGS
• Mines, counties and state boundary shapefiles
• ArcView GIS 3.2 used

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What is SNOTEL?

• Automatic snowpack sensing and data transmission
• Also measures precipitation and temperature
• Pressure pillows measure snowfall
• Used in addition to manual snow surveying
• Manual surveys done once a month
• SNOTEL data easily available

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SNOTEL Data in Colorado
Summit County
SNOTEL Sites
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Streamflow Dependent on Snowpack

• Maximum Streamflow
• mid-June
• 1998 Snowfall
• snowpack low
• streamflow reflected

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Snowpack Variations in Summit County
Copper Mtn.
Grizzly Creek
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Future Work

• Directly compare streamflow/snowpack data
• Find SNOTEL site upstream from gage
• Determine if snowmelt model is necessary
• Estimate snowmelt from data
• Compare with stream discharge data

Regional models have been created to do this
already
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Snowpack Analysis

• SWE Snow water equivalent
• 0.01dsrs
• ds snow depth
• rs snow density