WR 574 – Advanced Snow Hydrology


Offered: Fall (MWF 11:00-11:50 NR316)

Prerequisite: WR 416 or CE 322/EV322

Note: Credit will not be given for both WR 474 and WR 574

Credits: 4 (3 lecture, 1 recital)

Instructor: Steven Fassnacht (<srf@cnr.colostate.edu>; 970-491-5454; NR 335)


Summary: Snow processes and their relation to the hydrologic cycle, including cloud processes and precipitation formation, snowfall, accumulation, snowcover, canopy interception, redistribution, sublimation, snowpack metamorphosis, and snowmelt. Physical and conceptual methods of modeling and techniques for measuring the different states and change rates. New and innovative modeling and measuring techniques.


Course Objectives: A successful student will be able to measure snowpack properties and estimate the error associated with the measurements, estimate the winter water balance, model snowpack hydrological processes, and manipulate a large time series of data (~10,000 time steps).



Weekly Topics:

1. Introduction and Overview

2. Modeling Approaches

3. Cloud Processes

4. Precipitation Formation

5. Snowfall

6. Accumulation

7. Snowcover

8. Snowpack Properties

9. Canopy Interception

10. Redistribution

11. Sublimation

            i) snowpack

            ii) canopy

            iii) blowing snow

12. Snowpack Metamorphosis

13. Snowmelt

14. Runoff

15. Additional Topics


Proposed Grading:

Assignments               9 @ 5%            45%

Project                                                 10%

Midterm                                               10%

Final Exam                                          15%

Field Exercise                                      5%

Paper Review - presentation  - 5% 

                        - summary      - 10%   15%

100%



Textbooks:

1. Doesken, N.J., and A. Judson, 1997. The Snow Booklet: A guide to the science, climatology, and measurements of snow in the US. Colorado Climate Center, Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, 86pp.

2. American Avalanche Association, 2004. Snow, Weather, and Avalanches: Observational Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the Unites States. The American Avalanche Association, Pagosa Springs, Colorado, 136pp.

3. McClung, D. and P. Schaerer, 2006. The Avalanche Handbook (revised 3rd edition). The Mountaineers, Seattle WA. (OPTIONAL)


There will be additional readings from the literature.