Presenter(s): Lauren Jin − Pre-Journalism
Faculty Mentor(s): Dave Sutherland
Poster 162
Research Area: Earth Science
For much of the Western United States, mountain snowpack is one of the main sources of water. This is especially true for the Pacific Northwest states, Oregon and Washington, because while rainfall provides sufficient water during the wet months, residents rely on water stored in the snowpack during the summer. This snowpack has been declining: snow water equivalent (SWE) records show this and there have been many studies on the extent and causes of this loss. While it is understood that the snowpack in the Cascades is declining, it is less understood how this loss relates to drought, and specifically snow drought. Snow drought is the combination of general drought and reduced snowpack, but only a few drought metrics account for the water stored in snow. This project will attempt to better quantify snowpack drought in terms of snowpack loss and examine the variables behind it. In this study we will use SNOTEL records from the NRCS and previous research relevant to the project. Snow drought is major concern for water resource managers and must be better understood in order to prepare for it in the future.