The Cryosphere
The Cryosphere
TC
Articles | Volume 15, issue 3
Articles | Volume 15, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1423-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1423-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 15, issue 3
Research article
 | 
19 Mar 2021
Research article |  | 19 Mar 2021

Two-dimensional liquid water flow through snow at the plot scale in continental snowpacks: simulations and field data comparisons

Ryan W. Webb, Keith Jennings, Stefan Finsterle, and Steven R. Fassnacht

Data sets

Data from: Combining ground‐penetrating radar with terrestrial LiDAR scanning to estimate the spatial distribution of liquid water content in seasonal snowpacks R. W. Webb, K. S. Jennings, M. Fend, and N. P. Molotch, https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.hn626p7

Data from: Two-Dimensional Liquid Water Flow through Snow at the Plot Scale in Continental Snowpacks: Simulations and Field Data Comparisons R. W. Webb, K. S. Jennings, S. Finsterle, and S. R. Fassnacht https://doi.org/10.17632/9wjjvsy82p.1

SV03: Snowpack Water Flow (U-060) - Niwot Ridge - Above Treeline (PS01) Ryan Webb and Michael Fend https://doi.org/10.7283/R3D10V

SV01: Snowpack Water Flow (U-060) - Niwot Ridge - Above Treeline (PS01) Ryan Webb and Michael Fend https://doi.org/10.7283/R3V678

SV01: Snowpack Water Flow (U-060) - Niwot Ridge - Near Treeline (PS02) Ryan Webb and Michael Fend https://doi.org/10.7283/R31T24

SV03: Snowpack Water Flow (U-060) - Niwot Ridge - Near Treeline (PS02) Ryan Webb and Michael Fend https://doi.org/10.7283/R34H4Q

SV01: Snowpack Water Flow (U-060) - Upper Gordon Gulch - North Facing (PS03) Ryan Webb and Michael Fend https://doi.org/10.7283/R3996Z

SV03: Snowpack Water Flow (U-060) - Upper Gordon Gulch - North Facing (PS03) Ryan Webb and Michael Fend https://doi.org/10.7283/R30T1F

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Short summary
We simulate the flow of liquid water through snow and compare results to field experiments. This process is important because it controls how much and how quickly water will reach our streams and rivers in snowy regions. We found that water can flow large distances downslope through the snow even after the snow has stopped melting. Improved modeling of snowmelt processes will allow us to more accurately estimate available water resources, especially under changing climate conditions.
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