Analyzing PRISM Winter Precipitation Data in Central Wisconsin
Hydrology Adam Klappa
The amount, timing, and type of precipitation over the course of a year is the primary driver of hydrologic activity in a watershed. While most of the United States receives rain as the primary form of precipitation, high elevations and Northern latitudes receive significant portions of their yearly precipitation as snow. In these regions, quantifying winter precipitation is crucial to understanding the hydrology of a given region. While the snow depth is certainly a valuable statistic, the fraction of snow that is made up of water is more valuable for hydrologic investigations. The snow-water equivalent (SWE) is the melted rainwater equivalent of a given snowfall and is the quantity of water that enters the watershed with spring snowmelt. The varied conditions in which snow forms, along with the impact of wind, create added complexity capturing the true quantity of water that falls, leading to difficulty quantifying winter precipitation using traditional weather stations. Considering all the complex variables that impact snowfall, Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) may not be a useful tool to measure winter precipitation. To help determine this, new snowfall was sampled by measuring the dimensions and weight of a snow core. These dimensions were then used to measure SWE, snow density, and snow depth, which was then compared to modeled data from PRISM. Ultimately, the goal is to determine if PRISM can be relied on to measure winter precipitation, and if so, what circumstances would the tool be appropriate in.
Advisors: Kevin Masarik, Ph.D.
Subject Area: Fisheries and Water
Type: Oral
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Jim and Katie Krause CNR Student Research Symposium
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