![]() Simply put, the snow pillow measures the weight of the water in the snowpack. Designed to sit on a piece of flat ground, most snow pillows are constructed with sheets of stainless steel that form an airtight container filled with an antifreeze solution.Īs snow piles up on the steel plates, it weighs it down, displacing the antifreeze, and a sensor measures that hydrostatic pressure. That is done by another ingenious device, the snow pillow. The real payoff comes from determining just how much water is in the snowpack. Knowing the depth of the snow is only part of the answer that water managers are looking for.Ī 4-foot depth of snow that is fresh and fluffy may only contain a third of the water that a wet, heavy, slushy snowfall might contain. It’s an ingenious device and works quite well. Snow depth is measured by an ultrasonic sensor that works by measuring how long it takes for an ultrasonic pulse to travel from the sensor, located several feet above the ground, to the surface of the snow and back. Those are measured by a couple of clever little sensors. ![]() The data is a basis for climate studies, air and water quality investigations, climate change and even endangered species habitat analysis. Fish releases are also dependent on water forecasts.Īnd in a world now dominated by a rapidly changing climate, this information is even more important. Outdoor recreation relies on water information to determine ski conditions in winter and rafting conditions year-round. Finally, municipalities rely on this data to evaluate their water supply, and as we have seen all too often in the past few decades, determine whether or not water rationing might be necessary. Those huge flood control projects must determine how much water they can safely store in reservoirs. Agricultural interests need this information to plan for crop planting patterns, groundwater pumping needs and irrigation schedules. Utility companies need to know how much of their electricity generation will come from hydropower. ![]() That same water supply is also extremely important for agriculture, recreation, flood management and power generation. Think about that – water for drinking, bathing and all your household chores. SPONSORED: 40% off Valentine's Day sale at Michael's In the West, it all has to do with the water supply, and much, if not most, of that water comes from the snow water equivalent (SWE), or the melted snow from the snowpack.Īccording to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), “50 to 80 percent of the water supply in the western United States comes from the snowpack.” Weather data including the snow depth and snow water equivalent (SWE) from the Snow Telemetry site on Mt. ![]()
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