Variability of Snowmelt Runoff and Soil Moisture Recharge | Zendy

T. Harms | Zendy; D. S. Chanasyk | Zendy

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Variability of Snowmelt Runoff and Soil Moisture Recharge

Author(s) -

T. Harms,

D. S. Chanasyk

Publication year - 1998

Publication title -

hydrology research

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.665

H-Index - 48

eISSN - 1996-9694

pISSN - 0029-1277

DOI - 10.2166/nh.1998.0010

Subject(s) - snowmelt , surface runoff , environmental science , groundwater recharge , hydrology (agriculture) , infiltration (hvac) , antecedent moisture , water content , snow , moisture , meltwater , soil science , runoff curve number , geology , groundwater , ecology , geotechnical engineering , geography , meteorology , geomorphology , aquifer , biology

The spatial and temporal variability of snowmelt runoff and soil moisture recharge within small watersheds must be quantified for use in distributed parameter snowmelt models. Snowmelt runoff, over-winter changes in soil moisture and soil temperatures were monitored over three annual snowmelt periods on two reclaimed watersheds in central Alberta, Canada. Slope aspect had a major influence on fall soil antecedent conditions and soil temperature. The south-facing slopes produced snowmelt the earliest, cleared of snow the soonest, yielded the least amount of runoff and had the greatest gain in over-winter soil moisture. Over-winter change in soil moisture was minimal when fall soil moisture levels were greater than 75% relative saturation. The power relationship between infiltration and snow-water equivalent of Granger et al . (1984) was not verified in this study, likely due to mid-winter melts that altered near-surface soil moisture and subsequently enhanced snowmelt runoff.

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