Measuring Liquid Gold

Measuring Liquid Gold. . , The equipment before you is a SNOwpack TELemetry (SNOTEL) Station, which collects snow depth and water content data. One of 750 automated sites in the West, it enables the Natural Resource Conservation Service to forecast how much water will be available for wildlife, irrigation, recreation, manufacturing, and domestic use. In the arid West, 50-80 percent of the year's water supply comes from snow. Storage reservoirs outside the park help assure the water is available when needed. , SNOTEL stations are one of the tools scientists use to study climate change. The Bear Lake automated site has been in place since 1979. Its long term record allows scientists to assess whether snow patterns are changing over time. , Not all snow holds equal amounts of water. When snow-forming conditions are cold and humidity low, snow is light and fluffy with lots of air space. When conditions are warm and humid, the snow is wet and heavy, with tightly packed crystals and moisture filling the spaces. , Scientists use the term Snow Water Equivalent to convert measurements of snow depth into an estimate of inches of water produced when the snow melts. In April of a typical year, when the snowpack here reaches an average depth of six feet, with an average Snow Water Equivalent of about 19 inches. , Average Annual Water Content vs. Snow Depth , 19 inches of water content = 72 inches of snow