Midwinter melts in the Canadian prairies: energy balance and hydrological effects
<p>Snowpack accumulation and depletion are important elements of the hydrological cycle in the Canadian prairies. The surface runoff generated during snowmelt is transformed into streamflow or fills numerous depressions driving the focussed recharge of groundwater in this dry setting. The snow...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2019-04-01
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| Series: | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| Online Access: | https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/23/1867/2019/hess-23-1867-2019.pdf |
| Summary: | <p>Snowpack accumulation and depletion are important elements of the
hydrological cycle in the Canadian prairies. The surface runoff generated
during snowmelt is transformed into streamflow or fills numerous depressions
driving the focussed recharge of groundwater in this dry setting. The
snowpack in the prairies can undergo several cycles of accumulation and
depletion in a winter. The timing of the melt affects the mechanisms of
snowpack depletion and their hydrological implications. The effects of
midwinter melts were investigated at four instrumented sites in the Canadian
prairies. Unlike net radiation-driven snowmelt during spring melt, turbulent
sensible heat fluxes were the dominant source of energy inputs for midwinter
melt occurring in the period with low solar radiation inputs. Midwinter melt
events affect several aspects of hydrological cycle with lower runoff ratios
than subsequent spring melt events, due to
their role in the timing of
the focussed recharge. Remote sensing data have shown that midwinter melt
events regularly occur under the present climate throughout the Canadian
prairies, indicating applicability of the study findings throughout the
region.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1027-5606 1607-7938 |