Presentation
Reynolds Mountain East SnowEx2020 Dataset and Initial Research Findings
AGU Fall Meeting
(2022)
Abstract
One of the research sites of the SnowEx2020 campaign was the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed (RCEW) located near Boise, Idaho, and operated by the USDA-ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center (NWRC). In-situ observations focused on the Reynolds Mountain East (RME) sub-watershed; a small (0.38 km2) snow dominated headwater catchment located at the southern end of the RCEW. Elevation ranges from 2028 to 2137 m and vegetation is patchy with fir, aspen and sagebrush. RCEW has been the focus of research for decades and was established in 1959. Meteorological, soil and snow measurements at RME exist from 1983-present, and snow course activities are performed during the winter at one of the instrument sites, adjacent to an instrument cluster that includes a snow pillow and snow depth sensors. The two main measurement sites represent the major landscape units in RME, with a sheltered site located within a clearing in an aspen/fir grove near the center of the catchment, while an exposed site is located on the western catchment divide in an area dominated by mixed sagebrush. A streamflow weir is located at the outlet of the catchment. Here, we present an overview of the multiple remote sensing datasets collected during the SnowEx 2020 campaign that complement the existing in-situ datasets, in what is one of the most well instrumented watersheds of the western US. Three on-site surveys were performed on January 23-24, February 12-13, and February 26-27, 2020, during which complementary terrestrial laser scanning and photogrammetry datasets were collected, alongside snow core sampling. The resulting datasets include distributed high-resolution surface elevations (~5-20 cm horizontally), and point measurements of SWE, snow depth and snow density. An equivalent snow-free survey is planned for the fall of 2022 to allow for the estimation of distributed snow depths. Additionally, a helipod flight to collect lidar elevations was performed by CRREL on January 31, 2020, although difficult flight conditions lead to a partial coverage of RME. Similarly, a SnowEx fixed wing lidar flight was also performed on February 18-19. Lastly, SnowEx UAVSAR flights were performed on February 13 and February 27, coincident with two of the on-site surveys. We will discuss some of the initial research findings from this rich dataset.
Disciplines
Publication Date
December 13, 2022
Location
Chicago, IL
Citation Information
Ernesto Trujillo, Andrew R. Hedrick, Frederick B. Pierson, Shad O'Neel, et al.. "Reynolds Mountain East SnowEx2020 Dataset and Initial Research Findings" AGU Fall Meeting (2022) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ernesto-trujillo/14/