 Dust on SnowEarly Snowmelt and the Colorado River - Jeff Deems Spring 2009 saw several strong storms depositing large amounts of desert dust on the snowpack in the Colorado mountains. The dust emerged on the snow surface during the snowmelt season, producing extreme snowmelt rates, and leading to early melt-out.Is this climate change? Are dust storms increasing in magnitude or frequency? Was 2009 a sign of things to come? Does dust in snow affect water in the Colorado River basin? These are questions that our research team is addressing. We use field measurement, computer models, and airborne and satellite remote sensing imagery to study the linkages between desert land management, dust transport and deposition on the snow, and impacts on snowmelt and river flows. In this presentation, we will explore the causes and impacts of desert dust deposition on mountain snowpacks: where the dust comes from, how it influences snowmelt, and the impacts on our water supply. Dr. Jeffrey Deems Jeff is a snow scientist with the NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center and the NOAA Western Water Assessment, in Boulder, CO. His background as a backcountry skier spurred an interest in avalanche and snow science research, and he has conducted studies combining field data collection, modeling, and remote sensing in most of the mountains in the western US. Free Members Free Non Members 2/25/2010 7:30pm at Hallam Lake |