Objectives:

• To determine differences in snow accumulation as indexed by snow water equivalents in pairs of forested and clearcut areas typical of southeastern B.C.
• To establish a relationship between observed differences in the forest/clearcut areas with respect to aspect, slope and elevation.
• To determine differences in the ablation rates of snowpacks on various aspects as measured by snow water equivalents.

Experimental Design:

Sampling strategy follows the general design for the provincial snow course network. One transect consisting of 10 point measurements of snow depth and snow water equivalent is established in a clearcut and in an adjacent forest stand. Measurements are made at fixed intervals (10m) generally along the contour. Sampling in the forest does not occur within 50m of the cutblock boundary to avoid any edge effect. Results from this study are the basis of the effects of forest removal on snow accumulation and melt.

History:

• 1983 First snow course established. Measurements have been made at 104 different sites up to and including 1993. Several sites are measured on an annual basis.
• 1994-2000 data collection on selected sites

Status: Dormant

Reports and publications:

Toews, D.A.A. and D.R. Gluns. 1986. Snow accumulation and ablation on adjacent forested and clearcut sites in southeastern British Columbia. In Proc. Western Snow Conf., Phoenix, Arizona, pp. 101-111.