Title: Application of the Snowmelt Runoff Model for snow accumulation and snowmelt modelling in experimental catchments Bystřice and Zlatý Brook in the Krušné Mountains Modelling of hydrological processes is a dynamically developing part of hydrology. The Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM) was applied for modelling the runoff in two experimental catchments Bystřice and Zlatý Brook. The aim of this thesis is to set up and calibrate SRM model and to evaluate methods and procedures used for runoff simulations. The SRM model was used for modelling snow accumulation and snowmelt in two selected catchments in the Krušné Mountains. The snow depths and snow water equivalents are measured since 2009 at selected locations situated in catchments. Calibration and validation of the model was based on continual time series of precipitation, air temperature and discharge measured 2009. Hydrological years 2009 and 2010 were used for model calibration and hydrological years 2011 and 2012 were used for model validation. Sensitivity analysis, which quantifies the effect of individual model parameters on the simulating proces, was carried out based on results. Recession coefficient and runoff coefficient belong to the most sensitive parameters with highest impact on runoff simulations. Model calibration was successful, which...

Saskatchewan producers traditionally overwinter their cattle in pens in the yard. The practice of winter feeding of cattle directly in the field is increasing in popularity leading to concerns about increased nutrients being deposited in soil and potentially lost in runoff water and to ground water. In 2008/2009 an experiment was conducted to observe the effect of in-field winter feeding of cows on the nutrients in spring snowmelt run-off. Approximately 100 cattle were baled grazed on a Russian wild ryegrass pasture at a stocking rate of 2240 cow-days ha-1 for 88 d during the winter at the Western Beef Development Center at Lanigan, SK. The spring 2009 ponded water was sampled from four basins in the control (no cattle were present) and four basins in the winter feeding treatment from the end of March to mid-April. Ground water samples from two piezometers in the control and two in the winter feeding area were gathered from the start of runoff until the middle of summer. Soil samples (0-10 cm) were collected in the fall 2008 before winter feeding and again in the spring 2009 after winter feeding on both the control and treated areas to examine the influence of winter feeding on soil nutrients. Orthophosphate-P and ammonium-N concentrations were elevated to levels up to 19.9 mg PO4-P L-1 and 102.3 mg NH4-N L-1 respectively in run-off from the winter feed treatment basins compared to the controls (2.1 mg PO4-P L-1 and 1.72 mg NH4-N L-1). Nitrate-N concentrations in snowmelt run-off water were similar from the winter-fed areas (0.008 mg NO3-N L-1 to 0.739 mg NO3-N L-1) and the control (0.001 mg NO3-N L-1 to 1.046 mg NO3-N L-1). This is explained by lack of sufficient time and temperature for organic N, urea and ammonium in the urine and fecal matter to convert to nitrate. In the ground water there was a slight increase in nutrient ion concentration in the winter feed basins compared to the control. Soil sampled in the spring from the winter feeding site had higher soluble nitrate, ammonium and phosphorus compared to the control. The soluble and exchangeable forms of phosphorus in the soil were lower compared to the fall soil samples for the control and winter feeding site, possibly due to immobilization by plant and microbial uptake in the spring. Caution should be used when selecting sites for in-field winter feeding system so the run-off water does not reach sensitive water bodies.

The presence of nutrients in snowmelt runoff from agricultural watersheds has been reported by previous studies. However, no study has answered the most important question what areas of the watershed contribute nutrients to snowmelt runoff? or addressed the factors that control snowmelt runoff water quality. This study was designed to (1) find the areas that contribute nutrient to snowmelt runoff (termed as critical source areas, CSA), and (2) understand the source and transport factors that control the snowmelt runoff water quality in the Canadian prairies. The findings of this study will provide vital information to understand snowmelt runoff water quality and for sustainable management of soil nutrients and snowmelt runoff water quality in the Canadian prairies. <p>Source and transport factors and snowmelt runoff water quality were studied for two years on shoulder, backslope and footslope landform segments. The distribution of fall soil nutrients in the top 5 cm soil layer (available soil P [ASP], nitrate [NO3-] and ammonium [NH4+]), snow depth, snow water equivalent (SWE), snowmelt runoff and snowmelt runoff water quality (total P [TP], total dissolved P [TDP], NO3-N and sediment) were studied using closed and open plots placed on each landform segment. The influence of source and transport factors was evaluated in relation to snowmelt runoff water quality. <p>The ASP had a distribution pattern of backslope < shoulder < footslope in 2003 before manure application (bma) and shoulder = backslope = footslope in 2004. The NO3- distributed as shoulder = backslope = footslope in 2003 (bma) and shoulder < backslope < footslope in 2004. However, NH4+ had a stable distribution of shoulder = backslope < footslope in 2003 bma and in 2004. The pre-melt SWE increased in the down slope direction having the lowest in the shoulder and backslope and the highest in the footslope in 2005. The average daily snowmelt runoff from 1 m2 plots did not vary between the shoulder and the backslope. Infiltration was dominant in 2004 while runoff was dominant in 2005. Of the three landform segments, the shoulder was the greatest contributor of runoff to the depression. The backslope contributed the least. <p>Hog manure injection did not seem to influence snowmelt runoff water quality. Most nutrients and sediments were from the land surface. Analysis revealed that fall soil nutrient concentrations were not a dominant factor controlling the nutrients in the snowmelt runoff in this site. However, snowmelt runoff volume controlled snowmelt runoff water quality. Snowmelt runoff water quality did not vary between the landform segments. However, as a result of the dominance of shoulder in this landscape, the total transport of nutrients and sediment was the highest from shoulder. Where landform characteristics are similar to the study watershed, it may be argued that all landform segments are CSA. Runoff volume is the most influential factor in determining the importance of CSA and controlling the snowmelt runoff water quality.

The presence of nutrients in snowmelt runoff from agricultural watersheds has been reported by previous studies. However, no study has answered the most important question what areas of the watershed contribute nutrients to snowmelt runoff? or addressed the factors that control snowmelt runoff water quality. This study was designed to (1) find the areas that contribute nutrient to snowmelt runoff (termed as critical source areas, CSA), and (2) understand the source and transport factors that control the snowmelt runoff water quality in the Canadian prairies. The findings of this study will provide vital information to understand snowmelt runoff water quality and for sustainable management of soil nutrients and snowmelt runoff water quality in the Canadian prairies. <p>Source and transport factors and snowmelt runoff water quality were studied for two years on shoulder, backslope and footslope landform segments. The distribution of fall soil nutrients in the top 5 cm soil layer (available soil P [ASP], nitrate [NO3-] and ammonium [NH4+]), snow depth, snow water equivalent (SWE), snowmelt runoff and snowmelt runoff water quality (total P [TP], total dissolved P [TDP], NO3-N and sediment) were studied using closed and open plots placed on each landform segment. The influence of source and transport factors was evaluated in relation to snowmelt runoff water quality. <p>The ASP had a distribution pattern of backslope < shoulder < footslope in 2003 before manure application (bma) and shoulder = backslope = footslope in 2004. The NO3- distributed as shoulder = backslope = footslope in 2003 (bma) and shoulder < backslope < footslope in 2004. However, NH4+ had a stable distribution of shoulder = backslope < footslope in 2003 bma and in 2004. The pre-melt SWE increased in the down slope direction having the lowest in the shoulder and backslope and the highest in the footslope in 2005. The average daily snowmelt runoff from 1 m2 plots did not vary between the shoulder and the backslope. Infiltration was dominant in 2004 while runoff was dominant in 2005. Of the three landform segments, the shoulder was the greatest contributor of runoff to the depression. The backslope contributed the least. <p>Hog manure injection did not seem to influence snowmelt runoff water quality. Most nutrients and sediments were from the land surface. Analysis revealed that fall soil nutrient concentrations were not a dominant factor controlling the nutrients in the snowmelt runoff in this site. However, snowmelt runoff volume controlled snowmelt runoff water quality. Snowmelt runoff water quality did not vary between the landform segments. However, as a result of the dominance of shoulder in this landscape, the total transport of nutrients and sediment was the highest from shoulder. Where landform characteristics are similar to the study watershed, it may be argued that all landform segments are CSA. Runoff volume is the most influential factor in determining the importance of CSA and controlling the snowmelt runoff water quality.

Saskatchewan producers traditionally overwinter their cattle in pens in the yard. The practice of winter feeding of cattle directly in the field is increasing in popularity leading to concerns about increased nutrients being deposited in soil and potentially lost in runoff water and to ground water. In 2008/2009 an experiment was conducted to observe the effect of in-field winter feeding of cows on the nutrients in spring snowmelt run-off. Approximately 100 cattle were baled grazed on a Russian wild ryegrass pasture at a stocking rate of 2240 cow-days ha-1 for 88 d during the winter at the Western Beef Development Center at Lanigan, SK. The spring 2009 ponded water was sampled from four basins in the control (no cattle were present) and four basins in the winter feeding treatment from the end of March to mid-April. Ground water samples from two piezometers in the control and two in the winter feeding area were gathered from the start of runoff until the middle of summer. Soil samples (0-10 cm) were collected in the fall 2008 before winter feeding and again in the spring 2009 after winter feeding on both the control and treated areas to examine the influence of winter feeding on soil nutrients. Orthophosphate-P and ammonium-N concentrations were elevated to levels up to 19.9 mg PO4-P L-1 and 102.3 mg NH4-N L-1 respectively in run-off from the winter feed treatment basins compared to the controls (2.1 mg PO4-P L-1 and 1.72 mg NH4-N L-1). Nitrate-N concentrations in snowmelt run-off water were similar from the winter-fed areas (0.008 mg NO3-N L-1 to 0.739 mg NO3-N L-1) and the control (0.001 mg NO3-N L-1 to 1.046 mg NO3-N L-1). This is explained by lack of sufficient time and temperature for organic N, urea and ammonium in the urine and fecal matter to convert to nitrate. In the ground water there was a slight increase in nutrient ion concentration in the winter feed basins compared to the control. Soil sampled in the spring from the winter feeding site had higher soluble nitrate, ammonium and phosphorus compared to the control. The soluble and exchangeable forms of phosphorus in the soil were lower compared to the fall soil samples for the control and winter feeding site, possibly due to immobilization by plant and microbial uptake in the spring. Caution should be used when selecting sites for in-field winter feeding system so the run-off water does not reach sensitive water bodies.

An energy-based model accounting for snow accumulation and snowmelt in a coniferous forest and in an open area An energy balance approach was used to simulate snow water equivalent (SWE) evolution in an open area, forest clearing and coniferous forest during winter seasons 2011/12 and 2012/13 in the Bystřice River basin (Krušné Mountains). The aim was to describe the impact of vegetation on snow accumulation and snowmelt under different forest canopy structure and density of trees. Hemispherical photographs were used to describe the forest canopy structure. Energy balance model of snow accumulation and melt was set up. For forest sites the snow model was altered for accounting the effects of the forest canopy on the driving meteorological variables of the snow model. Leaf area index derived from 32 hemispherical photographs of the vegetation and sky was used for forest influence implementation in the snow model. The model was evaluated using snow depth and SWE field data measured at 16 localities in winter seasons from 2011 to 2013. The model was able to reproduce the SWE evolution in both winter seasons beneath the forest canopy, forest clearing and open area with correlations to observations ranging from 0.16 to 0.99. The SWE maximum in forest sites is by 18% lower than in open areas and forest...

Hydrological models have been developed to estimate snow accumulation, snowmelt and snowmelt runoff on the Canadian Prairies; however, their proper scale of application is unknown in the Prairie environment. The first objective of this thesis is to examine the proper scale for pre-melt snow accumulation as snow water equivalent (SWE) and snowmelt in a Prairie first order basin. Spatially distributed and spatially aggregated approaches were used to calculate SWE and snowmelt at St. Denis National Wildlife Area (SDNWA). Both approaches used models with similar physics, but differed in the model scale at which calculations were carried out. The simulated pre-melt SWE, cumulative seasonal SWE, and daily snowmelt from the two modelling approaches were compared to field observations of pre-melt SWE, cumulative seasonal SWE, and daily snowmelt; comparisons of areal cumulative seasonal SWE, areal snowmelt, snowmelt duration, and snow-covered area were also conducted between two modelling approaches. Results from these comparisons showed that both approaches had reasonable and similar accuracy in estimation of SWE and snowmelt. The spatially aggregated approach was more computationally efficient and was selected as a modelling scale for small-sized prairie basins. <p>Another objective of this thesis is to derive a snow hydrology model for the Canadian Prairies. Physically-based hydrological models were assembled in the Cold Regions Hydrological Model Platform (CRHM) using the aggregated approach. Tests of pre-melt SWE and surface snowmelt runoff were conducted at two basins in Saskatchewan Creighton Tributary of Bad Lake and Wetland 109, St. Denis. Results showed that the snow hydrology model had a reasonable capability to simulate SWE and snowmelt runoff to the stream and wetland. <p>Droughts are natural hazards that develop frequently on the Canadian Prairies. Analyzing the impact of drought on hydrological processes and water supply is another objective of this thesis. Synthetic drought scenarios were proposed for the Creighton Tributary of Bad Lake and the corresponding impacts on the snowmelt runoff-related processes were examined. Results indicated that wind redistribution of snow was very sensitive to drought conditions, sublimation of blowing snow and snow-covered period were sensitive to drought, but winter evaporation and infiltration did not show strong trend. The results also showed that drought conditions had magnified effects on the snowmelt runoff and could cause cessation of streamflow. Also, the impacts of the recent 1999-2005 drought on the snowmelt hydrology were investigated at St. Denis. Results illustrated that three-years (1999-2002) of severe winter drought were followed by a normal year (2002-03) and then a two-year (2003-05) recovery period, and then returning to normal (2005-06). Results showed that both snowfall and rainfall during hydrological winter were consistently low for severe drought and surface snowmelt runoff was very much lower during severe drought, about 45-65 mm less compared to that in the normal periods.

Hydrological models have been developed to estimate snow accumulation, snowmelt and snowmelt runoff on the Canadian Prairies; however, their proper scale of application is unknown in the Prairie environment. The first objective of this thesis is to examine the proper scale for pre-melt snow accumulation as snow water equivalent (SWE) and snowmelt in a Prairie first order basin. Spatially distributed and spatially aggregated approaches were used to calculate SWE and snowmelt at St. Denis National Wildlife Area (SDNWA). Both approaches used models with similar physics, but differed in the model scale at which calculations were carried out. The simulated pre-melt SWE, cumulative seasonal SWE, and daily snowmelt from the two modelling approaches were compared to field observations of pre-melt SWE, cumulative seasonal SWE, and daily snowmelt; comparisons of areal cumulative seasonal SWE, areal snowmelt, snowmelt duration, and snow-covered area were also conducted between two modelling approaches. Results from these comparisons showed that both approaches had reasonable and similar accuracy in estimation of SWE and snowmelt. The spatially aggregated approach was more computationally efficient and was selected as a modelling scale for small-sized prairie basins. <p>Another objective of this thesis is to derive a snow hydrology model for the Canadian Prairies. Physically-based hydrological models were assembled in the Cold Regions Hydrological Model Platform (CRHM) using the aggregated approach. Tests of pre-melt SWE and surface snowmelt runoff were conducted at two basins in Saskatchewan Creighton Tributary of Bad Lake and Wetland 109, St. Denis. Results showed that the snow hydrology model had a reasonable capability to simulate SWE and snowmelt runoff to the stream and wetland. <p>Droughts are natural hazards that develop frequently on the Canadian Prairies. Analyzing the impact of drought on hydrological processes and water supply is another objective of this thesis. Synthetic drought scenarios were proposed for the Creighton Tributary of Bad Lake and the corresponding impacts on the snowmelt runoff-related processes were examined. Results indicated that wind redistribution of snow was very sensitive to drought conditions, sublimation of blowing snow and snow-covered period were sensitive to drought, but winter evaporation and infiltration did not show strong trend. The results also showed that drought conditions had magnified effects on the snowmelt runoff and could cause cessation of streamflow. Also, the impacts of the recent 1999-2005 drought on the snowmelt hydrology were investigated at St. Denis. Results illustrated that three-years (1999-2002) of severe winter drought were followed by a normal year (2002-03) and then a two-year (2003-05) recovery period, and then returning to normal (2005-06). Results showed that both snowfall and rainfall during hydrological winter were consistently low for severe drought and surface snowmelt runoff was very much lower during severe drought, about 45-65 mm less compared to that in the normal periods.

No description available.

TEMPORAL EVALUATION OF SNOW DEPLETION CURVES DERIVED FOR UPPER EUPHRATES BASIN AND APPLICATIONS OF SNOWMELT RUNOFF MODEL Marim, G&ouml / khan M.S., Department of Geodetic and Geographic Information Technologies Supervisor: Prof.Dr.A.&Uuml / nal Sorman September 2008, 112 pages Water is becoming very important issue day by day with descending usable water and energy resources. In the aspect of water resources management, especially for the optimum reservoir management, predicting runoff for large reservoirs by applying hydrologic model is a recent and crucial topic. The most important model input and predictor parameters to estimate runoff for the mountainous regions are to be distribution of rainfall / temperature and snow cover area, (SCA). It is seen that many predictor variables should be integrated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing Techniques especially for hydrologic model variable preparation. Satellite products have the potential for obtaining those kinds of data in near real time. In this study, the changes of SDC are generated by the analysis of optical satellite and by using SDC as an input to hydrological models runoff is simulated for Upper Euphrates Basin (10215.7 km2) which is a sub basin of Euphrates Basin. Largest dams of Turkey / Keban, Karakaya and Atat&uuml / rk are located on Euphrates River. Optimum operations of these dams depend on forecasting incoming water in early summer season. Euphrates River is fed mainly from snowmelts in spring or early summer time.65-70 % of the annual flow is contributed from snowmelt in that region. Main objective of this study is to obtain the spatially and temporally distributed SCA percentages from optical satellite, which are required as one of the main input variables of the hydrological model used in the application. SCA percentages and SDC are obtained for snowmelt years 2004-2007 by using high temporal resolution optical remote sensing data: Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). In this study, Terra MODIS snow cover map product, MOD10A1 which has a spatial resolution of 500 m is used. As a hydrological model Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM) was applied. SRM was built up on the well-known degree day approach. In this study SRM is simulated for two years 2006 and 2007.The simulation results are compared and resultant model parameters are obtained for future runoff forecast studies. In this study, beside recommendations, discussions on the variables and SRM parameters are also provided.