Snowpack
Modeling
Client Name and Contact Information:
dR. rAND dECKER; Rand.Decker@nau.edu
Team Name and Contact Information:
SNOW
WATER EQUIVALENT MODELING
tEAM mEMBERS: jOSH sTACKHOUSE, bRIAN rOHDE, rYAN PEARSON
cONTACT INFO: JS857@NAU.EDU (jOSH), bR267@NAU.EDU (BRIAN), rDP48@NAU.EDU (RYAN)
From left:
Brian Rohde, Ryan Pearson, Josh Stackhouse
Project
Description
Snowpack
modeling has become an essential component in forecasting snowmelt runoff. In this project our team will use a model
that was developed to determine the total storage capacity of a drainage basin
from a remote location. This model was developed
in 2010 by Sam Heffelfinger, and Kevin Werbylo, NAU students. Currently, the model is difficult to operate
and requires extensive knowledge about the program. The purpose of this project is to simplify
the previously developed model to allow large companies to use it as a first
approximation of the expected runoff from snowpack storage. Aside from simplifying the model, our team
must be able to successfully run the model and perform case studies on snowpack
watersheds of equal acreage. This project
is being done in order to compare different locations snowmelt runoff potential
using only the Excel program and digital elevation models (DEM). The Excel program could be used by interested
parties in modeling large water retention projects, such as cities relying on
drainage from snowmelt.
Scope
of work
Examining Snow Water Equivalency (SWE) is a large
consideration for many different scenarios in where to build new communities
and where the new communities will get their water. In determining if a new community can use a
drainage basin as its source for water certain questions must be answered
before money will be invested. The
existing program developed by Sam Heffelfinger and Kevin Werbylo attempts to
answer one of the larger questions, which is how much water, is stored in the
basin of interest. By obtaining
elevation data along with evaporation potential, the model allows for a
relatively quick analysis of a drainage basin from a remote
location using GIS software and the spreadsheet based model.
Project
Deliverables
For this project
there are specific deliverables which will be completed for this project. These deliverables include;
·
User’s Manual for Model from acquisition of DEM to final
product
o
This will be for future use of the model. This model
requires the user to use two different programs, ARCMap
and Excel, as well as some advanced techniques in Excel. A user’s manual will assist those hoping to
use this model in the future, while eliminating the steep learning curve. The map will also include a tutorial to walk
the user through the process.
·
“User Friendliness” of the model
o
This model, in its current state, is not ready for
someone unfamiliar to ARCMap and Excel to use. Our deliverable is to make this model more
user-friendly by eliminating some of the steps and utilizing more of the ARCMap software.
Currently the user needs to be well versed in Visual Basic Language,
used by Excel. ARCMap
can be used to eliminate some of the need for the more complex Excel
language. Coupled with the user’s
manual, ARCMap will become the more utilized part of
the modeling process and Excel will be used for some simple calculations at the
end.
·
Document
differences in findings for two basins with the same elevation two basins with
different elevations and to basins with SNOWTEL sites.
o
Once the DEMs of interest have been identified and the
model has been run on each of them. Our
group will report on our findings of each of the drainage basins.
o
One set of drainage basins will have similar area,
another will have similar starting and ending elevations and the last two will
have stream gauges at the bottoms to develop how much water actually exits the
drainage basin in comparison to how much the basin theoretically should
produce, according to our model.
o
The deliverables for this will come in the form of a
report and some visual aids as well as a presentation to the client.