Retention and release of chemical species by a Northern Michigan snowpack

Cadle, Steven H.; Dasch, Jean Muhlbaier; Grossnickle, Nevin E.

doi:10.1007/bf00159352

Cited by 53 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Early winter losses of this magnitude generally are not the rule in other portions of the region (Cadle et al 1984;Semkin & Jeffries 1988). But, in many studies early winter snowpack chemistry is not monitored frequently enough to detect such losses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Comparisons of multi-year precipitation ion input with snowpack loads suggest that steady snowpack ion loss throughout winter is the rule for this site (Stottlemyer & Rutkowski 1990) and likely most other sites with thawed soils. Such steady snowmelt losses apparently are not the case where soils are frozen (Cadle et al 1984) but this is not definite (Maule & Stein 1990).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Stream chemistry and hydrologic pathways during snowmelt in a small watershed adjacent Lake Superior

Stottlemyer

Toczydlowski

1991

Biogeochemistry

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Abstract.In regions with airborne contaminants and large snowpacks, there is concern over the impact that snowmelt chemical "pulses" -periods of sharp increase in meltwater solute concentration -could have on aquatic resources during spring runoff. A major variable in determining such an effect is the flow path of snowmelt solutes to the stream or lake. From December 1988, to late April 1989, the quality and quantity of precipitation, snowmelt, soil solution and streamwater were measured in a 176-ha gauged watershed on the south shore of Lake Superior. The main objectives were to (1) examine the change in flow path meltwaters take to the stream during distinct winter and spring hydrologic periods, (2) quantify ecosystem-level ion budgets prior to, during, and following snowmelt, and (3) examine if streamwater chemistry might be a sensitive indicator of change in ecosystem flow paths. Prior to peak snowmelt, groundwater made up 80% of stream discharge. During peak snowmelt, the groundwater level rose to the soil surface resulting in lateral water movement through near-surface macropores and as overland flow. Near the end of snowmelt, mehwaters exerted a piston action on deeper soil solution again increasing its relative contribution to streamwater discharge. Net groundwater drawdown during the study resulted in streamwater discharge about equal to precipitation inputs. Unfrozen soils and brief midwinter thaws resulted in steady snowmelt throughout early and mid-winter. The snowpack lost > 50% of most ions prior to the period of major snowmelt and high stream discharge in late March and early April. Snowmelt and streamwater NO; and NH: pulses occurred before the period of overland flow and peak streamwater discharge (April 4-24). During overland flow, stream discharge of total N, P, DOC, and AI peaked. Nutrient budgets computed for distinct hydrologic periods were much more helpful in explaining ecosystem pathways and processes than were changes in solute concentration. For the study period, watershed base cation (C,) discharge was 23 times input and SO:-discharge exceeded input by 42%. H+ was the most strongly conserved ion with output <0.2% of input. Also conserved were NH: with only 1.4% of input leaving the ecosystem and NO; with output equal to 9.4% of input.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Stream chemistry and hydrologic pathways during snowmelt in a small watershed adjacent Lake Superior

Stottlemyer

Toczydlowski

1991

Biogeochemistry

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“…This is of course a highly simplified approach to address the problem, because snow chemistry during melting is a complex process (Tsiouris et al, 1985), involving a variety of mechanisms including different responses of elements to water (Brimbelcombe et al, 1987;Cadle et al, 1984;Goto-Azuma, 1998) and photochemistry (Dominé et al, 2008). The preferential retention and release of components (elution process) from melting snow is therefore not taken into account.…”

Section: Moleculementioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating ablation and environmental impact of giant anthropogenic snow patches (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia)

Podolskiy

Лобкина

Gensiorovsky

et al. 2015

Cold Regions Science and Technology

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Systematic snow disposal from street cleaning operations may create large anthropogenic snow/ice bodies. Such man-made cryospheric objects may be considered as complex geophysical interfaces between the atmosphere, landscape, soils and hydrosphere. Urban snow patches not only produce large amounts of meltwater (and therefore a risk of flooding), but also serve as multiphase chemical reactors due to highly polluted mixture of snow/ice with various materials and water inclusions. However, the exact roles of snow patches in the environment and the factors driving their temporal evolution remain unclear. They are nevertheless of major importance for informed decision making and sustainable disposal operations. Here we present the results of a 4-year monitoring program concerning two artificial snow patches near the town of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Russia) and the results of numerical modeling inferring the main corresponding processes, i.e. melting and water discharges. The temperature-based index method proved adequate to assess the evolution of the two snow patches. Constant ablation factors of about 0.45-0.58 and 0.27-0.31 cm w.e. d −1°C−1 , respectively, were found to be appropriate for a first order approximation of snow patch melt dynamics. However, twice lower melt rates were found for one of the two closely located snow patches. This suggests that other factors, such as debris content, likely play a role. This difference in melting can be accounted for by modulating the ablation factor according to debris properties. In terms of peak daily water discharge, snow patch melting produces about 5-15 cm w.e. per day, comparable to rain rates during regional typhoons. This study represents a starting point that should be followed by a more detailed monitoring program and the application of a more complex numerical model of snow disposal sites, to allow optimization of their maintenance. For example, marginal melting or the combined influence of debris and soils on surface runoff should be further investigated. Moreover, better constrained and formulated chemical processes will allow a more reliable estimate of the local environmental impact of regular snow disposal.

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“…Interestingly, the northeast US is an area also noted for the problems of acid precipitation. Numerous studies including [2][3][4][5][6][7] have noted a pulse of low pH runoff during spring snowmelt. These studies demonstrate that the chemistry of spring snowmelt is quite complex.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acidity of machine-made snow and its effect on pH and aluminum speciation in New England streams during spring thaw

Henderson

2008

Chemistry and Ecology

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The pH of machine-made snow and its effect on an acid-sensitive watershed in Vermont were studied. Spring runoff from snowmaking was found to be less acidic and to contain less dissolved inorganic aluminum. Dissolved inorganic aluminum has been associated with damage to aquatic life. The extensive use of machine-made snow by the ski industry in most of the northeast region of the US may be beneficial to aquatic life.

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Retention and release of chemical species by a Northern Michigan snowpack

Cited by 53 publications

References 2 publications

Stream chemistry and hydrologic pathways during snowmelt in a small watershed adjacent Lake Superior

Stream chemistry and hydrologic pathways during snowmelt in a small watershed adjacent Lake Superior

Evaluating ablation and environmental impact of giant anthropogenic snow patches (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia)

Acidity of machine-made snow and its effect on pH and aluminum speciation in New England streams during spring thaw

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