Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #230478
Title: Predictions for snow cover, glaciers and runoff in a changing climate

Author
item Rango, Albert
item MARTINEC, JAROSLAV - CONSULTANT

Submitted to: Hydrology and Water Resources International Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2008
Publication Date: 9/15/2008
Citation: Rango, A., Martinec, J. 2008. Predictions for snow cover, glaciers and runoff in a changing climate. In: Proceedings of International Interdisciplinary Conference on Predictions for Hydrology, Ecology, and Water Resource Management: Using Data and Models to Benefit Society, September 15-18, 2008, Prague, Czech Republic. p. 277-280.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The problem of evaluating the hydrological effects of climate change has opened a new field of applications for snowmelt runoff models. The Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM) has been used to evaluate climate change effects on basins in North America, the Swiss Alps, and the Himalayas. Snow covered area depletes about one month earlier in response to warmer temperatures (+4oC) with runoff peaks shifted accordingly. Runoff will be higher in winter at the expense of summer runoff. In glacerized basins, runoff is not only redistributed, but increased due to glacier melting. This improved knowledge facilitates long-term decisions concerning hydropower, flooding, water allocations, and water management in general.