Degree(s) Held:
B.S. Earth Science: Snow Science, Montana State University, 2010
Degree Sought:M.S. in Earth Sciences |
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Title of Research Project:
The Effect of Physiographic Parameters on the Spatial Distribution of Snow Water Equivalent in Mountainous Terrain: A Case Study of the West Fork of the Gallatin River Basin, Montana.
Advisor:
Email Address:
Research Project Summary
There are two primary objectives of my project, both relating to the idea of improving the understanding of how snow water equivalent (SWE) is distributed throughout mountainous terrain and how that knowledge can be used to have a positive influence on the lives of those living in the snow dependent Western United States. The first objective is to quantify the effect of various physiographic parameters such as elevation, vegetation, slope angle, aspect, and incoming solar radiation on the spatial distribution of SWE by using the West Fork of the Gallatin River basin in SW Montana as a case study. A strong quantified understanding of the relationship between SWE depth and the physiographic characteristics of a basin is currently a poorly understood aspect of mountain systems and particularly snow hydrology. This study will not only provide new scientific insight into a critical aspect of snow hydrology as well as providing new information that may be very useful to a wide variety of individuals and organizations.
The second main objective of this project is to quantify how spatially representative measured SWE at the Lone Mountain SNOTEL site is of the West Fork basin. Using the spatial distribution of SWE data, many important comparisons can then be made to the point data that is collected at the SNOTEL site. It will be determined how well the site represents the mean SWE of the basin and precisely why differences may exist. In addition, the analysis will provide valuable insight as to where in a basin to place future SNOTEL sites to gather the most representative, useful, and meaningful data possible.
The first step in this project is the development of a sampling plan that will proportionally capture the physiographic parameters of the basin at an appropriate spatial scale. This first involves terrain analysis of the basin using geographic information science (GIS) to identify what portions of the basin to sample based on how well they represent the physiographic character of the basin as a whole. Data will then be collected within these plots by measuring snow depth and SWE in a semi-random fashion at a wide range of spatial scales (1m-300m). The measurements will be recorded using mapping grade GPS units so they can then be correlated to their surrounding physiographic parameters using GIS. The analysis portion of the project will determine which physiographic parameters and combinations thereof have the greatest influence on SWE depth and therefore how it is spatially distributed. Using this information many other aspects of how the distribution of SWE depth relates to the landscape as a whole as well as to the point data collected at the Lone Mountain SNOTEL site can be analyzed and better understood.
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 Me with the research vehicle and lab snowmobiles |
Presentations
2010 Intermountain GIS Conference, Bozeman, MT
Advances of GIS in Snow Hydrology
2012 Western Snow Conference, Anchorage, AK
Methods For Quantifying the Effect of Terrain Parameters on the Spatial Distribution of Snow Water Equivalent in the West Fork of the Gallatin River basin, Montana (upcoming)
Being presented May 2012
2012 American Water Resources Association Montana Water Conference
The Effect of Physiographic Parameters on the Spatial Distribution of Snow Water Equivalent in Mountainous Terrain: A Case Study of the West Fork of the Gallatin River Basin, Montana(upcoming)
Being presented October 2012
Scholarships and Fellowships
Montana Water Center Student Research Fellowship (2012)Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Department of Higher Education Scholarship (2005-present)
Grants
Institute of the Environment Big Sky Area Graduate Research Grant (2011)College of Letters and Science Student Presentation Travel Grant (2012)
Professional Affiliations
American Association of Geographers, member 2008-presentAmerican Water Resources Association, member Jan. 2012-Present
