Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2023

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Cultural and Environmental Resource Management

Committee Chair

Dr. Karl Lillquist

Second Committee Member

Dr. Jennifer Lipton

Third Committee Member

Dr. Michael Pease

Abstract

ABSTRACT

WINDBLOWN SNOW BEDFORMS AND THEIR

EFFECTS ON SNOW WATER CONTENT

WENATCHEE RANGE, WASHINGTON

by

Ryan C. Hampton

June 2023

Windblown snow bedforms (WBSBF) are formations of distinct sizes, shapes, and patterns, resulting from the interaction of wind and snow particles. Due to the extreme nature of the formation of WBSBF, which occur in remote high elevation mountain environments during severe weather events, it makes it difficult to not only study these dramatic formations in real time but also predict their occurrence with any regularity. The purpose of this research was to 1) establish a method to actively monitor WBSBF on Tronsen Ridge Washington in real time winter of 2020-2021; 2) improve the understanding of the life cycles of WBSBF in the Eastern Cascades; and 3) calculate and evaluate the snow water content of WBSBF on Tronsen Ridge and the larger unnamed watershed. Photos taken with the time-lapse camera on site showed plane beds, dunes, snow ripple marks, crag and tails, pits, snow steps, sastrugi, and loose snow patches. WBSBF on Tronsen Ridge follows a distinct pattern of new snow, with WBSBF building and snow movement into Dunes, followed by sintering of the old snow causing snow steps and finally sastrugi, which are then covered by new snow. Ridgetop WBSBF follow a distinct pattern on the leeward side of the ridge lasting well into the early summer. This makes WBSBF a great water storage mechanism with the study area holding 648,700 liters of water at the end of 2020-2021 winter. This means that there is significant potential for WBSBF to be managed as a water storage mechanism on ridgetops.

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