A snow hydrology study of the Horse Mountain ski area in Humboldt County

Graduation Date

1968

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Other

Program

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, Watershed Management, 1968

Committee Chair Name

F. Dean Freeland

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Horse Mountain ski area, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Watershed Management, Snow

Abstract

A snow hydrology study was conducted during the winter of 1966-1967 to determine snow cover characteristics and snow water storage in the higher elevations of the Coast Ranges within Humboldt County, and also to provide insights on the winter recreation potential of the Horse Mountain Ski Area. Winter climatic and snowfall data were collected from a weather station on Horse Mountain and from available historical sources. Snow cover characteristics were sampled in two drainage basins on Horse Mountain using the Mount Rose snow sampler and other instruments, including a calorimeter to determine snow quality. The results obtained from historical climatic information strongly suggest that snow cover was adequate to permit at least two months of skiing during all but five seasons in the last 22 years on Horse Mountain. During the study period, an average snow depth of 30 inches and water equivalent of 13 inches, with an average snow quality of 93 percent, provided suitable snow conditions for skiing during 56 percent of the time from December through May. A total of 2,380 skier days were recorded on the site during the study period. Elevation, exposure and slope steepness played a major role in affecting snowfall accumulation and retention on north slopes of Horse Mountain. Random sampling from points located on the ground with aerial photographs provided an acceptable method of determining average snow depth and water equivalent within study basins throughout the winter. From the variability found in this study, a sample size of 24 points would provide an estimate of snow depth and water equivalent in basins within 10 percent at a confidence level of 90 percent. A linear regression analysis relating temperature to solar radiation in this area of Humboldt County yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.93. It appears that snowfall is more important to the hydrology of higher elevations in Humboldt County than has been noted previously. There had formerly been almost no factual snow hydrology data for higher elevations in this region. To illustrate the significance of snowfall, April snow water storage on slopes during the study period was 19.2 inches, or 27 percent of the total annual precipitation of 70 inches.

https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/x920g014h

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