Finding Out How Much Water Is in the West | National Geographic

in the western US about 75% of the

in the western US about 75% of the freshwater supply comes from snowmelt

freshwater supply comes from snowmelt

freshwater supply comes from snowmelt and yet until this project really we

and yet until this project really we

and yet until this project really we have not completely known in mountain

have not completely known in mountain

have not completely known in mountain basins how much water there is

basins how much water there is

basins how much water there is the airborne snow Observatory is a

the airborne snow Observatory is a

the airborne snow Observatory is a combined spectrometer and laser

combined spectrometer and laser

combined spectrometer and laser altimeter the spectrometer tells us how

altimeter the spectrometer tells us how

altimeter the spectrometer tells us how much sunlight is absorbed by mountain

much sunlight is absorbed by mountain

much sunlight is absorbed by mountain snowpack which is what controls snowmelt

snowpack which is what controls snowmelt

snowpack which is what controls snowmelt about 90 to 95 percent of the energy

about 90 to 95 percent of the energy

about 90 to 95 percent of the energy that melts snow comes from absorb

that melts snow comes from absorb

that melts snow comes from absorb sunlight and then with the laser

sunlight and then with the laser

sunlight and then with the laser altimeter we can tell how deep snow is

altimeter we can tell how deep snow is

altimeter we can tell how deep snow is the plane flies on a weekly basis which

the plane flies on a weekly basis which

the plane flies on a weekly basis which is about the amount of time needed to

is about the amount of time needed to

is about the amount of time needed to let the snowpack do its thing make some

let the snowpack do its thing make some

let the snowpack do its thing make some change it’s timely information for the

change it’s timely information for the

change it’s timely information for the water managers to be able to know what

water managers to be able to know what

water managers to be able to know what the total volume is in the snowpack how

the total volume is in the snowpack how

the total volume is in the snowpack how it’s changed from last week to try and

it’s changed from last week to try and

it’s changed from last week to try and so now we turn the products around in

so now we turn the products around in

so now we turn the products around in about 20 hours the ASO product is going

about 20 hours the ASO product is going

about 20 hours the ASO product is going to I think revolutionize what we know

to I think revolutionize what we know

to I think revolutionize what we know about mountain hydrology because we’ve

about mountain hydrology because we’ve

about mountain hydrology because we’ve never had that complete picture before

never had that complete picture before

never had that complete picture before we’ve only had little tiny specks of it

we’ve only had little tiny specks of it

we’ve only had little tiny specks of it we will be able to make much more

we will be able to make much more

we will be able to make much more accurate forecasts of the runoff from

accurate forecasts of the runoff from

accurate forecasts of the runoff from the snowpack as we integrate the ASO

the snowpack as we integrate the ASO

the snowpack as we integrate the ASO products into our forecasting

products into our forecasting

products into our forecasting capabilities

we are doing calibration measurements

we are doing calibration measurements with a what’s called a spectrometer

with a what’s called a spectrometer

with a what’s called a spectrometer which measures reflected sunlight when

which measures reflected sunlight when

which measures reflected sunlight when there’s no snow on the ground and that

there’s no snow on the ground and that

there’s no snow on the ground and that allows us to better interpret into the

allows us to better interpret into the

allows us to better interpret into the airborne snow Observatory data if

airborne snow Observatory data if

airborne snow Observatory data if somebody’s one of the best places to do

somebody’s one of the best places to do

somebody’s one of the best places to do it look how beautiful it is but from a

it look how beautiful it is but from a

it look how beautiful it is but from a serious science and operation standpoint

serious science and operation standpoint

serious science and operation standpoint it’s a snowmelt driven Basin and so it’s

it’s a snowmelt driven Basin and so it’s

it’s a snowmelt driven Basin and so it’s it’s the right combination for testing

it’s the right combination for testing

it’s the right combination for testing of the airborne snow Observatory these

of the airborne snow Observatory these

of the airborne snow Observatory these little bumps and Wiggles out here just

little bumps and Wiggles out here just

little bumps and Wiggles out here just where there’s noise because the the

where there’s noise because the the

where there’s noise because the the atmosphere water vapor is absorbing the

atmosphere water vapor is absorbing the

atmosphere water vapor is absorbing the sunlight the way that the water

sunlight the way that the water

sunlight the way that the water resources work in the West that we have

resources work in the West that we have

resources work in the West that we have had the snowpack which acts as a

had the snowpack which acts as a

had the snowpack which acts as a reservoir as temperature increases

reservoir as temperature increases

reservoir as temperature increases though rain/snow line increases the

though rain/snow line increases the

though rain/snow line increases the precipitation Falls then as rain and it

precipitation Falls then as rain and it

precipitation Falls then as rain and it rushes down hill right away into this

rushes down hill right away into this

rushes down hill right away into this fixed reservoir capacity so essentially

fixed reservoir capacity so essentially

fixed reservoir capacity so essentially it shrinks our water supply we have to

it shrinks our water supply we have to

it shrinks our water supply we have to be doing what we can right now to get

be doing what we can right now to get

be doing what we can right now to get the best possible information best

the best possible information best

the best possible information best models the best understanding of the

models the best understanding of the

models the best understanding of the physical processes so that we can

physical processes so that we can

physical processes so that we can actually take meaningful action there

actually take meaningful action there

actually take meaningful action there are a lot of inefficiencies in the

are a lot of inefficiencies in the

are a lot of inefficiencies in the management of water being able to fill

management of water being able to fill

management of water being able to fill that in will allow them to better adapt

that in will allow them to better adapt

that in will allow them to better adapt to a changing climate

to a changing climate

to a changing climate you