Snowpack hydrology in the southwestern United States: Contributions to watershed management

Abstract

Less than 10% of the annual precipitation in the Southwestern United States is recovered for use by people; most of the precipitation is lost by evapotranspiration. A large portion of the precipitation that is recovered originates on watersheds in montane forests. Even here, 80% to 90% of the precipitation is currently unavailable to downstream users. The possibility of increasing the amount of recoverable precipitation in this region is greater for snow than rain. A 50-year review of snow hydrology in the Southwestern United States is presented to indicate the possibilities for increasing snowmelt-water yields within integrated watershed management.

Parent Publication

• Land Stewardship in the 21st Century: The Contributions of Watershed Management; 2000 March 13-16; Tucson, AZ

Citation

Ffolliott, Peter F.; Baker, Malchus B., Jr. 2000. Snowpack hydrology in the southwestern United States: Contributions to watershed management. In: Ffolliott, Peter F.; Baker Jr., Malchus B.; Edminster, Carleton B.; Dillon, Madelyn C.; Mora, Karen L., tech. coords. Land Stewardship in the 21st Century: The Contributions of Watershed Management; 2000 March 13-16; Tucson, AZ. Proc. RMRS-P-13. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 274-276