Quantifying the Effects of Forest Canopy Cover on Net Snow Accumulation at a Continental, Mid-Latitude Site, Valles Caldera National Preserve, NM, USA

Abstract

Although forest properties are known to influence snowpack accumulation and spring runoff, the processes underlying the impacts of forest canopy cover on the input of snowmelt to the catchment remain poorly characterized. In this study I show that throughfall and canopy shading can combine to result in maximal snowpacks in forests of moderate canopy density. Snow depth and density data taken shortly before spring melt in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico show strong correlation between forest canopy density and snow water equivalent, with maximal snow accumulation in forests with density between 25 and 45%. Forest edges are also shown to be highly influential on local snow depth variability, with shaded open areas holding significantly deeper snow than either unshaded open or deep forest areas. These results are broadly applicable in improving estimates of water resource availability, predicting the ecohydrological implications of vegetation change, and informing integrated water resources management.