Snow Trapping by Contour Furrows in Southeastern Montana

Abstract

Contour furrows on fine-textured range sites in southeastern Montana caught an annual average of 22 mm more snow equivalent than nearby nonfurrowed areas. In addition, the furrows held snowmelt onsite in the spring and significantly reduced winter runoff in nearly half of the years of record. Except in years of much below normal winter precipitation, however, the winter runoff from furrowed areas was still more than adequate to fill well-designed stockponds.