Contacts:
Jeff Raifsnider (831) 754-1595, ex. 105; cell: (831) 444-2987
Jim Cairns (530) 792-5693

FRESNO, Calif., December 28, 2008—Scientists, engineers, and technicians employed in the water resources arena will convene at Granlibakken Conference Center, 725 Granlibakken Road, Tahoe City, Calif., for training in snow sampling, avalanche recognition, outdoor survival, and emergency care. The class takes place the week of January 11-16, 2009. It includes an overnight snow bivouac on Wednesday, January 14, when each of the participants will be required to build a snow cave and spend the night in it.

"Accurate snow sampling sometimes needs to be done in some pretty remote locations," says school coordinator Tony Tolsdorf. "It is rare, but occasionally snow samplers get caught in the elements and have to hole in and wait for help. It's a possibility we must recognize and prepare for."

The snow school is part of an effort to predict water supply based on snow pack, precipitation, observed stream flow, soil moisture, and other climatic data. The school is conducted by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Approximately 75 percent of the western U.S.’s water comes from melting mountain snow. Measuring and interpreting snow pack results is vital information for drought, floods, and water supply for agriculture, industry, cities, and wildlife managers," says Tolsdorf, a hydrologist at the NRCS National Water and Climate Center in Portland, Oregon.

NRCS operates an automated system to collect snowpack data in the western United States called SNOTEL (SNOwpack TELemetry). The system evolved from NRCS's Congressional mandate in the mid-1930s "to measure snowpack in the mountains of the West and forecast the water supply." Since 1980, SNOTEL has reliably collected the data needed to produce water supply forecasts. Climate studies, air and water quality investigations, and resource management concerns are all served by the SNOTEL network. The high-elevation watershed locations and the broad coverage of the network provide important data collection opportunities to researchers, water managers, and emergency managers for natural disasters such as floods.

-NRCS-

 The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people
conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.

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