Biome-scale Representation of Snow Cover Development in Boreal and Tundra Ecosystems
Environment Canada (National Hydrology Research Centre - Saskatoon)
Blowing snow in alpine areas and snow interception and subsequent sublimation to water vapour in forest areas are dramatic snow processes that affect the water and energy cycles in Wolf Creek. Alpine snow covers in exposed areas can lose up to 80% of snowfall to blowing snow but drift areas can gain 180% of snowfall due to snow redistribution. There are in-transit losses of snow to sublimation during blowing snow. Evergreen forests intercept about 50% of snowfall. This intercepted snow is partly sublimated with annual sublimation losses of 35%-40% of annual snowfall.

Snow Ecosytem Impacts
Environment Canada (National Hydrology Research Centre - Saskatoon)
Snow provides the majority of water for streamflow runoff in the north, carries contaminants and nutrients and strongly affects the winter habitat of northern plants and animals. These studies examine the role of snow in affecting the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem and the sensitivity of snow to changes in vegetation cover and climate.

Snow Processes
University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), Hadley Centre for Climate Change and Prediction (Bracknell, UK)
The processes and energetics of snow accumulation, areal ablation of snowcover, snowmelt and infiltration into frozen soils are being examined in order to improve models of hydrology and climate in the North.

Parameterization and Spatial Variability of Snowmelt Infiltration to Frozen Ground
University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon)
A parametric relationship for estimating point source infiltration rates to frozen soil is being field-tested. A methodology for upscaling infiltration rates to a hillslope scale using hydrophysical parameters will be developed.

Effects of Seasonal Frost and Permafrost on Hydrology of Subarctic Slopes
McMaster University (Hamilton)
The thermal and soil moisture characteristics of opposing north facing (permafrost) and south facing (seasonal frost) are being monitored for modeling purposes.

Sub-Basin Spatial Scale Effects and Hydrologic Simulations
University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon)
The project objectives are to automatically delineate hydrologically significant watershed segments from digital elevation models and use these for parameterization and scaling purposes. This involves developing an interface module (SLURPAZ) to link the TOPAZ digital landscape analysis model and NHRC's SLURP hydrologic model.