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Rocky Mountain Snowpack Chemistry at Selected Sites, 1993-2010

Entry ID: USGS_CO53100

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Summary

Abstract: Rocky Mountain Regional Snowpack Chemistry Monitoring Study Area: High-elevation sites near the Continental Divide in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, 1993 to present

Study Area: Continental Divide in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and New Mexico
Period of Project: 1993 to present
Project Number: CO53100
Project Chief: George Ingersoll
Cooperator: National Park ... Service; U.S.D.A. Forest Service; Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Teton County, Wyoming

BACKGROUND:

Snowpacks collect atmospheric deposition throughout the snowfall season and offer a unique opportunity to obtain a composite sample of the chemistry of most (roughly November through April) of the annual precipitation at high elevations (> 1800 meters). This project was created to sample the full snowpack at selected sites to determine sources of acid deposition to sensitive mountain watersheds. Since 1993, the project has become the most expansive and comprehensive snowpack-chemical monitoring network of its kind. Beginning with sampling fewer than 20 sites in Colorado in 1993, the network has expanded to greater than 50 locations along the Continental Divide that have been sampled each year since 1993. In the process, techniques have been developed that use robust tracers to separate and quantify local and regional sources of atmospheric deposition of airborne pollutants. Through this program, long-term trends (>19 years, generally) are being developed in snowpack chemistry that enable estimation of normal or background levels, and identification of elevated chemical concentrations at a variety of locations where atmospheric deposition of acidic compounds is a concern. The project primarily monitors federally-managed lands in the Rocky Mountain region including several protected wilderness areas in National Forests and Parks. Applications of this regional snow-chemistry work include identifying regional trends in chemical concentration and deposition as well as monitoring subregional or local effects including power-plant emissions in Colorado or snowmobile usage in Yellowstone and other areas.

OBJECTIVES:

To develop methods to accurately represent seasonal snowpack chemistry of a variety of compounds in single, annual samples where repeated sampling is possible in subsequent years.
To maintain year-to-year sampling of a core group of 50 sampling locations to develop long-term trends in atmospheric deposition throughout the region.
To establish background concentrations of major ions, trace metals, and isotopes of nitrogen and sulfur in atmospheric deposition; identify areas of elevated concentrations relative to background levels.
To identify probable sources of elevated atmospheric deposition to snowpacks, and identify trends in chemistry as emissions change from year-to-year. Distinguish local from regional sources.
To support ongoing investigations of process-level studies of effects on sensitive ecosystems of elevated concentrations of acids and other chemicals in atmospheric deposition.
To provide data for future management decisions regarding permitting new emissions sources or planning reduction of existing emissions.

[Summary provided by the USGS.]

Related URL

Link: GET DATA

Description: Data files and reports

Link: VIEW PROJECT HOME PAGE

Description: Rocky Mountain Regional Snowpack Chemistry Monitoring Project page

Link: VIEW RELATED INFORMATION

Description: Access the Rocky Mountain Snowpack Chemistry at Selected Sites, 2002 report.

Link: VIEW RELATED INFORMATION

Description: Rocky Mountain Snowpack Chemistry at Selected Sites, 2002

Geographic Coverage

(Click for Interactive Map)

Spatial coordinates

N: 51.0

S: 32.0

E: -106.0

W: -124.0

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: U.S. Geological Survey

Dataset Title: Rocky Mountain Regional Snowpack Chemistry Monitoring Study Area: High-elevation sites near the Continental Divide in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, 1993 to present

Dataset Series Name: CO53100

Dataset Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey

Data Presentation Form: Online Files

Online Resource: http://co.water.usgs.gov/projects/RM_snowpack/

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1993-01-01

Location Keywords

CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > COLORADO

CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > IDAHO

Science Keywords

ATMOSPHERE > PRECIPITATION > SNOW

SOLID EARTH > GEOCHEMISTRY > GEOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES > ISOTOPES

ISO Topic Category

CLIMATOLOGY/METEOROLOGY/ATMOSPHERE

GEOSCIENTIFIC INFORMATION

INLAND WATERS

Platform

FIELD INVESTIGATION

Ancillary Keywords

OFR

Open File Report

Data Set Progress

IN WORK

Originating Center

USGS

Data Center

Publications-Western Region,Geological Division, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior

Data Center URL: http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/

Data Center Personnel
Name: ASK USGS Phone: 1-888-275-8747 Email: ask at usgs.gov Contact Address: U.S. Geological Survey 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive City: Reston Province or State: Virginia Postal Code: 20192 Country: USA

Distribution

Distribution Media: Online

Fees: No fees

Personnel

ASK USGS

Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT

Phone: 1-888-275-8747

Email: ask at usgs.gov

Contact Address:

U.S. Geological Survey

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive

City: Reston

Province or State: Virginia

Postal Code: 20192

Country: USA

GEORGE INGERSOLL

Role: INVESTIGATOR

Email: gpingers at usgs.gov

Contact Address:

USGS Colorado Water Science Center

Denver Federal Center, MS-415

Building 53

City: Lakewood

Province or State: CO

Postal Code: 80225

Country: USA

Publications/References

Ingersoll, G.P., Mast, M.A., Swank, J.M., and Campbell, C.D. (2011), Rocky Mountain snowpack physical and chemical data for selected sites, 2010, U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 570, 1-12, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/570/pdf/DS570.pdf

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2005-11-30

Last DIF Revision Date: 2012-03-02

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