Indicators of snow reserves, runoff of melt water and water absorption in the central forest-steppe region
Authors:   Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Agricultural Melioration, Forestry and Land Management Department in the Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K. A. Timiryazev, Dubenok N.N. , Petelko A.I. ,   Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosilsk Zonal Agroforestry Experimental Station - a branch of the Federal Scientific Center for Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vypova A.V. ,   Novosilsk Zonal Agroforestry Experimental Station - a branch of the Federal Scientific Center for Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Kalinichenko R.V. ,   Physics, Hydrology and Soil Erosion Department in the Federal State Budgetary Institution Federal Research Center "Soil Institute named after V.V. Dokuchaev
Published: December 2023

The article examines the indicators of snow reserves, meltwater runoff and water absorption in the central forest-steppe region. In the stationary experiment at the experimental farm of the Novosilsk Zonal Experimental Station - a branch of the Federal Scientific Center for Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences – the observations were made of the main natural factors: snow deposition, freezing and soil moisture. On the drainage sites with a runoffregulating forest belts of a combined design with low-growing spirea shrubs up to 50 cm, the patterns of snow deposition were studied in order to prevent deep freezing of the soil during winters. The research has shown that low-growing shrubs contributed to the accumulation of snow cover. Before snowmelt, the slightly frozen soil, regardless of moisture, had high water absorption. In the protective forest belt, snow reserves were redistributed, which protected the soil from deep freezing. As a result of three years of observations, the surface runoff of melt water in 2018 on the control areas was weak - 11.8 mm, and on other agricultural areas with a combined runoff-regulating forest belt - very weak (6.2-7.5 mm), i.e., almost 2 times less [9] In 2019 and 2020, there was no spring runoff in all variants. Thus, the weakly frozen soil contributed to the seepage of all melt water into the underlying horizons. Water absorption in 2019 is 110.0-127.0 mm, and in 2020 – 34.0-67.0 mm. No soil washout or erosion was observed during the snowmelt period. A runoff-regulating forest belt of a combined design with lowgrowing bushes contributed to snow accumulation and its redistribution, protecting the soil from deep freezing. The effectiveness of protective forest belts, as well as the redistribution of snow reserves, is closely related to the placement of forest plantations relative to the prevailing directions of snowstorm winds. It is also necessary to take into account other factors (precipitation, the presence of thaws, agricultural background, design, qualitative composition of forest plantations, etc.) The prevailing weather conditions of past winters contributed to the accumulation of snow and the absorption of moisture into the soil. This was also facilitated by the correct location of protective forest belts. Knowing the patterns of the main natural factors, it is possible to control the erosion-hydrological process. The work was carried out within the framework of the state assignment of the Federal Scientific Center for Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, № FNFE-2022-0012 “Theoretical foundations of the erosion-hydrological process in watersheds, and conceptual directions, ways and principles of creating highly effective environmentally friendly systems for managing this process in order to completely prevent soil erosion.”