Both rivers show a couple of increased peak flow events with the frozen soil model, but also some events where the frozen soil model produces smaller peaks. Most of the smaller peaks are due to the timing changes, where the frozen soils model produces higher runoff over several days of melt, but does not get the baseflow response for the last days of melt, or post-melt storm events. Vertical axis is for the model with frozen soils, while the horizontal axis is for the model without frozen soils. Conclusions Frozen soils change the response of basins during spring melt. In some cases causing higher peaks flows, and in other cases changing the timing of events.
Frozen soils are clearly important to cold regions, as is better representation of the snow pack.
Future work will look at verifying the simulated snow cover, and frozen soil extent by using in situ and remote sensing measurements.