The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1920-03-26
To Make Snow
Survey of the
Sierra Nevadas

The state of Nevada and the local
United States weather bureau Office
have been joined by the state of Calf
ornia In an annual snow survey of the
Sierra Nevada mountains In an effort
to forecast stream flow in the two
states.
Monday morning survey parties left
another will leave for lake Tahoe ant
en-. Those who have the work In
Lake Lucille. Between March % and
April snow surveys of Humboldt
Carson and Tahoe basins will be TAX
en-. Those whoh ave the work In
charge expect these provisional April
surveys to show maximum of seven
ty-five per cent of the Oeason's normal,
the final determining surveys to be
taken on May |. On February 1, the
surveys taken at the key station at
Blue lake showed the moisture to be
forty-one per cent of what 1t should
be on April |. says the Gazette.
Thep Ian of survey is one worked
out during the past ten years at Mt
Rose and Lake Tahoe by DIR. j. E.
Church OF the University of Nevada,
and which Maj. p. NJ Narboe. assis-
tant state engineer OF California. re-
Gently found to be admirably adapted
to California water and irrigation
problems. According to an agree
ment between the two states, Calf
ornia will survey the summit and
western slope of the Sierra, while Ne
vada vii take care of the eastern
slope. The unit on the eastern slope
comprises the Tahoe, Carson, Hum
boldt and Walker basins. and in the
west slope includes the Yuba Ameri-
can, Mokelumma. Stanislaus, Tuolum.
me basins.
The system of survey as explained
briefly by DR. Church is: THE nor
NAL snow cover has been established
at such points at Mt. Rose Marlette
lake, and Genoa Pass on the west side
and on the east slope at Ward Creek,
Rubicon Peak and Lake Lucille. Each
year the seasonal per cent of the nor
NAL snow covered Is ascertained,
which determines the probable stream
flow for that year. The surveys are
obtained by weighing the amount of
water in the snow depth at these spec
flied places.
After ten years of observation
have found these surveys to be unfail-
ing in their determinations Of stream
flow, allowing for a maximum of a
twenty-five per cent shrinkage at
times, which may be accounted for by
lack of precipitation In April and May
Rain or snow falling In April or May
is conserved to a better advantage
than that falling in June or July. for
| the obvious reason that durings the
latter months the moisture soaks into
he soil Of the mountains. and does not
run off into the mountain streams.
Shrinkage Is one of the most vital
problems related TO stream forecast
ing.
THE Nevada problem which t'is
cation alone, while that Of California
is three-fold: Irrigation. navigation
and prevention of floods.
1T is a Nevada method applied to
both California and Nevada problems.
but method for which California has
the greatest need, and of which Calf
ornia Is now bearing the greatest
share of its execution. The Sierra
Nevadas, within the bounds OF both
states. furnish the problem as well as
the greatest source of wealth to each
state. The problem is to understand
when there Is certain amount OF
snow In the mountains. how much OF
that will come down into the valleys
in the form of water. 1t is too large
"A problem for either state to handle
alone, for the reason that the snow
| fields are uniform for $50 miles, but
may fluctnate In their location from
east to west and north to south. II is
necessary to know not only what
amount of snow is on the summit. but
at the eastern and western foothills.
The summit is of course the most inn
portant.
"The work was originally started by
the experiment station ten years ago,
and has since been taken over by the
state of Nevada and now Nevada has
been Joined by California and the To-
cal office OF the United States wheath-
er bureau office in the same work"
DIR. Church is preparing 200-page
bulletin on Snow Surveying with Re-
ference to Snow Forecasting.