Simulations of snow distribution and hydrology in a mountain basin

We applied a Version of the Regional Hydro-Ecologic Simulation System (RHES Sys) that implements snow redistribution, elevation partitioning, and wind- driven sublimation to Loch Vale Watershed (LVWS), an alpine-subalpine Rocky Mountain catchment where snow accumulation and ablation dominate the hydro logic cycle. We compared simulated discharge to measured discharge and the simulated snow distribution to photogrammetrically rectified aerial (remote ly sensed) images. Snow redistribution was governed by a topographic simila rity index. We subdivided each hillslope into elevation bands that had homo geneous climate extrapolated from observed climate. We created a distribute d wind speed field that was used in conjunction with daily measured wind sp eeds to estimate sublimation. Modeling snow redistribution was critical to estimating the timing and magnitude of discharge. Incorporating elevation p artitioning improved estimated timing of discharge but did not improve patt erns of snow cover since wind was the dominant controller of areal snow pat terns. Simulating wind-driven sublimation was necessary to predict moisture losses.