Snow surveys have been conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District flood risk mitigation projects since the 1960s. Currently there are 93 snow courses for the 31 projects across the district's five major river basins: the Connecticut, Merrimack, Housatonic, Thames, and Blackstone. These snow courses were established with the purpose of monitoring the snowpack for flood potential. Snow courses in eastern Vermont, southwestern New Hampshire, and south-central Massachusetts were compared for snow water equivalent (SWE) and analyzed for temporal trends. Generally speaking, the yearly peak snow water equivalent values range from zero to 31.7 cm (12.5 inches). Characteristic of the region is the possibility of a single rain-on-snow event melting the entire snowpack, causing flooding in vulnerable areas and impacting life and property. The characteristics of SWE within each basin are presented as well as the evidence for temporal trends.
展开▼
