NASA Snow Scientists Test Groundbreaking Radar Technology to Monitor Snow Cover on Grand Mesa: A Collaborative Effort for Better Water Resource Management and Forecasting

A team of snow scientists from NASA and Boise State University were on the Grand Mesa testing new radar technology to monitor snow cover on Thursday as part of NASA’s SnowEx campaign. The goal was to map the amount of snow on the mountain range and accurately determine how much snow melt would go into rivers and streams. This data is crucial for water management, flood forecasting, hydro-power forecasting, avalanche-related problems, and more.

The Grand Mesa is one of 20 field sites where the technology is being tested. The team of snow scientists gathered at the Grand Mesa Lodge and worked with an aircraft that took off from Grand Junction Regional Airport. The aircraft used an instrument featuring radar sensors developed by the University of Massachusetts. The team traveled from the lodge to a testing site around 40 minutes away.

Hans Peter “HP” Marshall explained why the Grand Mesa was an ideal location for testing snow-measuring radar technology. He highlighted that the high altitude and flat terrain of Grand Mesa provided ideal conditions for dry snow, making it easier to test the instruments. Snow melt-generated water supply accounts for approximately 70% of the western United States’ water supply, and it is expected to decrease in the future, according to NASA.

In recent years, Northern Hemisphere snow cover has been declining at a faster rate than Arctic sea ice. NASA emphasized the importance of accurately measuring snow water equivalent to understand these changes and their implications. The project is a collaboration between NASA and Boise State University, aiming to improve snow monitoring technology for better water resource management and forecasting.