Abstract
Melting snow provides a large part of the water used throughout the western conterminous United States for agriculture, industry, and domestic supply. It is an active agent in chemical weathering, supplies moisture for forest growth, and sustains fish and wildlife. Despite its importance, virtually nothing has been known of the chemical character of snow in the western mountains until the present study. Analysis of more than 100 samples, most from the northern Sierra Nevada, but some from Utah, Denver, Colo., and scattered points, shows that melted snow is a dilute solution containing measurable amounts of some or all of the inorganic constituents commonly found in natural water. There are significant regional differences in chemical composition; the progressive increase in calcium content with increasing distance eastward from the west slope of the Sierra Nevada is the most pronounced. The chemical character of individual snowfalls is variable. Some show predominant influence of oceanic salt; others show strong effects of mineralization from continental sources, probably largely dust. Silica and boron were found in about half the samples analyzed for these constituents; precipitation is seldom analyzed for these substances. Results of the chemical analyses for major constituents in snow samples are summarized. The medianmore » and mean values for individual constituents are derived from 41-78 samples of Sierra Nevada snow, 6-18 samples of Utah snow, and 6-1 samples of Denver, Colo., snow.« less
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