The correlation of snowpack with topography and snowmelt runoff on Marmot Creek Basin, Alberta

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Abstract
In a model relating snow water equivalent to 6 combinations of topographic and forest variables on Marmot Creek experimental basin, 36 per cent of the variance was accounted for. The model was improved by the addition of a variable indexing position of snow‐sampling points relative to major topographic features of the basin. Variation accounted for in the final model was 48 per cent. To determine how well snow courses that have been measured for the past ten years indexed actual snow accumulation, snow‐course data were correlated with mean snow water equivalent measured in 1969–72 at 1500 points spaced on a 20.1 m × 201.2 m grid over the basin. Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.95 to 0.99 with particular courses consistently being the highest, indicating that these courses do provide a good index of basin snowpack. Seasonal streamflow from Marmot and its three sub‐basins was correlated with snow accumulation. Correlation was higher for the relation of snow accumulation with May‐June runoff than with May‐July runoff. Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.73 to 0.94 for the seven snow courses.

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