Experimental methods for investigating rainwater behaviour in the snowpack

Bc. Kryštof Dytrt

Master's thesis

Abstract:

This thesis focuses on methods of investigation rain on snow events and validation of water behavior in snow at three locations in the Czech Republic. Experiments were carried out in winter 2019 where rain simulator was used to get a vision what kind of flow paths can rain on snow event caused in snowpack. Three approaches of analyses have been created in this work to analyze water behavior in snow from photos taken during experiments. The first “Localization analysis” classifies data from photos and provides a fundamental view on water regimes induced after experiments in coordinate system. Next analysis determines photos reliability by created indexes where comparison of heights of all photos, distortion and lysimeter desk determination have been composed together to point out on weak points in the photographing technique and to suggest new methods of conducting rain on snow experiments. The third analysis uses R interface and tests new developed package “bluesnow” as a tool for visualizing snow after dye tracer experiments. Approaches of bluesnow and localization analyses have been put together to validate water flow paths in snow with combination of altered snow properties after experiments at each experimental site. At Luisino Údolí site horizontal formation of flow patterns was recorded with heterogeneous properties of snow. Luisino Údolí was typical with preferential flow paths and lateral flow regime. Kubova Huť 1 site was evaluated with heterogenous properties of snow as well as Luisino Údolí, with prevailing of flow patterns in horizontal direction mainly with lateral flow. The third Kubova Huť 2 site was studied during spring and more homogenous properties were recorded. Uniform character of snowpack could not retain water and prevailing of vertical flow caused release of water with matrix flow regime. New suggested methods of rain on snow investigations implements newly designed tipping buckets which are evaluated in this thesis as well.

Keywords

Rain-on-snow, experiments, rainfall simulator

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 30. 6. 2020

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Roman Juras, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Environmental Sciences

Master programme / field:
Landscape Engineering / Water in the Landscape