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Measuring the snowpack — ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge partners with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

caroline.zentner — Tue, 28 May 2024 15:49:09 +0000

With the threat of drought hanging over the province, the Government of Alberta enlisted a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge research team to assist with accurately measuring the snowpack in southern Alberta and the variations from one watershed to another — measurements that are more important than ever as the province tries to manage its water resources.

“Given the potential for drought, following a couple of years of already dry conditions and low snowpack, the Government of Alberta approached us at the beginning of January to see if we could help them with the snow monitoring,” says Dr. Chris Hopkinson, professor in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Department of Geography and Environment and director of the new TECTERRA-funded Institute for Geospatial Inquiry, Instruction and Innovation (i4Geo).

For seven months of the year, scientists with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) go up into the mountains in the backcountry to measure snow depth and density, information critical to managing water and reservoir levels throughout Alberta.

While it’s practically impossible for workers to physically measure snow depth and density and take samples across whole watersheds, combining the measurements and samples from selected areas with data from airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a remote sensing system that can map snow depth, can provide more accuracy.

Photo, taken April 21, 2024, shows the Upper Oldman River, fed by the mountains in the background, as it enters the Oldman Reservoir.

“Effectively responding to drought, both this year and in the future, requires a better understanding of snowpack conditions in the mountains and the amount of water we can expect during the spring melt to refill our reservoirs and recharge our rivers,” says Dr. Brandi Newton, a hydroclimatologist with AEPA. “Partnering with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge on the use of LiDAR in our snow survey program allows us to collect detailed snowpack data over a much wider area and will ultimately help Alberta make the most out of every drop.”

For the Bow and Oldman watersheds in southern Alberta, Hopkinson and his team began planning two airborne missions, one in March and one in April. For the March mission, Teledyne Optech provided a state-of-the-art Galaxy LiDAR system and an operator, while Calgary-based Aries Aviation provided the aircraft. The April mission utilized ULethbridge’s unique Titan Multispectral LiDAR system, with some operational support from Airborne Imaging, also out of Calgary. The LiDAR scans sampled the Rockies from as far south as the U.S. border and north to Saskatchewan Crossing.

Photo depicts the Bow River just downstream from Banff. All photos courtesy of Dr. Chris Hopkinson.

“The data is confirming that the snowpack in the mountains is not very abundant,” says Hopkinson. “But it’s important to bear in mind that we don’t really have anything to compare it to because we’ve never done this before. All we can do is take our estimates of snowpack water equivalents in the mountains and relate it to similar data structures such as precipitation gauges, snow pillows, field data or runoff records.”

While the LiDAR results are comparable to traditional measurements, LiDAR can provide more spatially precise data.

“It’s telling us, for example, that the Oldman is showing a lot less snow water in the mountains than the Bow,” says Hopkinson. “But we’d probably expect that anyway just because the Bow is higher in elevation, slightly farther north and has wider mountains. But now we’re able to quantify these things in a way we previously couldn’t.”

Hopkinson’s team includes Dr. Celeste Barnes, a post-doctoral fellow who provided project management and data analysis, Jessica Van Gaalen, a master’s student who prepared the data for the cloud computing environment to train an online model and Italo Rodrigues, a PhD candidate who prepared the various layers of data to build an online model of the snow cover. Maxim Okhrimenko, a PhD student and LiDAR lab manager, helped plan the surveys and flying. Farnoosh Aslami, a research associate, assisted with the project by working up data layers as needed. Also working on the project are Dr. James Craig at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Waterloo and Dr. Ryan MacDonald (BSc ’06, MSc ’09, PhD ’14), CEO of MacHydro Consultants.

“The idea is that we’ll use these data to input into a hydrological modelling scheme to do the forecasting,” says Hopkinson. “It’s innovative because you don’t normally have a spatially continuous map of snowpack that you can then put into a hydrological model. Hopefully, in the next month or two, we’ll get some scenarios from these data that will parallel or supplement the kind of forecasting work the province is doing.”

In the future, having more precise snowpack measurements will help guide water management policies and practices.

Alumni Association announces its 2016 award winners

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 May 2016 20:23:12 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association is proud to recognize a diverse and accomplished group of alumni as its 2016 Alumni Honour Society inductees, the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year and the Young Alumnus Achievement Award winner.

“The alumni we are honouring are shining examples of what it means to be a U of L graduate,” says Randy Kobbert (BMgt ’86), president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association. “Each of the individuals being honoured used the knowledge they gained at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to achieve their personal and professional goals, and through these achievements has left a lasting impact on the people, organizations and communities with which they are involved.”

2016 Alumnus of the Year

Ronald Arthur Skolrood, BA ’83

Recognized for his integrity and impassioned approach to law, the Honourable Mr. Justice Ronald A. Skolrood has made significant contributions to his profession, earning a position on the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Skolrood spent the entirety of his practicing life at Lawson Lundell LLP in Vancouver, B.C., and is known as a contemplative and thoughtful lawyer, concerned with principle and the way in which his work might promote the values of justice and fairness. These qualities are reflected in his judgements and he is well-respected by peers and colleagues from across the country. Over the years, Skolrood has given back generously to his profession, serving as a board member of the B.C. Law Institute and acting as the Chair from 2007 to 2012. He was also a member of the Canadian Bar Association, National Constitutional and Human Rights Law Section, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia Special Compensation Fund Committee. He has been a sessional lecturer at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria and a course group leader at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia.

2016 Alumni Honour Society Inductees

Steve Craig, BMgt ’99

As an alumnus and employee, Steve Craig is an excellent ambassador for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. In his current role as director of external relations and student professional development, Craig has a diverse slate of responsibilities. These include running the highly successful Management Co-Op Program, overseeing fundraising and sponsored events, and working with Faculty’s external stakeholders. His genuine interest in using U of L talent to make Lethbridge a better place to do business has earned him the respect of students, faculty, staff and community leaders. He received the U of L President’s Award for Excellence in 2014, was recognized by JDC West as the Advisor of the Year in 2013 and received the Friends of MSS award in 2012/13 and 2014/15.

Patrick C. Forrest, BMgt ’92

Patrick Forrest has contributed immensely to his alma mater, his profession and his community, becoming an exemplary role model for alumni. He has been employed in the investment industry for many years and currently serves as vice-president & associate portfolio manager at BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. He currently holds the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation, and has also been awarded the designation of Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI), the highest designation within the Canadian Investment industry. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Forrest is a dedicated volunteer and fundraiser in the not‐for‐profit sector and the charitable sector. He is currently acting vice‐Chair of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors and is Chair of the Advancement Committee.

Kathy Lewis, BN ’83, MEd ’99

After completing her nursing degree, Kathy Lewis was involved in the development of palliative care, continuing care and sexuality education in Lethbridge and area, establishing herself as a well-respected nursing educator. A strong believer in giving back, Lewis has served on community boards and worked with volunteer groups throughout the region, including the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, the Allied Arts Council, the Lethbridge Community Band Society and the Canadian Diabetes Association. She is a strong ambassador for her alma matter and has served on the Board of Governors, the Senate and as president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association where she oversaw the development of the Fiat Lux Ring, the U of L’s official alumni ring.

Ryan MacDonald, BSc ’06, MSc ’09, PhD ’14

A three-time alumnus, Dr. Ryan MacDonald has been conducting research and working in the hydrological sciences for more than 10 years. His work on catchment-scale hydrological processes and aquatic ecosystems has played a lead role in the development and application of process-based hydrological models for mountain watersheds. Having established himself as a leader in this critical field, MacDonald regularly works with clients from government, industry, First Nations, and NGOs in Alberta and British Columbia. He continues to collaborate with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as an adjunct assistant professor, serving on graduate student committees. He has published numerous peer-reviewed research articles and co-authored two books, making contributions to academia while still providing services to clients from both the private and public sectors.

Reed Spencer, BEd ’83

Reed Spencer is perhaps best known as the sculptor of The Buffalo, the iconic art piece that rests on the top of the coulee to the south of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall. A talented artist, Spencer pursued various artistic methods and mediums over the years while spending his professional career as an educator. Respected by his colleagues, deferred to by his principals and sought out by regional supervisors and provincial peers, Spencer has positively impacted many students. Spencer has also dedicated countless hours to sport development in our community, helping found both the Lethbridge Elks baseball program and the Prairie Baseball Academy. His contributions have been recognized by the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame.

James Wade, BFA ’11

James Wade has established himself as an important new and emerging voice in Canadian playwriting. He has written one full-length dramatic piece and several one-act plays, including two pieces written as an undergraduate student that earned him the top prize in the U of L’s Play Right Prize. In the few short years since he graduated, his work has been performed both regionally and nationally, and he has been recognized with awards from the Ottawa Little Theatre National Playwriting Competition and the Alberta Playwriting Competition. He is presently completing his master’s degree in playwriting at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary and is studying with notable Canadian theatre artists, including Clem Martini.

Young Alumnus Achievement Award

Danielle Tait, BMgt '10

In the six short years since she graduated, Danielle Tait’s career has been marked by significant achievements at a world-class art gallery.

First hired as special events coordinator in 2008, she worked her way through a variety of positions to become associate director at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG) in June of 2013. In addition to managing increased job responsibilities, Tait gives back to her community through her involvement with the local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and as a board member for Economic Development Lethbridge. She has done volunteer work with groups in Tanzania and has supported a number of volunteer organizations, like the Rotary Club of Lethbridge Urban Spirits.

UNews - Ryan MacDonald

Measuring the snowpack — ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge partners with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

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Measuring the snowpack — ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge partners with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas