Hydrology of the Snake River

1
Hydrology of the Snake River in Hells Canyon
Wil Sarchet GIS in Water Resources
2
introduction
objective
methodology
results
conclusions
3
introduction
Welcome to Hells Canyon

• Snake River
• Originates in Yellowstone Park in northwest
  Wyoming
• Outlets into the Columbia River in southeast
  Washington
• Rivers length is 1040 miles
• Watershed drains 108,000 sq. miles

• Hells Canyon
• Carved by Snake River
• North Americas deepest river gorge at 7993 feet
  deep
• 10 miles wide

4
objective
Examine the relationship between snow,
precipitation, slope, and flow in Hells Canyon
5
methodology
Map building
6
methodology
Data points

• NCDC
• Precipitation
• Total for month
• USGS
• Flow
• Monthly average
• Snotel
• Snow Water Equivalents
• Monthly average
• Amount of water in snowpack
• Depth of water if snowpack melted

7
results
Channel Elevation
8
results
Total Monthly Precipitation (in.)
2000
2001
2005
2006
0.0 0.5 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.5 1.5 2.0 2.0
2.5 2.5 3.0 3.0 3.5 3.5 4.0 4.0 4.5 4.5
5.0 5.0 5.5 5.5 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 7.0 7.0
7.5 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 9.5 9.5
10.0
July
August
September
October
November
December
April
June
May
June
January
February
March
May
9
results
Snow Water Equivalents (in.)
2000
2001
2005
2006
0.0 5.0 5.0 10.0 10.0 15.0 15.0 20.0 20.0
25.0 25.0 30.0 30.0 35.0
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
10
results
Undisturbed flow
11
results
Dam impacted flow
12
results
Dam impacted flow
13
conclusions

• Snowfall has a direct effect on river flow
• Precipitation does not have as strong a
  correlation to river flow
• Dams significantly alter the hydrology of the
  river

14
references
Images

• http//www.fs.fed.us/hellscanyon/overview/maps.sh
  tml
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageMap_of_USA_wit
  h_state_names.svg
• http//www.fs.fed.us/hellscanyon/overview/index.s
  html
• http//www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/expos
  ing_snow.shtml
• http//lennthompson.typepad.com/photos/uncategori
  zed/rain_1.jpg
• .http//www.desktopscenes.com/Scenes20from20Big
  20Sky20Country20(200 3)/Lone20Mountain20Summit
  .jpg
• http//www.icwhen.com/ncc14/topics/waikato/images
  /image-0001.jpg
• http//geoimages.berkeley.edu/Waterfalls/Idaho/Sh
  oshoneFallsL.html
• http//www.visitusa.com/oregon/images/hellscanyon
  orpic.jpg
• http//www.windingwatersrafting.com/gallery_app.p
  hp
• http//209.20.186.111/images/Idaho/HellsCanyon2.j
  pg
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_river
• Http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageHells-canyon-d
  am-id-us.jpg
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageOxbow_Hydroele
  ctric_dam.jpg
• http//www.ifskiclub.com/Portals/0/Photos/Yellows
  tone.JPG

15
questions