Today I was fortunate to be joined by Mr. Kobayashi, a prospective graduate student, and we worked in the rain to collect an invaluable discharge measurement. Cold December rain makes some of the hardest working conditions for fieldwork, so thank you very much for your help! Photos by Mr. Kobayashi.
We also worked to clean and set up the snow lysimeter experiment. This experiment has been running since 2002, so 15 years now! The most important device is the tipping bucket which measures the runoff, and this is still functioning well. Key to obtaining good data for lysimeter runoff is the cleaning and maintenance of the collection trays and drainage system. Fallen leaves or needles easily block the drainage holes, until a good cover of snow is achieved. The snow cover, once established, acts as a good filter to keep dirt away from the drains and allow accurate measurement of runoff.
