Historically, the South Platte River was essentially "turned off" after the supply of water coming from melting snow was exhausted in late spring. An example is the South Platte River in Colorado and Nebraska. As much as 75 percent of water supplies in some western states are derived from snowmelt.ĭuring certain times of the year, snowmelt can be responsible for the majority of the streamflow in a river. When the season changes and warms, snowpacks melt, releasing water into rivers. These areas store precipitation from the cool season, when most precipitation falls.
Mountain snow fields, and glaciers, to a lesser extent, act as natural reservoirs for water in some areas, such as the western United States and Canada. In the colder climates, though, much of the springtime runoff and streamflow in rivers is attributable to melting snow and ice. Of course, the importance of snowmelt varies greatly geographically, and in warmer climates it does not directly play a part in water availability. But, in the world-wide scheme of the water cycle, runoff from snowmelt is a major component of the global movement of water. If you live in Florida or on the French Riviera you might not wake up everyday wondering how melting snow contributes to the water cycle. Snowmelt is the result of solid snow melting into liquid water. Glacier-melt runoff often has this distinctive greenish color, often due to the suspension of very fine minerals in the water. Spring meltwater (snowmelt) can provide for some dramatic viewing for visiting tourists, like this photo of Bow River Falls, downstream from the Bow Glacier in Banff, Canada. Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions.
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