Spring-like weather is returning to the Wasatch Front, along with the spring runoff that carries water stored as snow in the mountains down to the valleys. Existing infrastructure such as dams and canals are designed to move and capture snowmelt in a predictable season, from April through June. In a changing climate, however, mountain snowfall and snowmelt timing are becoming less predictable, which may necessitate a re-evaluation of how we manage, store, and use water. Hydrologist Paul Brooks, a professor in the department of geology and geophysics, is available to discuss how spring runoff changes as the climate warms.

Paul Brooks, 801-585-2858, paul.brooks@utah.edu