Hydrology with Eric Larson - #24

<p>In this episode I am joined by Eric Larson, a hydrologist who works for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The focus of this episode is hydrology, which is a field in science that studies the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth. In the episode we discuss Eric’s love of the outdoors, studying civil engineering for his undergraduate, his current work as a hydrologist in Montana, methods for collecting hydrology data, his experience with SNOwpackTELemetryNetwork, how hydrology data is utilized by farmers and local governments and much more. I hope you enjoy!</p><p><br></p><p>VIDEO:</p><p>MontanaNRCS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MontanaNRCS/videos</p><p><br></p><p>PAPERS:</p><p>The History of Snow Survey &amp; Water Supply forecasting: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/History-Of-Snow-Survey.pdf</p><p><br></p><p>Water Supply Outlook Reports – Montana: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/montana/montana-snow-survey/water-supply-outlook-reports-montana</p><p><br></p><p>ARTICLES:</p><p>The Man Behind the Snowpack: https://mountainjournal.org/eric-larson-the-man-behind-the-snowpack/</p><p><br></p><p>Understanding Snow: https://watereducationcolorado.org/publications-and-radio/headwaters-magazine/spring-2024-the-snow-issue/understanding-snow/</p><p><br></p><p>Snow: The real water supply for the Rio Grande basin: https://jornada.nmsu.edu/files/bibliography/06-035.pdf </p><p><br></p><p>These Four States Are in Denial Over a Looming Water Crisis: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/opinion/water-shortage-colorado-river.html </p><p><br></p><p>Spring Outlook: Drought forecasted to expand in U.S. West, parts of Plains: https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/spring-outlook-drought-forecasted-to-expand-in-us-west-parts-of-plains</p><p><br></p><p>June 2022 Floods in the Upper Yellowstone River Basin: https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/fs20243035/full</p><p><br></p><p>Requirements to become a Hydrologist in the US: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/hydrology-series-1315</p><p><br></p><p>BOOKS:</p><p>Never Turn Back: The Life of Whitewater Pioneer Walt Blackadar by Ron Watters</p><p><br></p><p>The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko</p><p><br></p><p>MUSIC INTRO/OUTRO:Music: </p><p>massobeats - chilly (https://youtu.be/UbwxYGj5phk)</p><p><br></p><p>CONNECT: </p><p>LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ </p><p>GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 </p><p>X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG </p><p>Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 </p><p>Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinay</p><p>PODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1765996824</p><p>Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/B0DC73S9SN</p><p>iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ </p><p>Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV|-</p><p><br></p><p>Video Chapters-|</p><p>0:00 – Intro</p><p>1:12 – Eric growing up in Minnesota</p><p>3:34 – Studying civil engineering at University</p><p>5:05 – Defining Hydrology</p><p>7:13 – SNOwpack TELemetry Network (SNOTEL)</p><p>8:27 – What time of the year is Hydrology data collected</p><p>10:36 – How SNOTEL data is transmitted &amp; collected</p><p>12:12 – Grizzly Bears near SNOTEL sites</p><p>13:46 – Maintenance on SNOTEL equipment</p><p>15:54 – Process to sample Snow Course data</p><p>21:26 – Elevation sickness</p><p>22:35 – Defining Snowpacks</p><p>23:44 – Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)</p><p>25:48 – Spatial variability of snow fall</p><p>28:44 – Hydrological measurements</p><p>31:41 – Sublimination</p><p>35:20 – Methods of trekking to the SNOTEL sites</p><p>39:10 – Maintaining SNOTEL data</p><p>41:32 – Snow Survey &amp; Water Supply Forecasting Program</p><p>43:55 – Avalanche risk</p><p>46:44 – Hydrology equipment is expensive… </p><p>51:47