Kristofer S.J. Pister (Advisor)

Water shortages, particularly evident in the state of California, emphasize the need for a better hydrologic understanding, and improved water management techniques. The majority of the state’s water originates in the Sierra Nevada as snow, melting throughout the year to meet the needs of various stakeholders. Current measurement techniques are unable to resolve variability of the snowpack at the basin scale, and snowmelt processes are not well captured by existing hydrologic models. A system-level solution is introduced to facilitate scientific understanding and water management...