Modeling spatially-distributed snowpack properties to enhance our understanding of snow-elk relationships in the northern elk winter range, Yellowstone National Park

Winter severity is the primary control on elk populations in the Northern Elk Winter Range (NEWR). Recent advancements in elk positional data collection technology have necessitated a move towards understanding snowpack properties at finer temporal and spatial resolutions. Here, we evaluate the development of a spatially-distributed snow model based to improve our understanding of snow-elk interactions in the NEWR. We spatially distributed the 1-D SNTHERM point model for two basins in the NEWR using a discrete regions approach. Modeled estimates of several snowpack properties, including snowpack stratigraphy, were highly correlated with field measurements. Correlations between modeled daily SWE values and measured daily SWE values at several SNOTEL sites were used to retroactively estimate the spatial distribution of snowpack properties using historical SNOTEL records. Our results indicate that we can provide improved estimates of multiple snowpack properties at meaningful resolutions for use in investigating snow-elk relationships in the NEWR.