2005-2009 Snow water equivalence data, Cape Bounty

42 snow survey transect sites were established across the East and West watersheds in 2005, for the purpose of determining the catchment SWE of the two basins. Additionally, in 2006, detailed snow survey transects were established in various subcatchments in the West watershed. The number of transects in each varied depending on the size of the subcatchment. Eleven depth (at 10m intervals) and three density (at 30m, 50m, 70m) measurements were taken along each 100m transect. Depth was measured using a 3.0 m avalanche probe with 1 cm markings. Density was determined using the depth and mass of snow as collected and weighed in a Mt. Rose type snow tube (3.8 cm diameter), for depth >90 cm; and a MSC Prairie type snow tube (7.0 cm diameter) for depths < 90 cm. Mass was determined using a digital scale with 0.02 kg resolution. The SWE for each transect is determined using the product of the mean depth and density for the site. The total catchment SWE for the two large watersheds, East and West, was determined using a terrain classification model, which was developed based on analysis of slope, curvature, and aspect of the catchments. The average SWE for each terrain class was determined using the results from transects within that class in a given catchment. This average SWE is attributed to a terrain class and the total catchments SWE is the average of the SWE for each terrain class weighted by the proportion of catchment area represented by that terrain. For the subcatchments, the total catchment SWE was determined by the average of all the transects in the catchment.