Ice thickness measurements from the Ice Storm Experiment (ISE) at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest

An ice storm simulation was performed at the Hubbard Brook
Experimental Forest to evaluate impacts of these extreme weather
events on northern hardwood forests. Water was pumped from the main
branch of Hubbard Brook and sprayed above the forest canopy in
subfreezing conditions so that it rained down and froze on contact
with trees. The experiment consisted of five treatments, including a
control (no ice) and three target levels of radial ice accretion: low
(6.4 mm), mid (12.7 mm), and high (19.0 mm). Two of the mid-level
treatment plots (midx2) were iced in back-to-back years to evaluate
impacts of consecutive storms. The ice accretion values reported are
measurements made on passive collectors using both digital calipers
and a water volume approach. These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study
(HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook
Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA
Forest Service, Northern Research Station.