Photos courtesy of Sean Claffey. Cover photo courtesy Tim Egan.

“It's neat to think about. It's possible we could be doing this for decades as a group. There's potential for four of my kids to be part of that nearly 100-year-old data set,” said Sean Claffey of Dillon, Mont.

Claffey and two of his daughters recently skied to the Elk Horn Springs snow course and collected measurements that support the data reported through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Snow Survey program. The Elk Horn Springs snow course is part of a statewide system of sites that reports data on snow depth, snow water equivalent, precipitation, temperature, and other factors to predict snowmelt-driven runoff in the spring and summer. Individuals, organizations, and state and federal agencies rely on this information to make decisions related to agricultural production, fish and wildlife management, municipal and industrial water supply, urban development, flood control, recreation, power generation, and water quality management.

“The Elk Horn Springs snow course data is specifically used for water supply forecasting for Grasshopper Creek, a tributary of the Beaverhead River, which contributes to the Missouri River system. Data from the site is an important indication of how much water there's going to be in the entire Missouri River system,” said Eric Larson, NRCS hydrologist. “Data has been measured consistently at this site for 90 years, since 1935, giving us a strong historical basis for analysis.”

There are 196 NRCS snow survey stations across Montana located in primarily mountainous areas where the bulk of snowmelt-driven water supply originates. Ninety-five of these sites are automated. They are called SNOTEL (Snow Telemetry) sites. But 101 of the data collection locations are manually measured snow courses that are visited monthly by snow surveyors.

Sampling at snow courses has always been a partnership effort between NRCS staff and a multitude of dedicated partners like the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and many others. In the case of the Elk Horn Springs snow course, it was typically measured by the Beaverhead Watershed Committee. Organizational changes meant they were looking for someone to take over the monthly sampling from February through April. This is where Sean Claffey stepped up to help.

Claffey works for The Nature Conservancy as a conservation coordinator in Dillon, Mont. He saw this as an opportunity to spend time with his family outside in the winter accomplishing a mission and as a learning opportunity.

“Water is everything in the West and we work with a lot with folks, our partners on private lands and other resource specialists, who are watching water supply forecasts closely,” said Claffey. “With this experience, I can speak more to what snow courses and SNOTELs do. It was easy for me to take for granted the effort that's put into collecting that information every year across the state. I think it helps me continue to piece together all the different pieces in the big picture of natural resource management and living in the West.”

Access to snow course locations can be challenging. Some require surveyors to snowmobile, helicopter, or ski long distances. The Elk Horn Springs site is about 1.5 miles down a cross country ski trail in the southern Pioneer Mountains near Polaris at an elevation of about 7,800 feet. Surveyors typically ski or hike/snowshoe into the site, depending on snow conditions.

Eric Larson, NRCS, traveled with Sean Claffey to the snow course in February to train on gathering snow depth and snow water equivalent. Then, Claffey and his family took over. In March, Claffey, two daughters, and a friend from Dillon cross-country skied to the snow course for the first time. During that trip, the Claffeys measured 27 inches of snow depth and 8 inches of snow water equivalent, which is 95% of median for April 1. He hopes his family keeps measuring the site for years to come.

“It was a fun day. They love being out,” said Claffey. “We weren't just slogging up a trail, we had a destination to get to and something to do when we got there and plenty of snacks. So, they were happy.”

Learn more about the Montana Snow Survey program. You can also find interactive data tools and the monthly water supply outlook report.