MREAC staff demonstrating snow core

MREAC began a partnership with the New Brunswick Department of Environment in 2009-10 to begin conducting snow and ice studies in the Miramichi River watershed. The project began with 5 stations on the Miramichi, and in 2011 expanded to include 7 stations on the Miramichi. Snow pack conditions during the winter months (January-April) are monitored at these 7 stations throughout the watershed which include:

• Trout Brook
• Bay Du Vin River near St. Margaret's
• McGraw Brook
• Blackville
• Doaktown
• Boiestown
• Kennedy Lakes

These stations were selected based on distribution within the watershed and easy access during the winter season. At each of these 7 stations, 5-6 sites have been marked off to create a snow course. When the stations are visited, a snow core pole (image above) is used to measure the depth of the snow and the water equivalent of each core sample.

The data collected from this project will assist DENV in completing their model for provincial snow fall in order to help predict annual spring flooding. The map below displays the snow monitoring stations for the Miramichi River watershed.

Map of the seven snow monitoring stations for the Miramichi River watershed, beginning in 2011.