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Hydrology

Soils, snow and streamflow

The question of how soil moisture deficits affect runoff efficiency has flummoxed river forecasters for decades. Simulations with four land surface models reveal that soil moisture can have an influence that is on a par with early season snowpack.

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Figure 1: Lake Mead with Hoover Dam.

© GEORGE STARCHER

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Pagano, T. Soils, snow and streamflow. Nature Geosci 3, 591–592 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo948

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