Show estimate water supply by weighing snowfall mountain snow packs of the west are weighed each winter to forecast springtime runoff for irrigation water conservation and power projects developed as a result of a classical professors love for winter outings in i the he sierra nevadas snow surveying his has grown to such an exact science that the flow of rivers and streams in the spring can be calculated to within 10 per cent or better in itself the surveying Is comparatively simple but dangerous work samples of snow are taken along snow courses selected as typical I 1 of the snow fall the surveyors must follow difficult mountain routes at high elevation under arduous winter conditions dit ions lons the only shelter available Is provided by cabins built along the rou route te foundations for the science of snow surveying were laid by dr J E church of the university of nevada when he was professor of the classics many years ago his interest in mountain climbing in winter led him to speculation about the snow and e eventually to the development of a method of measuring it |