Hydrology with Eric Larson - #24

In this episode I am joined by Eric Larson, a hydrologist who works for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The focus of this episode is hydrology, which is a field in science that studies the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth. In the episode we discuss Eric’s love of the outdoors, studying civil engineering for his undergraduate, his current work as a hydrologist in Montana, methods for collecting hydrology data, his experience with SNOwpackTELemetryNetwork, how hydrology data is utilized by farmers and local governments and much more. I hope you enjoy! VIDEO:MontanaNRCS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MontanaNRCS/videos PAPERS:The History of Snow Survey & Water Supply forecasting: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/History-Of-Snow-Survey.pdf Water Supply Outlook Reports – Montana: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/montana/montana-snow-survey/water-supply-outlook-reports-montana ARTICLES:The Man Behind the Snowpack: https://mountainjournal.org/eric-larson-the-man-behind-the-snowpack/ Understanding Snow: https://watereducationcolorado.org/publications-and-radio/headwaters-magazine/spring-2024-the-snow-issue/understanding-snow/ Snow: The real water supply for the Rio Grande basin: https://jornada.nmsu.edu/files/bibliography/06-035.pdf These Four States Are in Denial Over a Looming Water Crisis: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/opinion/water-shortage-colorado-river.html Spring Outlook: Drought forecasted to expand in U.S. West, parts of Plains: https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/spring-outlook-drought-forecasted-to-expand-in-us-west-parts-of-plains June 2022 Floods in the Upper Yellowstone River Basin: https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/fs20243035/full Requirements to become a Hydrologist in the US: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/hydrology-series-1315 BOOKS:Never Turn Back: The Life of Whitewater Pioneer Walt Blackadar by Ron Watters The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko MUSIC INTRO/OUTRO:Music: massobeats - chilly (https://youtu.be/UbwxYGj5phk) CONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/ GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X: https://twitter.com/DolinayG Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0 Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinayPODCAST: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1765996824Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/B0DC73S9SNiHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV|- Video Chapters-|0:00 – Intro1:12 – Eric growing up in Minnesota3:34 – Studying civil engineering at University5:05 – Defining Hydrology7:13 – SNOwpack TELemetry Network (SNOTEL)8:27 – What time of the year is Hydrology data collected10:36 – How SNOTEL data is transmitted & collected12:12 – Grizzly Bears near SNOTEL sites13:46 – Maintenance on SNOTEL equipment15:54 – Process to sample Snow Course data21:26 – Elevation sickness22:35 – Defining Snowpacks23:44 – Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)25:48 – Spatial variability of snow fall28:44 – Hydrological measurements31:41 – Sublimination35:20 – Methods of trekking to the SNOTEL sites39:10 – Maintaining SNOTEL data41:32 – Snow Survey & Water Supply Forecasting Program43:55 – Avalanche risk46:44 – Hydrology equipment is expensive… 51:47 – The hardest part of collecting Hydrology data56:35 – Who utilizes Hydrology data?58:48 – Surface vs Ground water1:01:08 – Water from snow melt 1:02:02 – Droughts1:04:54 – Water conservation and water capture1:07:45 – How to get started in Hydrology1:11:04 – Outdoor activities in Montana1:12:25 – Glacier National Park & Custer Gallatin National Forest1:13:56 – Best ski spots1:14:56 – Indiana Bones1:17:25 – Book recommendation1:18:53 - Conclusion