Water and snow are incredible natural resources in the Pacific Northwest, contributing to recreation, water supply, and ecosystem services. We are fortunate to have a breathtaking array of sources of information on water and snowpack, both long-term and short-term. This talk will focus first on snow, the many ways that we learn about our snowpack, and just what exactly is changing, and by how much. Secondly, this talk will consider community science programs related to snow and water and explore the ‘added value’ that these programs provide. Particular attention will be paid to Community Snow Observations (www.communitysnowobs.org), which is very active in the Oregon Cascades. Finally, a new ‘operational’ snowpack modeling system called MountainSnow (www.mountainsnow.org), fueled by this community participation, will be discussed and results for Oregon will be demonstrated.

David Hill is a professor at Oregon State University, a National Geographic Explorer, and a member of the Science Alliance for Protect Our Winters. He has degrees in aerospace engineering (UIUC) and civil and environmental engineering (UC Berkeley). For over 25 years, he has studied how water behaves from snowy mountain headwaters to the coast. He collaborates with other scientists interested in water’s response to climate drivers and works with stakeholders to provide information on water resources. Hill is one of the founders of the Community Snow Observations project, which teams up with backcountry enthusiasts and professionals to improve models of snow distribution and runoff in mountain environments. Hill has also twice been an Erskine Fellow at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. No matter the season, he is on the lookout for opportunities to get out of the office and watch water and snow.