URBAN SNOWMELT – pollutants, dynamics and environmental significance (2010-2012)

The complexity of the urban hydrological cycle in a cold climate, with respect to precipitation, hydrology, pollutant generation, accumulation and release from snowpacks, results in many differences between cold and temperate climates.

The main objective of the project is to increase the knowledge of cold climate special requirements and to find adapted solutions and not “import” solutions from areas with dissimilar climate. An increased knowledge is essential for progress in describing pollutant transport during snowmelt. To enable this there is need of more accurate snowmelt modelling as well as further investigate the pollutant transport, both as elution in snow, and transport on different surfaces. Urban snowmelt often exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency guidelines and toxicity tests will be performed to evaluate the environmental significance.

Camilla Westerlund