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Browsing by Author "Ireson, Andrew"

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    Insights into freeze–thaw and infiltration in seasonally frozen soils from field observations
    (Vadose Zone Journal, 2025-02) Sanchez-Rodriguez, Ines; Ireson, Andrew; Brannen, Rosa; Brauner, Haley
    Snowmelt infiltration into frozen soils in seasonally frozen landscapes is a critically important hydrological process, with consequences for agriculture, water resources, and flooding. The partitioning of snowmelt between infiltration and runoff in any given location and in any given year is highly uncertain. While it is intuitive to expect lower infiltration capacities in frozen soils, extensive past field research has shown that infiltration is often the dominant flux over runoff during this process, and this is attributed to infiltration into air-filled macropores. Despite this understanding, we still lack models that can predict frozen soil infiltration reliably. In this study, we examine detailed field observations from the seasonally frozen Canadian Prairies to determine the controls on soil freeze/thaw, snowmelt partitioning, and groundwater recharge. We show how soil moisture, water table depth, snow water equivalent, and air temperature are all significant and confounding factors that determine soil freezing depth and snowmelt partitioning. Plain Language Summary Infiltration of snowmelt into seasonally frozen soil plays a key role in agriculture, water supply, and flood risk. However, predicting how much snowmelt will infiltrate into the soil versus runoff is uncertain. While it seems logical that frozen soils would absorb less water, research shows infiltration often dominates due to water entering air-filled channels called macropores. Despite this, reliable models to predict frozen soil infiltration are still lacking. This study uses data from the Canadian Prairies to explore what affects soil freezing, snowmelt behavior, and groundwater recharge. Our findings highlight that soil moisture, water table depth, snow amount, and air temperature all influence soil freezing and how snowmelt is split between infiltration and runoff.