Marmot Creek Research Basin - Global Institute for Water Security

Marmot Creek Research Basin was established as an experimental basin in 1962 by the Governments of Canada and Alberta, as part of the International Hydrological Decade. It became an outdoor research laboratory to investigate the principles of mountain hydrology and the influences of forest management on streamflow generation, under the leadership of the Canadian Forestry Service. This program was closed down in 1986, on development of the Nakiska Ski Resort.

In 2005, the basin was reactivated by the University of Saskatchewan, University of Calgary and Environment Canada: since then it has supported a wide variety of research in process hydrology, climatology, ecohydrology and hydrological modelling, underpinning the next generation of models and forest-management strategies.

The Coldwater Laboratory was established in 2009 at the nearby University of Calgary Barrier Lake Field Station, to maintain and develop research momentum in the basin. With its long-term records of high altitude streamflow, precipitation, snowpack, groundwater, vegetation and mountain meteorology observations, it continues to provide a unique asset to support the improved understanding of environmental change in the Canadian Rockies. Projects currently focus on mountain snow processes, hydrochemistry, hydrological and hydrogeological modelling (including analysis of hydro-climatic trends and sensitivity to climate change), and the hydrological impacts of changes in forest cover.

To mark 50 years since the basin's establishment, a workshop was held in February, 2013, with the participation of a wide range of contributors to its research activities over this time: full details of speakers and their presentations are available from the link below.

In December 2016 the Coldwater Laboratory moved its main office to #116A, 1151 Sidney Street, Canmore, AB

Hydrometeorological Stations

Marmot Creek, a tributary to the Kananaskis and Bow river systems, runs through a classic headwater catchment in the Rocky Mountain front ranges, at elevations between 1450 and 2886m above sea-level. The basin, which is approximately 10km² in area, encompasses high alpine, sub-alpine and montane terrain, ranging from bare rock and talus, through tundra and sub-alpine to dense forest. It receives more than 600mm of precipitation annually, 70% of which falls as snow, with 50% runoff.

The basin is instrumented with permanent Automatic Weather Stations in a range of elevations, surface types, slopes / aspects, a network of groundwater wells, and streamflow gauges.

Measurements of snowfall and rainfall, evaporation, soil moisture, soil freezing, snowmelt, radiation, wind speed, air temperature and humidity, and surface temperatures are taken every 15 minutes at these sites. Many are provided in near real-time here.

		Lat / Long	UTM 11U	Elevation
Site	Type	°N	°W	E	N	m a.s.l.
Fisera Ridge Main	AWS	50.95683	115.2044	626107	5646559	2325
Fisera Ridge North Face	AWS	50.95696	115.2055	626033	5646572	2326
Fisera Ridge South Face	AWS	50.95601	115.2041	626133	5646469	2320
Nakiska Alpine Ridgetop	AWS	50.94472	115.1937	626896	5645231	2468
Pine Clearing, Level (Hay Meadow)	AWS	50.94411	115.1389	630742	5645259	1437
Pine Clearing, South-Sloping	AWS	50.94808	115.1516	629840	5645678	1557
Pine Forest, Level	AWS	50.94656	115.1464	630211	5645518	1557
Pine Forest, North-Sloping	AWS	50.94793	115.1458	630248	5645671	1467
Pine Forest, South-Sloping	AWS	50.9481	115.1515	629847	5645680	1552
Spruce Clearing, Level: 2m Tower (Upper Clearing)	AWS	50.95654	115.1754	628150	5646577	1845
Spruce Clearing, Level: Tower	AWS	50.95654	115.1754	628150	5646577	1845
Spruce Forest, Level (Upper Forest)	AWS	50.95688	115.1762	628088	5646613	1891
Spruce Forest, North-Sloping	AWS	50.95236	115.1915	627030	5646084	2037
Spruce Forest, South-Sloping	AWS	50.9529	115.1908	627074	5646146	2008
Vista View Clearcut	AWS	50.97094	115.1722	628332	5648184	1956
Marmot Creek WSC Gauge	Stream Gauge	50.9503	115.1528	629753	5645920	1587

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