By Anne Castle and Beth Nesis

The competition for skiers today is fiercer than ever before. Areas are constantly faced with the challenge of attracting skiers via early opening dates and area expansions while trying to defend environmental impacts of interest groups and the media. Many of us operate under the belief that "if we have snow, skiers will come"; however, the process of snowmaking has become significantly more controversial.

Following a couple of low snow years in the 70's and early 80's, snowmaking became an integral part of the operation at most ski areas. With snowmaking came a dramatic increase in water usage, in some cases, 10 times that required for lodges and base facilities. This volume of water usage may strain the headwaters of mountain streams located near the ski areas.

Recycling machine-made snow to reduce water demand is slowly beginning to catch on in this county

While ski area operators have defended snowmaking practices by pointing out that snowmelt returns the water back to mountain streams, the fact is that snowmaking diversions cause lower stream flows in the fall and winter, while the return occurs in the spring, when the streams are already at their highest points. Reclaiming returned water after the snow melts presents a significant opportunity for ski area to save money over the long-term, as well as minimize the environmental impacts of water withdrawal.

According to Peter Alford of York Automatic Snow, recycling machine-made snow to reduce water demand is slowly beginning to catch on in this country, although it is prevalent in European ski areas. Population densities and high year-round water demand, coupled with the fact that ski areas in Europe are often at the extreme upper reaches of the mountain ranges where streams are small, have made recapture and reuse of snowmelt a necessity.

Loveland Ski Area in Colorado has taken an innovative approach to recapture and reuse snowmelt water. As result of being located in a water scarce area, water rights required to divert enough water to make needed snow are prohibitively expensive. Accordingly, Loveland sought governmental approval to recapture 70 percent of the snowmelt water from snowmaking by storing it in an off-site reservoir leased by Loveland. Releasing the stored water into the stream replaces stream water that was taken out and used for snowmaking at the area. As a result, the overall depletion of the stream by snowmaking is reduced. Loveland's General Manager Ken Abrahamson also believes that this recycling and reuse of water is "the right thing to do, environmentally speaking, and goes hand-in-hand with the other kinds of recycling we now take for granted, like aluminum cans, glass bottles and other materials.

Loveland is not alone. Mammoth Mountain is also considering how to use recycled water to meet its snowmaking needs. "Although we are still in the preliminary stages and are considering the financial implications, we believe recycling water for snowmaking really makes sense," said Dennis Agee, director of planning and governmental affairs. "This is particularly true in the Mammoth Lakes areas where the water can go back into the aquifer to recharge our wells," Agee stated.

The following is the key to a successful program:

• More snowmaking means more water

  Snowmaking produces snow on the ski slopes that wouldn't naturally be there and supplies more stream water during spring run off. Because the additional amount of water in the streams is there solely due to the ski area's activities, the added water can be recaptured and stored during the spring and early summer under most states' water rights legal systems. The stored water can then be used during the following ski season for a new round of snowmaking. This "recycling" of snowmelt can continue through several consecutive ski seasons. In fact, the amount of new water required each year for snowmaking can be reduced to one quarter of the total amount needed through this reuse technique.

• Measuring the increased water flow

  Accurately qualifying the additional runoff water created by the machine-made snowmelt is essential to a successful recycling program. The amount of new water in the streams caused by snowmaking can be estimated by experienced water resource scientists. The quantity of water used for snowmaking is measured during the initial snowmaking season. The amount of recapturable runoff can be estimated as a percentage of the available snow water equivalent (SWE) of the machine-made snow.

  The type of equipment necessary to accurately measure the amount of water used for snowmaking and to calculate the amount of runoff available varies depending on your needs and current practice. Snow courses exist an many ski areas. These are undisturbed locations where increases and decreases of snow depth can be accurately measured. Snow pillows weigh the amount of snow fallen during a period of time and can be used to determine the water equivalent in that snowfall. Snotel equipment, available through Meteor Communications Corporation, provides a direct measurement of SWE. The data generated is transmitted electronically to a central gathering facility. The type of equipment you select depends on the degree of accuracy desired, the requirements of governmental agencies, and the type of calculation to be used.

  As the snowmelt begins in the spring, the SWE reduces gradually. The percentage of reduced natural SWE can be used to predict the machine-made SWE that will form part of the runoff. For example, if snow course measurements indicated that 10 percent of the natural snowpack has melted during a particular week, then 10 percent of the machine-made snow amount made during the preceding ski season could be available for recapture. The ski area operator continues to recapture portions of the machine-made snow runoff represented by the weekly reduction in SWE of the natural snowpack during the spring melt.

• Store it for next year

  Recaptured snowmaking water can be stored directly in a reservoir on or near the ski area. If the reservoir is on site, water stored during the spring runoff season can then be diverted out of the reservoir and used directly for snowmaking during the following ski season. Off-site reservoirs can also be used for storage, even if they are not located directly downstream of the ski area. Some states will allow storage at an offsite reservoir in exchange for introducing additional water elsewhere on the stream. When water is needed for snowmaking, an equal quantity is released from the reservoir downstream for the area's snowmaking needs.

• Governmental approvals

  The permits or approvals required to implement snowmelt recycling vary from state to state. The ski area may be required to obtain the state's water resource agency's approval for the initial diversion of snowmaking water, the recapture, and any necessary exchange. The installation of equipment or construction of a reservoir may require Forest Service or Army Corps of Engineers approval. Endangered Species Act consultation may also be triggered if other federal approvals are necessary.

  As we consider the ski industry's future, implementing innovative techniques for recycling natural resources becomes essential. If your ski area is located where the water flows are very low, where depletion of streams may impact endangered species, or where, for any other reason, water supply is tight, consider recycling the water used for snowmaking. Under the right circumstance, it can significantly reduce water usage and cost and, at the same time, ameliorate the environmental impact of snowmaking.