CRRC Snow Workshop: The Science of Snow and Ice

Feb. 26, 2026

In February 2026, the CRRC Field Committee hosted a snow and ice workshop focused on winter field science and monitoring techniques. The workshop, led by the CRRC Field Committee and University of Waterloo students, brought together CRRC members for hands-on field training in snow and lake ice measurements. Participants were introduced to several field methods, including snow surveys, snow pit analysis, snow water equivalent coring, and lake ice monitoring techniques on Columbia Lake. The ice component of the workshop included drilling through lake ice to measure ice thickness and type, as well as collecting water quality profiles using CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth) sensors.

The workshop provided practical experiences with field equipment, data collection procedures, and proper sampling techniques in winter field conditions. As part of the event, attendees also toured the University of Waterloo’s Meteorological Station, officially named the E.D. Soulis Memorial Weather Station, which provides real-time atmospheric data and long-term climate records for the Waterloo region.