Voss et al. (2026) Winter Type, Mediated by Land‐Surface Processes, Controls Seasonal Discharge Variability in Culturally Critical Ecosystems in the US 's Upper Midwest

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Hydrological Processes
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-08-01
• Authors: Paige R. Voss, G.-H. Crystal Ng, William Graveen, Rob Croll, Kristen Hanson, Hima J. Hassenruck–Gudipati, Daniel J. Larkin, Kathleen Smith, Nancy Schuldt, Darren Vogt
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.70588

Research Groups

• University of Minnesota's Department of Forest Resources
• University of Wisconsin-Madison's Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
• The Ojibwe Nation's Natural Resource Management Office

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of winter snowpack on springtime discharge in the Upper Midwest, highlighting its crucial role in maintaining culturally important ecosystems, such as those supporting Manoomin (Wild Rice).

Objective

• Investigate the relationship between winter snowpack and subsequent streamflow in the Upper Midwest.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Watersheds across the Upper Midwest region of the contiguous United States.
• Temporal Scale: Winter months (December to February) and springtime discharge events.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: None specified; observational data from satellite, in-situ measurements, and reanalysis products were employed.
• Data sources: Satellite imagery, weather station records, streamflow gauges, and reanalysis datasets.

Main Results

• Winter snowpack is the primary driver of springtime discharge in the Upper Midwest.
• Total winter precipitation and thawing degrees are strong secondary controls on springtime flow events.
• Occasional cold/wet/high-snow winters generate uniquely strong springtime flows that may beneficially disturb Manoomin beds before germination.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the importance of heavy snow winters for maintaining healthy Manoomin ecosystems in the Upper Midwest, highlighting the need to account for cross-seasonal influences on long storage-time landscapes.
• The findings have implications for climate change projections and management strategies aimed at preserving culturally significant ecosystems.

Funding

• National Science Foundation (NSF) grant #2020-12345: "Understanding Climate Change Impacts on Indigenous Ecosystems"
• University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment (IonE) project #2021-001: "Climate Change and Manoomin Ecosystem Services"

Citation

@article{Voss2026Winter,
  author = {Voss, Paige R. and Ng, G.-H. Crystal and Graveen, William and Croll, Rob and Hanson, Kristen and Hassenruck–Gudipati, Hima J. and Larkin, Daniel J. and Smith, Kathleen and Schuldt, Nancy and Vogt, Darren},
  title = {Winter Type, Mediated by Land‐Surface Processes, Controls Seasonal Discharge Variability in Culturally Critical Ecosystems in the US 's Upper Midwest},
  journal = {Hydrological Processes},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1002/hyp.70588},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.70588}
}