The American West’s snowpack is valuable for many reasons. Snowmelt supplies much of the water flowing through the region’s streams, rivers, irrigation canals and household faucets—a vital role that has taken on new urgency this winter as much of the West struggles with scant snow cover. … But in the economic realm, researchers have attempted to put a dollar figure on the region’s snow, and the numbers they’ve generated are huge. “This stuff’s worth trillions, not billions” of dollars, said snow scientist Matthew Sturm, lead author of a widely cited 2017 paper in Water Resources Research that estimated the value of the water embedded in the West’s snowpack. 

Other snowpack and water supply news around the West:

• ABC News: Worsening snow drought in the West will have cascading impacts, experts say
• The Sierra Sun (Truckee, Calif.): How much water is in the snow? This winter’s numbers raise concerns
• Redheaded Blackbelt (Susanville, Calif.): Wet winter, dry reality? Humboldt officials say water risk isn’t gone
• National Integrated Drought Information System (NOAA): News release: A dry, warm January leaves the West with the worst snowpack in decades