CryoSCOPE: Quantifying hydrologic partitioning in snow-dominated landscapes

The EU-Horizon project CryoSCOPE, launched in February 2025, investigates the interplay between atmospheric, cryospheric, and hydrologic systems across varied landscapes, including the Swiss Alps, Finnish Lapland, Svalbard, and the Himalayas. A key focus in CryoSCOPE is to quantify hydrologic partitioning—how precipitation is distributed among streamflow, groundwater, and evapotranspiration—in snow-dominated environments. By integrating stable water isotope data in different hydrological fluxes, evapotranspiration measurements from mobile flux towers, and extensive hydrometeorological data, CryoSCOPE will quantify partitioning processes over seasonal and interannual scales. This presentation highlights a case study from Waldlabor, a forested site in Switzerland, demonstrating the observed seasonal hydrological partitioning patterns.

CryoSCOPE emphasizes expanding stable water isotope datasets in cold regions, enhancing insights into hydrologic dynamics in snow-dominated systems. These efforts aim to improve predictive models and support sustainable water resource management in globally relevant “cold spots”. By advancing understanding of water distribution and movement in cold environments, CryoSCOPE provides critical knowledge to inform water management and policy development in the face of climate change.