December, the Doorway to Winter: Where Does the Snow Go?

Exploring the outdoors during the winter months often provides unpretentious yet spectacular views of our natural world.  The winter months reveal nature’s basic structures as we marvel at the complexities that exist within.

“When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” 

Aldo Leopold

Aldo Leopold, captured in black and white on a frozen Wisconsin waterway, exemplifies this reality, as do his words in from A Sand County Almanac which remind us of the imperative ecological work that lies ahead. Aldo Leopold is considered by many to have been the greatest influential conservation thinker of the 20^th Century. Learn more about the Aldo Leopold Archives at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The year's first major snowfall is always an exciting time - for a while afterward, we're treated to a winter wonderland of sparkling piles of snow, beautiful icicles, and frozen bodies of water. But what happens when that frozen goodness starts to melt? Do you know where melted snow and ice go? And most importantly, how does snow factor into the water you rely on from day-to-day? Most people think it common knowledge that rain is an important source of drinking water, but what about snow? Learn the ways that people ensure that snowmelt is safe for human use. 

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This resource was created by Von Scully and Kate Reilly.