Rittger
INSTAAR researchers investigate fundamental questions about ecosystems, climate systems and landscapes. These six stories highlight the environmental research that the institute is doing in 2025.
A new study unveils a powerful dataset quantifying snow darkening and its impacts on snowmelt across the Colorado River Basin in real time. INSTAAR research scientists Karl Rittger and Sebastian Lenard are co-authors on the University of Utah-led paper.
A new modeling tool from INSTAAR provides weekly snow-water equivalent estimates for the entire Western US. It has already caught the attention of local and regional water managers.
Pollution-laden dust storms are depositing black carbon on the Himalayas. New research from INSTAAR’s Karl Rittger and collaborators reveals the process.
The 2023 winter brought record snowfall to California, but getting accurate snow depth data over a wide area is not easy. Read about the challenges of garnering snow data and the tools behind the data. Among the experts consulted is Karl Rittger (INSTAAR Fellow & NSIDC Affiliate), who leads the Snow Today project, visualizing and analyzing snow conditions across the Western U.S.
A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters shows that midwinter dry spells lead to dramatic losses of winter snowpack in burned areas of California. INSTAAR Karl Rittger participated in the study, led by scientists from the Desert Research Institute.
Snowpack levels in the Upper Colorado River Basin have improved over the last two weeks, fueled by an atmospheric river carrying moisture from the Pacific Ocean. Karl Rittger is quoted extensively in this 8NewsNow story about Colorado snowpack and its impact on drought.