Wind-blown Snow as a Water Resource
Basics of Blizzards and Snowdrift Control
Snowdrift Control Costs
Moving snow with machines gets expensive. It costs time, fuel, and equipment
maintenance (leave out the inconvenience). An average figure from highway
departments around the U.S.A. was $3/ton in 1994, and it's not getting cheaper.
A snow fence, built to last more than 20 years and designed to match snow
transport, removes snowdrifts at a cost of $0.03/ton. That's right, three
cents a ton (and you get to sleep through blizzards). Such a deal!
There's lots more about snow control benefits and costs (see
Tabler and Jairell, 1993;
Tabler, 1994). For now, we'll put it this way--shoveling snow
usually doesn't make economic sense (unless you're digging out the car to
head south for the winter).
Then again, if you're looking for a winter exercise program....
How a Snow Fence Works
To Basics of Snowdrift Control