Burstall Creek

Purpose / Scientific Focus

Cryospheric Science  •  Mountain Runoff  •  Snowmelt   •   Alpine Hydrology

Burstall Creek is a high-elevation watershed within Kananaskis Country that contains alpine and glacierized terrain. The site monitors mountain water processes, including snowmelt, glacier melt, and streamflow generation, providing important insights into how alpine watersheds respond to climate variability. Burstall Creek serves as a key transition zone between glacier-fed and snowmelt-dominated mountain systems.

Canadian Rockies Hydrological Observatory

Burstall Creek is a part of CRHO, a comprehensive mountain observing system operated by the Centre for Hydrology. It integrates long-term observations of snow, glaciers, forests, wetlands, groundwater, streamflow, meteorology, and ecohydrological processes across the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies. Through a network of instrumented sites, CRHO supports research on mountain hydrology, climate variability, and ecosystem processes, with the goal of improving understanding and prediction of water resources in changing mountain environments.