Cold matters is about the scientists researching hydrological issues and questions focused primarily in the Canadian Western Mountains. I had attended a public lecture concerning the recent floods in Southern Alberta at which both Sandford and Pomeroy (a scientist referred to in the book) passionately spoke, about, respectively, climate change and precipitation and stream flow data in the area. Cold matters was mentioned and I was intrigued enough to acquire an electronic copy. A colleague of mine subsequently suggested that I write a review because others might be interested in my views on it.
Hydrology is the study of different forms of water, including how it moves (i.e. flux), specifically glaciers, snow, creeks and rivers, and permafrost. This work is an important part of the study of climate change. Many of the scientists involved in this area of study have spent their lives researching and monitoring these issues. Canada is fortunate to have these dedicated researchers. This area of research was provided a significant boost when the Government of Canada established the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences (CFCAS) in 2000. CFCAS was an autonomous body which funded research between 2000 and 2011, when its mandate was not renewed, which is unfortunate because there are many questions outstanding. There were two research organizations funded by the CFCAS: Improved Processes Parameterization & Prediction Network (IP3) which sought to improve the data and modelling in regional and smaller areas of Canada; Western Canadian Cryospheric Network (WC2N) which studied climate change effects on Canada’s glaciers. A theme of the book is that this research is critical in order to understand the impact of climate change on Western Canada and, in particular, on the communities and industries which depend on its water. The rivers that start in the Canadian Western Mountains drain not only into the Pacific Ocean but also into the Arctic Ocean and into Hudson’s Bay, so there is a large area of land as well as a large number of people affected.
Cold matters describes the researchers and their areas of research in detail, some more successfully than others. The research topics written about include hydrological modelling, glaciers, snow, permafrost and sea ice, with an overall theme of climate change and its impact on each subject. The book begins with a chapter about hydrological modelling. Unfortunately, many of the descriptions (for instance, the term “parameterization”) are very difficult to understand, so starting the book with a chapter on such an esoteric topic of modelling may not have been the best choice for a book with the intended audience of the “informed public”. Through the research under WC2N, the decline of glaciers in Western Canadian Mountains, due to climate change – both in number and volume – has been documented. The chapter includes a written description of what well-known areas within our National Parks might look like without any glaciers at all.
The topic of snow is covered very well. There are many aspects of snow that are described, including for instance: energy transfer as snow melts or sublimates (vaporizes), insulation properties under different conditions, reflection and absorption of radiation (e.g. light), movement of snow by wind, etc.
A large portion of the permafrost in Canada’s northern territories is melting or has already melted. Also due to climate change are the major changes in the Arctic ice cap and sea ice. Exactly how these changes will continue and what the implications are is what the research is about. Arctic and subarctic regions are especially sensitive to climate change. The temperatures in northern Canada (i.e. above 60°) have already increased on average twice as much as that of the rest of the world, or more than 2°C. This change is having a significant impact and is being clearly observed by residents. A chapter is dedicated to describing how the affected communities, along with different governments, are responding to these challenges.
The last chapter (Chapter 7, “Choosing our path: the next generation of Canadian cold regions science”) argues that ongoing research is critically important, and includes a discussion of how research should continue and in which areas, with minimal funding. Hydrology research is important for many organizations and governments. To demonstrate this importance, a case study is presented of how BC Hydro is using CFCAS research results for water (and as a result, electricity) management.
One of the book’s stated purposes is to explain how and why “cold matters” to Canadians. I believe it fails this objective because, other than a few chapters or sections, the topics themselves and how they are described are likely of little interest to most Canadians. In addition, some descriptions (such as of parameterization) are far too obtuse for most of us. However, the book, to its credit, covers a broad range of topics which could be valuable to students of technical aspects of hydrology and climate change. Notwithstanding this, after working through it, I have gained a greater appreciation for the importance of this field of study. I recognize the value of applying the findings and methodologies to a variety of very important and current hydrological challenges facing us as a society.
In Chapter 7, which describes how the field of study should be looking forward, there are two areas which I feel should have been addressed. First, while ongoing research is important, how it should be funded is not clear. It would seem that if users are finding the work valuable (as strongly argued in the book), then they should be prepared to pay for at least part of it. Second, the book also argues strongly that the public in general and policymakers specifically need to be more aware of these issues and how to address them. What is missing is any reference to how the findings and the methodology should be communicated to these audiences in order to influence them.
The book is available as an “e-book”. The Kobo version is better than the Kindle version, primarily because it allows the reader to jump to another part of the book and then to jump back to the section that the reader started from. Neither Kindle nor Kobo formats have done a good job at paginating the charts, tables and photos in the appendices. For books to be useful in an electronic form, the publisher needs to provide versions that pay more attention to how the reader will access all the content of the book.
Canmore, Alberta
© 2014 Canadian Water Resources Association
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07011784.2014.950058