Providing Regional Climate Services to British Columbia

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Markus Schnorbus

Lead, Hydrologic Impacts
Telephone: 
250.853.3502

Markus Schnorbus joined PCIC in April 2009 and became Lead Hydrologist in July 2010. Prior to joining PCIC Markus was a Hydrologic Modelling Scientist and Forecaster with the BC Ministry of Environment, River Forecast Centre, where he was engaged in the analysis of observed climate and hydrometric data and the application of various hydrologic models for flood, drought and seasonal streamflow forecasting. He also recently led the implementation of the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) macro-scale hydrology model to investigate the effects of mountain pine beetle and salvage harvest operations within the Fraser River watershed. During this time, Markus developed a clear and pragmatic appreciation of the hydrologic effects of climate change and variability.

Markus possesses a sound knowledge of mountain and forest hydrology, particularly in the context of British Columbia, and has a strong understanding of the challenges inherent in applying hydrology models in this complex environment. Markus leads the effort at PCIC to quantify the direct and indirect effects of climate change and variability upon the various components of hydrologic cycle at the local and regional scale.

Education: 
  • MASc Forest Hydrology, University of British Columbia
  • BEng Mechanical, Royal Military College of Canada
Selected Publications: 

Peer Reviewed Publications:

  • Snauffer, A., W. Hsieh, A. Cannon, and M. Schnorbus (2017). Improving gridded snow water equivalent products in British Columbia, Canada: multi-source data fusion by neural network models. The Cryosphere Discuss. 2017, 1–22, doi:10.5194/tc-2017-56.
  • Shrestha, R. R., A. J. Cannon, M. A. Schnorbus, and F. W. Zwiers (2017). Projecting future nonstationary extreme streamflow for the Fraser River, Canada. Climatic Change 1–15, doi:10.1007/s10584-017-2098-6.
  • Shrestha, R.R., M.A. Schnorbus, D.L. Peters (2016). Assessment of a hydrologic model’s reliability in simulating flow regime alterations in a changing climate, Hydrological Processes, 30(15), doi: 10.1002/hyp.10812.
  • Shrestha, R.R., M.A. Schnorbus and A.J. Cannon (2015). A dynamical climate model driven hydrologic prediction system for the Fraser River, Canada. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 16(3), doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-14-0167.1
  • Schnorbus, M.A. and A.J. Cannon, (2014). Statistical Emulation of Streamflow Projections from a Distributed Hydrological Model: Application to CMIP3 and CMIP5 Climate Projections for British Columbia, Canada, Water Resources Research 50(11), 8907-8926, doi: 10.1002/2014WR015279.
  • Shrestha, R.R., D.L. Peters, M.A. Schnorbus (2014). Evaluating the ability of a hydrologic model to replicate hydro-ecologically relevant indicators. Hydrological Processes, 28(14), doi: 10.1002/hyp.9997.
  • Shrestha, R.R., M.A. Schnorbus, A.T. Werner, F.W. Zwiers (2014). Evaluating hydro-climatic impacts of climate change signals from statistically and dynamically downscaled GCMs and hydrologic models. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 15(2), doi: 10.1175/JHM-D-13-030.1.
  • Schnorbus, M.A. and Y. Alila (2013). Peak flow regime changes following forest harvesting in a snow-dominated basin: Effects of harvest area, elevation, and channel connectivity. Water Resources Research, 49, doi: 10.1029/2012WR011901.
  • Schnorbus, M. Werner and K. Bennett (2012). Impacts of climate change in three hydrologic regimes in British Columbia, Canada. Hydrological Processes, doi: 10.1002/hyp.9661.
  • Shrestha, R.R., M.A. Schnorbus, A.T. Werner, A.J. Berland (2012). Modelling spatial and temporal variability of hydrologic impacts of climate change in the Fraser River basin, British Columbia, Canada. Hydrological Processes 26, 1840-1860, doi: 10.1002/hyp.9283
  • Bennett, K. E., A. T. Werner, and M. Schnorbus (2012). Uncertainties in hydrologic and climate change impact analyses in headwater basins of British Columbia. Journal of Climate, 25(17), 5711–5730, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00417.1.
  • Alila, Y., R. Hudson, P.K. Kuraś, M. Schnorbus and K. Rasouli (2010). Reply to comment by Jack Lewis et al. on: “Forests and floods: A new paradigm sheds light on age-old controversies”. Water Resources Research, 46, W05802, doi:10.1029/2009WR009028
  • Alila, Y., P.K. Kuras, M. Schnorbus and R. Hudson (2009). Forests and floods: A new paradigm sheds light on age-old controversies. Water Resources Research, 45, W08416, doi: 10.1029/2008WR007207.
  • Redding, T., R. Winkler, P. Teti, D. Spittlehouse, S. Boon, J. Rex, S. Dube, RD. Moore, A. Wei, M. Carver, M. Schnorbus, L. Reese-Hansen, S. Chatwin (2009). Mountain pine beetle and watershed hydrology. BC Journal of Ecosystems and Management 9(3): 33-50.
  • Schnorbus, M.A., and Y. Alila (2004a). Forest harvesting impacts on the peak flow regime in the Columbia Mountains of southeastern British Columbia: An investigation using long term numerical modeling. Water Resources Research, 40, W05205, doi: 10.1029/2003WR002918.
  • Schnorbus, M.A., and Y. Alila (2004b). Generation of an hourly meteorological time series for an alpine basin in British Columbia for use in numerical hydrologic modeling. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 5(5), 862-882.
  • Winkler, R.D., D. Spittlehouse, T. Giles, B. Heise, G. Hope, and M. Schnorbus (2004). Upper Penticton Creek: How forest harvesting affects water quantity and quality. Streamline Watershed Management Bulletin, 8(1), 18-20.