Research Basins

The network facilitates an active exchange and collaboration between international researchers through a network of highly instrumented mountain catchments to compare instrumentation best practices, suggest improvements in instrumentation, and develop reliable alpine datasets for model testing, numerical experiments, and validating remotely sensed data.  These are testbeds for detailed process studies on mountain hydrology and meteorology, and for observing, understanding, and predicting environmental change.  INARCH began in late-2014 with 14 instrumented sites; there are now 38 research catchments and sites in 18 countries and six continents, with more continuing to join the network:

• Austria 
  • 1. Rofental Research Basin;
• Canada 
  • 2. Marmot Creek Research Basin;
  • 3. Peyto Glacier;
  • 4. Fortress Mountain Research Basin; 
  • 5. Quesnel River Research Basin;
  • 6. Wolf Creek Research Basin;
• Chile 
  • 7. Valle Hermoso, Upper Diguillín River Basin;
  • 8. Estero Las Bayas, Upper Maipo River Basin;
• China 
  • 9. Nam Co Monitoring and Research Station for Multisphere Interactions;
  • 10. Qomolangma Atmospheric and Environmental Observation and Research Station;
  • 11. Southeast Tibet Observation and Research Station for the Alpine Environment;
  • 12. Upper Heihe River Basin; 
  • 13. Yala Shampo Cryosphere Hydro-Ecological Station*; 
  • 14. Changdu Ecological Monitoring Station*; 
• France 
  • 15. Arve Catchement;
  • 16. Col de Porte Experimental Site;
  • 17. Col du Lac Blanc Experimental Site;
• Germany 
  • 18. Schneefernerhaus and Research Catchment;
• Italy 
  • 19. Torgnon Basin*;
• Morocco 
  • 20. Rheraya Catchment*;
• Nepal 
  • 21. Langtang Catchment; 
  • 22. Hidden Valley, Himalayas* 
• New Zealand 
  • 23. Brewster Glacier;
• Norway 
  • 24. Finse Alpine Research Centre;
• Peru 
  • 25. Salcca-Sibinacocha Catchment*;
• Russia 
  • 26. Djankuat Research Basin;
• Spain 
  • 27. Izas Experimental Catchment;
  • 28. Guadalfeo Monitoring Network;
• Sweden 
  • 29. Tarfala Research Catchment;
• Switzerland 
  • 30. Dischma Research Catchment;
  • 31. Weissfluhjoch Snow Study Site;
• Tajikistan 
  • 32. Kyzylsu Glacier and Monitoring Sites*;
• United States of America 
  • 33. Dry Creek Experimental Watershed;
  • 34. Grand Mesa Study Site;
  • 35. Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed;
  • 36. Senator Beck Basin Study Area;
  • 37. Sagehen Creek, Sierra Nevada; 
  • 38. Bridger Range*.

*new sites participating in the Common Observing Period Experiment (COPE)

Kyzlsu Glacier and Monitoring Sites, Tajikistan

Rofental High-Alpine Research Basin, Austria

Kuoqionggangri Glacier, China (Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences)