UVA ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE 

Snow, Water, and Permafrost in Arctic Communities
Climate Collaborative (SNOWPAC) 

2025–2028 Project Team
  • Howard Epstein (UVA Environmental Sciences) 
  • Leena Cho (UVA Landscape Architecture)
  • Matthew Jull (UVA Architecture)
  • Caitlyn Wylie (UVA Engineering and Society)
  • Anna Wagner (USACE Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL)
  • Lars Nelson (TRIBN, LLC)
  • UIC Science staff ()
  • Postdoctoral research associates 
  • Graduate students
Community Partners
  • ASNA Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital (ASNA)
  • Barrow Utilities and Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BUECI)
  • City of Utqiaġvik ()
  • Iḷisaġvik  College ()
  • NSB Public Works, Risk Management, and Port Authority (NSB) 
  • Taġiuġmiullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority (TNHA)
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Project Index
Utqiaġvik is built on permafrost, ground that is perennially frozen and made up of soil, rock, water, and organic material — the top layer of which thaws and refreezes each year. Across the Arctic, rising temperatures are increasing the depth of summer thaw and degrading the upper layer of the permafrost. In addition, the warmer atmosphere is leading to increased precipitation and earlier snowmelt resulting in large pools of meltwater on the landscape.  These climate impacts coupled with the infrastructure and management practices within Arctic communities alter the distribution and dynamics of snow and surface water. Snow has an insulating effect, so where snow naturally drifts or piled affects ground instability. Surface water ponding also accelerates permafrost thaw. With this degradation comes a series of negative consequences from shifting or failing building foundations and coastal erosion, to destabilized transportation infrastructure and local health risks.
 Working with partner organizations such as TRIBN, Inc., Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), and the Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC), the research team is studying these patterns to better understand how they impact the stability of the permafrost. Combining traditional and institutional knowledge with environmental sensing in the field, remote sensing, and hydrological modeling, this collaborative team seeks to develop design, planning, and maintenance strategies to improve the management of snow and water while promoting ecological and cultural vitality.

Credit: H. Bradley, 2024
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