Attached is my master's paper that I did for my Masters of Forestry degree at Northern Arizona University. Bikram Kumar Niraula

Abstract: This paper reviews the status of knowledge on the use of reclaimed water for ski snow making and its effects on Ecosystem. The work includes exhaustive review of literature published in the form of books, journal articles, reports, and online published materials, as well as any relevant materials on reclaimed water, artificial snow and snowmaking impacts on ecosystems. The objective of the study is to explore the ecosystem impacts of artificial snowmaking at Arizona Snowbowl. This study demonstrates that artificial snowmaking using reclaimed water has moderate or manageable impacts on the vegetation, aquatic animals, wildlife and the overall habitat conditions of the Arizona Snowbowl.

Application of Artificial snow may alter the vegetation structure and composition within the Arizona Snowbowl area because it has a higher pH and more nutrient content as well as provides more moisture than naturally occurring snow. Furthermore, artificial snow may affect the foraging behaviors of animals because it takes longer to melt compared to natural snow, which may delay the appearance of forage during the time of snowmaking and application in the spring season. The construction of a pipeline to transport the reclaimed water from Flagstaff to the Arizona Snowbowl area will mechanically disturb the natural condition and introduce invasive non-native species to the area. On the other hand, the additional availability of moisture in the form of artificial snow and its melt may invigorate the growth of vegetation and improve wildlife habitat, which are being threatened by drought. We suggest controlling nutrient content during the wastewater reclamation process and density of artificial snowmaking during snowmaking process in order to make equal or closer to that of natural snow nutrient and density to reduce the adverse impacts from man-made snow. Finally, further field research should be conducted after the actual application of man-made snow at the Arizona Snowbowl to discover the actual impacts of artificial snow and to develop a guide for further planning and management of such problems.