Sensitivity and model reduction of simulated snow processes: Contrasting observational and parameter uncertainty to improve prediction

•Active subspaces can identify model parameters most important to SWE output.•Bare ground land cover is highly sensitive to model parameter changes.•ParFlow-CLM is most sensitive to changes in forcing parameters.•Evergreen needleleaf land cover is insensitive to changes in model snow parameters. The hydrology of high-elevation, mountainous regions is poorly represented in Earth Systems Models (ESMs), yet these ecosystems play an important role in the storage and land-atmosphere exchange of water. As much of the western United States’ water comes from water stored in the snowpack (snow water equivalent, SWE), model representation of these regions is important. This study assesses how uncertainty in both model parameters and forcing affect simulated snow processes through sensitivity analysis (active subspaces) on model inputs (meteorological forcing and model input parameters) for a widely used snow model. Observations from an AmeriFlux tower at the Niwot Ridge research site are used to force an integrated, single-column hydrologic model, ParFlow-CLM. This study finds that trees can mute the effects of snow albedo causing the evergreen needleleaf scenarios to be sensitive primarily to hydrologic forcing while bare ground simulations are more sensitive to the snow parameters. The bare ground scenarios are most sensitive overall. Both forcing and model input parameters are important for obtaining accurate hydrologic model results.