Theory 32/Snowpack/Threshold lens
Runoff Needs Saturated Pores
The claim
Meltwater runoff begins above a threshold in the ratio of meltwater to pore space, so early melt is absorbed and only later melt reaches streams.
01Mechanism
The snowpack retains water by capillarity until pore space fills; the ratio determines when it becomes permeable.
02Prediction
Runoff onset should lag melt by a pore-filling threshold.
03Refutation
Runoff tracking melt volume would remove retention.