noun
snowmelt water; meltwater from snow
Refers to water produced by melting snow, often in spring. Can be used for runoff or streams fed by snowmelt.
春になると雪代が川に流れ込む。
In spring, snowmelt water flows into the rivers.
雪代で田んぼに水を引く。
They draw water into the rice paddies using snowmelt.
Compound of 雪 (yuki, 'snow') and 代 (shiro, 'substitute' or 'price'), originally referring to water that replaces snow when it melts. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is traditionally used in rural and agricultural contexts.