Regulation effects on the lower Peace River, Canada

✍ Scribed by Daniel L. Peters; Terry D. Prowse

• Book ID: 102264523
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 268 KB
• Volume: 15
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6087
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.321

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The headwaters of the Peace River, Canada became regulated in 1968 by a major hydroelectric facility and associated reservoir located in the Rocky Mountains. This paper examines the change to the downstream hydrographs that have resulted from regulation. To facilitate the comparison, a naturalized (without regulation effects) flow regime (1972–1996) was generated using a combination of hydrologic and hydraulic flow models. The results showed that even some 1100 km downstream, there have been significant changes to the hydrograph. Specifically, average winter flows were 250% higher, annual peaks (1‐day, 15‐day, 30‐day highs) were in the order of 35–39% lower, and overall variability in daily flows decreased. Despite the reduction in peaks and variability, however, the downstream hydrograph is far from flat and has retained the basic shape of the pre‐regulation hydrograph. This is primarily due to the strong influence of tributary inflow below the point of regulation. Recommendation for improvements to the model and future application of these data are also discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.