WISKI forHydrologic Assessment

Michael Seneka

Water Policy Branch

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development

Or,

What do hydrologists do all day?

What do we do all day?

• Hydrologists focus on interpreting today’s surface water quantity information, based on the context that is provided by historical data

– How much water is there in a river, lake or watershed?• Yearly, seasonally, monthly, weekly…• Long-term average, variability, extremes, ranges, how often?

– How does water availability change as you move from place to place (mountains-foothills-plains; geography, climate)

– Is today’s water level (or streamflow) average, normal, low, high, extreme?

– What is the 1 in 10, 1 in 50 and 1 in 100 year flood?– How do I estimate water supply, when there is no local data?

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Athabasca River below Fort McMurrayMean Daily Discharge, Current Year Compared to Historical Flow Quartiles

Maximum Observed

Range of "Normal" Flow (Between Q25 & Q75)

Minimum Observed

Median Discharge (Q50)

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Pigeon Lake at Provincial Park (05FA013)Recent Lake Levels Compared to Range of Recorded Lake Levels (1972-2011)

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* Preliminary Data. Data source: Water Survey of Canada. Chart produced by Water Policy Branch, ESRD

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WASKAHIGAN RIVER NEAR THE MOUTH (1968-2011)Mean Daily Flow: Quartiles

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Weekly EBF

Alberta Desktop Method Recommendation for Environmental Flows

Ecosystem Baseflow:Weekly Q80

(20th percentile)

What data are we most interested in?

• We look at the near real-time data to answer specific questions…

• But streamflow, water level and climate data becomes most valuable after 15-20 years, ideally 40-50 years, and longer

• Near real-time data is rarely used for long-term characterization; only final quality controlled/published data is typically used

• When recorded data is collecting regulated (affected by dams; large water removals or returns), we use models to take out the human impacts so we know what would have been natural

Speaking of modelling…

Click to edit Master title style

• First Level– Second level

• Third level– Fourth level

» Fifth level

Click to edit Master title style

• First Level– Second level

• Third level– Fourth level

» Fifth level

Smoky River

BC/AB Border

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Peace River near Alberta-BC border (above Alces River 07FD010)WSC Recorded Data Modelled Natural Flows (WISKI)

WISKI

Toolbox

A word about missing data

Missing data is a four-letter word

• Few things can be more aggravating, or “fun and challenging”– Data gaps– Seasonal gaps (pesky winter!)– Discontinued stations, or short records– Never enough monitoring points for all the places we manage

• But we are super creative! If you ask us we will gladly come up with something reasonable (and possibly a disclaimer)

– Drainage area ratios, data regressions, simple to complex models

Hydrometric stations

“Suitable” for routine hydrologic analysis

Snapshot of water licences issued

07GH004 Peavine Creek near Falher Drainage Area = 536.9 km2Mean Annual Discharge (cms) Mean Annual Volume (dam3) Mean Annual Runoff (mm)

Mean Monthly Discharges for the Period of Record (cms) 12 Month 8 Month 6 Month 12 Month 8 Month 6 Month 12 Month 8 Month 6 Month

Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan-Dec Mar-Oct May-Oct Jan-Dec Mar-Oct May-Oct Jan-Dec Mar-Oct May-Oct

1982 - - - 1.08 0.088 0.000 0.000 0.119 0.000 0.000 - - - - 0.035 - - 554 - - 1.0

1983 - - - 0.278 0.000 0.289 0.333 0.025 0.000 0.000 - - - - 0.107 - - 1 710 - - 3.2

1984 - - 0.191 0.077 0.554 0.191 0.029 0.001 0.001 0.001 - - - 0.131 0.130 - 2 780 2 060 - 5.2 3.8

1985 - - 1.96 1.53 0.024 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.006 0.141 - - - 0.457 0.029 - 9 680 468 - 18.0 0.9

1986 - - 3.85 3.50 0.203 0.007 0.074 0.003 0.001 0.001 - - - 0.952 0.049 - 20 200 773 - 37.5 1.4

1987 - - 0.000 3.03 0.011 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 - - - 0.373 0.003 - 7 900 42.7 - 14.7 0.1

1988 - - 0.001 0.044 0.005 0.364 0.151 0.002 0.001 0.002 - - - 0.070 0.086 - 1 490 1 370 - 2.8 2.6

1989 - - 0.000 1.59 0.188 0.010 0.003 0.003 0.003 0.115 - - - 0.235 0.054 - 4 980 861 - 9.3 1.6

1990 - - 2.86 2.10 0.064 0.469 0.001 0.000 0.000 0.008 - - - 0.686 0.089 - 14 500 1 410 - 27.0 2.6

1991 - - 0.709 1.52 0.056 0.031 0.005 0.001 0.002 0.004 - - - 0.288 0.017 - 6 100 262 - 11.4 0.5

1992 - - 5.87 0.325 0.043 0.093 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.003 - - - 0.800 0.023 - 16 900 372 - 31.5 0.7

1993 - - 0.238 0.057 0.003 0.146 0.546 0.001 0.001 0.002 - - - 0.125 0.117 - 2 640 1 860 - 4.9 3.5

1994 - - 0.142 7.09 0.048 0.004 0.008 0.001 0.001 0.027 - - - 0.897 0.015 - 19 000 238 - 35.4 0.4

1995 - - 0.002 0.522 0.005 0.001 0.001 0.000 0.000 0.001 - - - 0.065 0.001 - 1 380 21.3 - 2.6 0.0

1996 - - 0.010 6.59 0.021 3.26 0.460 0.344 0.360 0.025 - - - 1.36 0.733 - 28 800 11 700 - 53.6 21.7

1997 - - 0.540 12.2 0.454 1.58 0.466 0.443 0.007 0.003 - - - 1.93 0.489 - 40 800 7 770 - 76.1 14.5

1998 - - 0.131 0.155 0.001 0.001 0.052 0.001 0.000 0.000 - - - 0.043 0.009 - 900 147 - 1.7 0.3

1999 - - 0.236 1.26 0.025 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 - - - 0.187 0.004 - 3 960 67.0 - 7.4 0.1

Max n/a n/a 5.87 12.2 0.554 3.26 0.546 0.443 0.360 0.141 n/a n/a n/a 1.93 0.733 n/a 40 800 11 700 n/a 76.1 21.7

Mean n/a n/a 1.05 2.39 0.100 0.358 0.118 0.053 0.021 0.019 n/a n/a n/a 0.537 0.111 n/a 11 400 1 760 n/a 21.2 3.3

Median n/a n/a 0.214 1.39 0.034 0.021 0.007 0.001 0.001 0.002 n/a n/a n/a 0.331 0.042 n/a 7 000 664 n/a 13.0 1.2

Min n/a n/a 0.000 0.044 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 n/a n/a n/a 0.043 0.001 n/a 900 21.3 n/a 1.7 0.0

Max Vol. (dam3) n/a n/a 15 700 31 600 1 480 8 450 1 460 1 190 933 378 n/a n/a

Mean Vol. (dam3) n/a n/a 2 800 6 180 267 929 317 141 55.4 49.7 n/a n/a

Median Vol. (dam3) n/a n/a 572 3 600 91.1 53.1 17.4 2.68 2.59 5.36 n/a n/a Comparison: 12, 8, 6 month data

Min Vol. (dam3) n/a n/a 0.000 114 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 n/a n/a Using common periods of record

Number of years in analysis: n/a

Max Depth (mm) n/a n/a 29.3 58.9 2.8 15.7 2.7 2.2 1.7 0.7 n/a n/a 12 Month 8 Month 6 Month

Mean Depth (mm) n/a n/a 5.2 11.5 0.5 1.7 0.6 0.3 0.1 0.1 n/a n/a Jan-Dec Mar-Oct May-Oct

Median Depth (mm) n/a n/a 1.1 6.7 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 n/a n/a Mean Annual Discharge (cms) n/a n/a n/a

Min Depth (mm) n/a n/a 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 n/a n/a Mean Runoff Volume (dam3) n/a n/a n/a

Mean Runoff Depth (mm) n/a n/a n/a

% of 8 Mo. Runoff n/a n/a 26.1 57.6 2.5 8.6 3.0 1.3 0.5 0.5 n/a n/a % of 12 Month Discharge n/a n/a n/a

Data Count 0 0 16 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 0 0

PROJECT: Clousten Creek at 01-074-22 W5 Drainage Area = 303.9 km2Mean Annual Data **

Mean Monthly Data for the Period of Record 12 Month 8 Month 6 Month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan-Dec Mar-Oct May-Oct

Max Flow (cms) n/a n/a 3.32 6.91 0.314 1.85 0.309 0.251 0.204 0.080 n/a n/a n/a 1.09 0.415

Mean Flow (cms) n/a n/a 0.592 1.35 0.056 0.203 0.067 0.030 0.012 0.011 n/a n/a n/a 0.304 0.063

Median Flow (cms) n/a n/a 0.121 0.787 0.019 0.012 0.004 0.001 0.001 0.001 n/a n/a n/a 0.187 0.024

Min Flow (cms) n/a n/a 0.000 0.025 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 n/a n/a n/a 0.024 0.001

Max Vol. (dam3) n/a n/a 8 900 17 900 840 4 780 828 672 528 214 n/a n/a n/a 23 100 6 600

Mean Vol. (dam3) n/a n/a 1 590 3 500 151 526 180 79.8 31.4 28.1 n/a n/a n/a 6 440 996

Median Vol. (dam3) n/a n/a 324 2 040 51.5 30.1 9.85 1.52 1.47 3.03 n/a n/a n/a 3 960 376

Min Vol. (dam3) n/a n/a 0.000 64.6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 n/a n/a n/a 509 12.1

Max Depth (mm) n/a n/a 29.3 58.9 2.8 15.7 2.7 2.2 1.7 0.7 n/a n/a n/a 76.1 21.7

Mean Depth (mm) n/a n/a 5.2 11.5 0.5 1.7 0.6 0.3 0.1 0.1 n/a n/a n/a 21.2 3.3

Median Depth (mm) n/a n/a 1.1 6.7 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 n/a n/a n/a 13.0 1.2

Min Depth (mm) n/a n/a 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 n/a n/a n/a 1.7 0.0

% of 8 Mo. Runoff n/a n/a 26.1 57.6 2.5 8.6 3.0 1.3 0.5 0.5 n/a n/a

Translate Peavine Creek (540 km² at gauge) to proposed project on Clousten Creek (300 km² at the diversion point)

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Athabasca River below Fort McMurray (07DA001)Estimated (Voidfilled) Daily Data Recorded WSC Mean Daily Data

Filled by lagging and pro-rating the Athabasca River at Athabasca data (upstream station) plus the Clearwater River at Draper data (tributary to Athabasca)

WISKI Development Priorities for Hydrologist Community

• Completing data migration of important external hydrometric and meteorological time series data sets– Calculated Morton evaporation and evapotranspiration– Modelled naturalized flows (includes voidfilled recorded and

modelled natural)

• Evaluating the advanced system tools and functionality– Statistics, trend, frequency analysis, regression – Understanding Transformations, including nested transformations

WISKI Development Priorities for Hydrologist Community

• Duplicating our existing reports and computational tools, primarily housed in Excel spreadsheets and powered by VB macros– Basic compilation/summary of sliced-diced flow statistics, e.g. year-

day matrix; Regression tools, e.g. voidfilling annual flood peaks– General instream flow objectives and water conservation objectives– Environmental flow computation (Alberta Desktop Method)

• Having the flexibility to create and manage custom time series to hold products of analysis, regression, and modelling

Thank You!