Hydrologic Overview of the North and South Slave Regions 2 Table of Contents
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Hydrologic Overview of the North and South Slave Regions Shawne A. Kokelj December 2003 Water Resources Division Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Canada On the cover: Slave River at Fitzgerald, looking downstream from gauge (Photo: Water Survey of Canada (WSC), Yellowknife, NT). Hydrologic Overview of the North and South Slave Regions 2 Table of Contents List of Figures..................................................................................................................... 4 List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... 5 List of Photos ...................................................................................................................... 5 List of Appendices ..............................................................................................................5 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 6 North and South Slave Regions .......................................................................................... 9 Geographic Boundaries............................................................................................................... 9 Hydrologic Regimes ................................................................................................................. 11 Hydrometric Overview ..................................................................................................... 15 Hydrometric Stations ................................................................................................................ 15 Hydrometric Data...................................................................................................................... 17 Taiga Shield .............................................................................................................. 20 Taiga Plains.............................................................................................................. 23 Boreal Plains ............................................................................................................ 24 Southern Arctic ......................................................................................................... 27 Great Slave Lake....................................................................................................... 30 Frequency Analysis of Extremes .............................................................................................. 32 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 37 Acknowledgements........................................................................................................... 39 References......................................................................................................................... 40 Appendix A. Hydrometric Station Hydrographs ............................................................. 43 Appendix B. Flood Frequency Graphs ............................................................................ 48 Hydrologic Overview of the North and South Slave Regions 3 List of Figures Figure 1. Hydrometric stations in the North and South Slave regions, NWT ................... 7 Figure 2. River basins of the North and South Slave regions, NWT............................... 10 Figure 3. Terrestrial ecozones of the North and South Slave regions, NWT .................. 12 Figure 4. Basin area vs. mean annual streamflow for streams in the Slave regions........ 20 Figure 5. Hydrographs for Indin River above Chalco Lake ............................................ 21 Figure 6. Precipitation at Pocket Lake and Salmita, August 18 – September 28, 1996 .. 21 Figure 7. Hydrographs for Thoa River near inlet to Hill Island Lake ............................. 22 Figure 8. Hydrographs for La Martre River below outlet of Lac La Martre ................... 23 Figure 9. Hydrographs for Whitesand River near Alberta/NWT boundary .................... 24 Figure 10. A comparison of annual maximum and minimum flows on the Slave River before and after construction of the WAC Bennett Dam.......................................... 26 Figure 11. A comparison of daily mean flows on the Slave River before and after construction of the WAC Bennett Dam.................................................................... 26 Figure 12. Hydrographs for Slave River at Fitzgerald..................................................... 26 Figure 13. Hydrographs for Little Buffalo River below Highway 5 ............................... 27 Figure 14. Hydrographs for Coppermine River at outlet of Point Lake .......................... 28 Figure 15. Hydrographs for Thonokied River near the mouth ........................................ 29 Figure 16. Hydrographs for Lockhart River at outlet of Artillery Lake .......................... 30 Figure 17. Area plot of mean annual hydrograph of total inflows to Great Slave Lake and line plot of lake outflow............................................................................................ 31 Figure 18. Comparison of water levels on Great Slave Lake at Yellowknife Bay before and after construction and filling of WAC Bennett Dam ......................................... 32 Figure 19. Flood frequency distribution for Slave River at Fitzgerald............................ 35 Figure 20. Flood frequency distribution for Lockhart River at outlet of Artillery Lake . 35 Figure 21a. Flood frequency distribution for Hanbury River above Hoare Lake, including 1991 .......................................................................................................... 36 Figure 21b. Flood frequency distribution for Hanbury River above Hoare Lake, not including 1991 .................................................................................................... 37 Hydrologic Overview of the North and South Slave Regions 4 List of Tables Table 1. Hydrometric stations with geographic coordinates and operating periods........ 16 Table 2. Summary flow statistics..................................................................................... 18 Table 3. Results of flood frequency analyses using Pearson Theoretical Distribution ... 33 List of Photos Photo 1. Bedrock at Cameron River, NWT………………………………….…………13 Photo 2. Hydrometric gauge at Baker Creek at outlet of Lower Martin Lake….…...…15 Photo 3. Gauge at Indin River above Chalco Lake……………………………...… …..22 Photo 4. La Martre River - Falls………………………………………………….....….23 Photo 5. Slave River at Fitzgerald - looking upstream from gauge…………………….25 Photo 6. Lockhart River - view of gauge and control……………..…………………….30 List of Appendices Appendix A. Hydrometric Station Hydrographs ............................................................. 43 Appendix B. Flood Frequency Graphs ............................................................................ 48 Hydrologic Overview of the North and South Slave Regions 5 Introduction The purpose of this report is to provide a general overview of water quantity data collected in the North and South Slave regions of the Northwest Territories (NWT). In the report, these regions are as defined by unofficial administrative boundaries. Beginning in 1921, Environment Canada’s Water Survey Division has operated hydrometric stations on streams within these regions and there are currently 13 stations operational (Figure 1). In this report, hydrometric data from 29 stations are presented using mean annual hydrographs, extreme-year hydrographs and basic statistics. Water levels on Great Slave Lake are also briefly examined. Flood frequency analyses using the Pearson theoretical distribution were completed for rivers with twenty or more years of data. A brief comparison of basin yield values between the Slave regions and the Mackenzie Mountain tributaries is also included. Hydrologic Overview of the North and South Slave Regions 6 Figure 1. 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