River flow abstraction due to hydraulic storage at freezeup

Abstract

A hydrologic extreme that can be partly generated by ice effects is low winter flow, which is known for potential impacts on water quality and quantity of rivers receiving effluent discharges or industrial withdrawals. Flow abstraction caused by hydraulic storage during the upstream propagation of an ice cover is quantified using the equations of continuity for ice and water. The flow abstraction is shown to increase with increasing ice concentration, but to decrease with increasing ice cover thickness. Numerical values are consistent with winter abstractions indicated by flow data from Canadian hydrometric stations. The present results further suggest that low-flow conditions in winter should generally improve, or at least not deteriorate, under a warmer climate.