Spatial characterization of drought events using synthetic hydrology

Abstract

This paper describes an approach to spatial drought analysis based on multi-site streamflow synthesis. The approach developed can be used to assist with the quantification of the return period for the drought of record and can also be used to facilitate the identification of daesign drought events of a specified return period. The approach was applied to the Nelson–Churchill River basin in Manitoba, Canada. For this system, the impacts of droughts on power generation were investigated in addition to a determination of the return period for the drought of record. Key words: droughts, streamflow generation, frequency analysis, hydroelectric power.