| Title | The role of waves in ice-jam flooding of the Peace-Athabasca Delta |
| Author | Beltaos, S. |
| Author Affil | Beltaos, S., Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, Burlington, ON, Canada. Other: Trent University, Canada |
| Source | Hydrological Processes, 21(19), p.2548- 2559, ; 32nd annual meeting of the Canadian Geophysical Union, Banff, AB, Canada, May 14- 17, 2006, edited by L. Martz and J. Buttle. Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, United States. ISSN: 0885- 6087 |
| Publication Date | Sept. 15, 2007 |
| Notes | In English. 32 refs. GeoRef Acc. No: 282499 |
| Index Terms | climatic change; flooding; hydrodynamics; hydrography; ice; ice breakup; ice jams; river ice; river flow; Canada-- Alberta--Athabasca River; Canada--Alberta-- Peace River; Alberta; Athabasca River; Canada; climate change; floods; geologic hazards; hydrographs; interannual variations; mechanics; Peace River; streamflow; waves; Western Canada |
| Abstract | Since the late 1960s, a paucity of ice- jam flooding in the lower Peace River has resulted in prolonged dry periods and considerable reduction in the area covered by lakes and ponds that provide habitat for aquatic life in the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD) region. To identify the causes of this trend, and to develop mitigation or adaptation strategies under present and future climatic conditions, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms that lead to breakup of the ice cover and jamming within the delta reach of Peace River. Because the lower Peace is extremely flat, the long- period waves caused by spring snowmelt are not generally capable of dislodging the winter ice cover, even under conditions of very high flow. The ice cover decays in place and rubble generation, an essential condition for ice jamming, does not occur. However, major jams do, on occasion, form in the middle section of the river and make their way to the delta via repeated releases and stalls. Each release generates a steep wave which can greatly amplify the hydrodynamic forces that are applied on the ice cover and bring about its dislodgment. This is quantified for the lower Peace River by applying recently developed methodology to local hydrometric data. Detailed in situ observations in the spring of 2003, and additional data from 1997 and 2002, fully corroborate this conclusion. Implications to other flat rivers of northern Canada are discussed. Abstract Copyright (2007), Wiley Periodicals, Inc. |
| URL | http://hdl.handle.net/10.1002/hyp.6791 |
| Publication Type | conference paper or compendium article |
| Record ID | 62002940 |