GEOG 3000 – Lab 2 – Flow Regimes & Flood Frequency Analysis
Bow River
According to Figure 1, the Bow River, located in Alberta, Canada, has a flow regime of
DW, following the ID method discussed in Chapter 3 of Charlton (2008). The climate around
Bow River tends to be seasonally cold with low levels of precipitation throughout the winter
months. According to Figure 2, the maximum single-day discharge (m3/s) in each year displayed
seems to fluctuate from approximately the high one-hundreds to the mid-to-high two-
hundreds. Figure 2 displays a pattern where the Bow River experiences a larger single-day flow
every few years with years of lower maximum single-day discharge in between. The highest
maximum single-day flow occurred most recently in 2013 at 466 m3/s. The 10-year flood
magnitude estimate taken from Figure 3 is approximately 300 m3/s while the 100-year flood
magnitude estimate is about 445 m3/s. The lower winter daily discharge lines up with the cooler
temperatures present in the area throughout the winter months. There tends to be less
precipitation overall, and more water is locked up in snow and ice.
Credit River
According to Figure 4, the Credit River which flows through Southern Ontario, Canada,
has a flow regime of CS, following the ID method discussed in Chapter 3 of Charlton (2008). The
climate around the Credit River is typically quite temperate with warm moist summers and
cooler winters. According to Figure 5, maximum single-day discharge in the Credit River, is
typically quite low most years, falling under 30 m3/s, with slightly larger maximums in other
years. The overall trend of maximum single-day discharge in the Credit River seems to be
decreasing from 1916 to 2018. The 10-year flood magnitude estimate taken from Figure 6 is
approximately 34 m3/s while the 100-year flood magnitude estimate is about 60m3/s. The lower
daily discharge in the summer months is typical of the Southern Ontario climate due to a lack of
overall precipitation. The large spikes of daily discharge seen in Figure 4 are most likely due to
rapid snowmelt during late winter and early spring that gets carried through the Credit River,
causing large amounts of daily flow.
French River
According to Figure 7, the French River, located in Central Ontario, Canada, has a flow
regime of CS, following the ID method discussed in Chapter 3 of Charlton (2008). The climate
around the French River is quite like that of the Credit River discussed above. The summers are
warm reaching mid-to-high twenties (degrees Celsius) while the winters can be significantly
cooler with a large portion of water locked up in snow and ice. Most of the higher daily flows
demonstrated between the months of September and May are attributed to large amounts of
Bow River
According to Figure 1, the Bow River, located in Alberta, Canada, has a flow regime of
DW, following the ID method discussed in Chapter 3 of Charlton (2008). The climate around
Bow River tends to be seasonally cold with low levels of precipitation throughout the winter
months. According to Figure 2, the maximum single-day discharge (m3/s) in each year displayed
seems to fluctuate from approximately the high one-hundreds to the mid-to-high two-
hundreds. Figure 2 displays a pattern where the Bow River experiences a larger single-day flow
every few years with years of lower maximum single-day discharge in between. The highest
maximum single-day flow occurred most recently in 2013 at 466 m3/s. The 10-year flood
magnitude estimate taken from Figure 3 is approximately 300 m3/s while the 100-year flood
magnitude estimate is about 445 m3/s. The lower winter daily discharge lines up with the cooler
temperatures present in the area throughout the winter months. There tends to be less
precipitation overall, and more water is locked up in snow and ice.
Credit River
According to Figure 4, the Credit River which flows through Southern Ontario, Canada,
has a flow regime of CS, following the ID method discussed in Chapter 3 of Charlton (2008). The
climate around the Credit River is typically quite temperate with warm moist summers and
cooler winters. According to Figure 5, maximum single-day discharge in the Credit River, is
typically quite low most years, falling under 30 m3/s, with slightly larger maximums in other
years. The overall trend of maximum single-day discharge in the Credit River seems to be
decreasing from 1916 to 2018. The 10-year flood magnitude estimate taken from Figure 6 is
approximately 34 m3/s while the 100-year flood magnitude estimate is about 60m3/s. The lower
daily discharge in the summer months is typical of the Southern Ontario climate due to a lack of
overall precipitation. The large spikes of daily discharge seen in Figure 4 are most likely due to
rapid snowmelt during late winter and early spring that gets carried through the Credit River,
causing large amounts of daily flow.
French River
According to Figure 7, the French River, located in Central Ontario, Canada, has a flow
regime of CS, following the ID method discussed in Chapter 3 of Charlton (2008). The climate
around the French River is quite like that of the Credit River discussed above. The summers are
warm reaching mid-to-high twenties (degrees Celsius) while the winters can be significantly
cooler with a large portion of water locked up in snow and ice. Most of the higher daily flows
demonstrated between the months of September and May are attributed to large amounts of
