Water Supply Outlook for Alberta
July 2008
Bow River Basin - Water Supply Forecasts |
As of July 1, 2008, natural runoff volumes forecast for the March to
September 2008 period are above to much above average into the Cascade
Reservoir and for the Highwood and Elbow Rivers, below to much below average
for the Bow River at Banff, and slightly above average for the Spray Lakes
Reservoir and for the Kananaskis River and the Bow
River at Calgary (Table 4a).
Current natural runoff volume forecasts range from 85 to 138% of average in
the basin. Most of the current forecasts have increased significantly since
the May 1 forecasts, except the Bow River at Banff
forecast decreased by 4%. The current forecasted volume for the Bow River
at Calgary would rank 51st lowest in 91-years of record (1912-2001).
The first four months of the forecast period have been completed, with
March-June 2008 recorded natural runoff volumes ranging from 82 to 158% of
average. The Cascade Reservoir and the Elbow and Highwood
Rivers have so far recorded the eighth,
tenth and sixteenth highest natural runoff volumes respectively in 91 years
of record, while other areas recorded above average runoff except at Banff where it was
below to much below average. Recorded volume data is preliminary and is
subject to change. The remaining volume forecast, for July to September 2008
and available in
Table 4b,
is above average for the Cascade Reservoir and Elbow and
Highwood Rivers, average for the Spray Reservoir and
Kananaskis, and below average for the Bow river at Banff
and Calgary.
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