With the increasing importance of network planning for water resource management and inventory of supply of water there is need for new analytical methods of estimating flows from sparsely gauged regions. A new approach to estimating mean annual runoff was proposed by Solomon et al. and reported in "Water Resources Research" journal, Volume 4, October 1968. In this technique both meteorological and hydrological information are used to assess the mean annual precipitation, temperature and runoff distribution over large areas. The study area is broken up into a large number of squares and physiographic parameters are determined for each square; available meteorological data are used to derive multiple linear regression equations which relate precipitation and temperature to physiographic parameters and from these equations precipitation, temperature and evaporation are estimated for each square; runoff is obtained by subtracting evaporation from precipitation for each square and the runoff from all the squares is summed to obtain an estimate of the runoff for the entire basin; if the computed runoff disagrees with the recorded runoff, the precipitation for each square is adjusted and the procedure is repeated until the computed runoff approaches the observed runoff to the desired degree. The method has already been applied to a region in British Columbia with promising results. In the following study, use of the available basic data have been made to develop a seasonal estimate approach to the "grid square" method and in particular to consider the evaporation component and the possible incorporation of snow course data, two components which have not yet been adequately developed for use in the method under British Columbia conditions. Considering the evaporation component, it was found that apart from Turc's formula, used in the original grid square method, the Thornthwaite evapotranspiration method was the only other practical method for estimating evapotranspiration over wide areas as required by the grid square method. An attempt at an independent comparison of the two methods on an evaporation basis alone proved to be inconclusive due to the lack of adequate data but a comparison in actual computer trials of the grid square method showed that on basis of the first estimate of runoff distribution the Thornthwaite approach gave significantly better results. To incorporate the snow course data into the grid square method several approaches were taken in which an attempt at estimating on a seasonal basis the melt prior to April 1st, the date of snow surveys, was unsuccessful but showed insignificant melt which was subsequently ignored and an attempt at estimating annual precipitation at snow courses to supplement the meteorological station data was also unsuccessful. However, an attempt in which the snow course data was added to a segregated winter precipitation estimate at the meteorological stations proved to be successful and gave a small but significant improvement to the first estimate of regional precipitation and runoff distribution thus amplifying the potential use of snow course data in supplementing meteorological data for defining more clearly the regional variation of precipitation. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

A glacierized 24 km² watershed in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia was studied during the 1976 melt season in order to investigate the naturally occurring spatial and temporal variations of stream water chemistry. The chemical species measured were those that have been shown to be the major products of chemical weathering: calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and silica. Detailed analysis of errors in field and laboratory procedures were an integral part of the research design and it was shown that errors on individual determinations were similar to those of university and government laboratories. The two major components of the research design were: 1) comparison of the chemistry of four major tributaries within the study area, and 2) an analysis of the temporal variability of stream chemistry at the basin outlet. The results of paired comparisons of tributary chemistry were consistent with geologic differences between sub-basins. For example, potassium concentration was greater in streams draining granodiorite than in a stream draining only quartz diorite, reflecting the lesser abundance of K-feldspar in quartz diorite. The highest solute concentrations were observed in spring water draining a metamorphic roof pendant while glacier meltwater had the lowest concentrations of all terrestrial water. Four models were investigated for describing the relationship between stream chemistry and stream discharge at the basin outlet. The best predictive model for calcium concentration (log Ca = a + b log Q, Ca = 10[sup a] Q[sup b]) explained 60% of the calcium variance. However, subsequent analysis showed that the unexplained variance contained information about temporal changes in runoff sources. In particular, the time-dependent behavior of the residual variance was interpreted as the result of an increase in the ratio of glacier meltwater to ground water discharge through the summer. Furthermore, the sub-basin approach in the research design made it possible to objectively identify the two glacierized sub-basins as the source of this phenomenon. All solutes behaved similarly except potassium which generally varied little through time or with changing discharge. This was attributed to the high availability of K⁺ in vegetation and soils and an apparent buffering of its concentration in the weathering zone. In a glacierized sub-basin almost lacking well-developed soils and forested slopes, potassium behaved more like the other solutes. All terrestrial water was shown to be in equilibrium with kaolinite in the Ca-plagioclase weathering system. Within the kaolinite stability field, water samples from different sources plotted in positions that were consistent with the availability of plagioclase, residence time, and the availability of C0₂ as a source of acidity during hydrolysis. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

Forest disturbances significantly affect snowmelt dominated watersheds. Given that snowmelt from mountain regions provides up to 80% of the annual stream ow in the North American west, disturbances in these watersheds will impact water availability for downstream users. This study used eld data from stand-scale studies to represent forest disturbances in a hydrological model in order to quantify the potential snow hydrology response to varying spatial extent of disturbance. The sensitivity of snow accumulation and ablation response increased with disturbance severity and extent of disturbance. Results may provide water resource management with a greater understanding of the potential impact on post-disturbance snowmelt runo ff. / xii, 135 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm

The Queen's Ditch is located three kilometers north of Comox on Vancouver Island and is roughly 1300 hectares in size. In 1998, the watershed experienced a 1 in 200-year rain event that flooded much of the lower watershed. The Regional District of Comox-Strathcona is responsible for land-use planning in the watershed and initiated an investigation into the stormwater runoff problem. This thesis is divided into two components: a planning phase to identify problems with watershed hydrology; and a design phase to illustrate urban design that manages stormwater runoff. Watershed assessments were conducted at the watershed and sub-watershed scale. Watershed assessments were descriptive and helped predict future trends in land-use change. These assessments were not able to identify site specific problems. Sub-watershed assessment was useful at quantifying and identifying stormwater problems. Planners should use sub-watershed hydrological performance to guide land-use planning decisions and assess hydrological and ecological effects of development. The planning phase provides planners with a process to prioritize candidate areas for development, conservation, and rehabilitation. The design phase compares urban design and stormwater performance standards of a proposed conventional design with a sustainable design. The goal of the sustainable design was to mimic the site's natural hydrology to help reduce off-site runoff, and to ensure adequate groundwater recharge. Objectives of the sustainable design were to preserve natural vegetation; maintain x>£ time of concentration; reduce and disconnect impervious surfaces,, and treatment first flush flows. Comparisons of conventional and sustainable designs indicate that stormwater runoff and pollution can be managed at the site level. The sustainable design provides forty-seven percent more dwelling units and exports no stormwater. The sustainable design achieves this without an expensive stormdrain infrastructure. Stormwater is managed at the site level using small infiltration depressions and swales. The design works with the natural hydrological processes of the site to generate a hydrologically sustainable design. Simulated stormwater outputs were used to test and size infiltration ponds and to assess flooding risks. The sustainable design effectively manages stormwater production, runoff, and pollution from storm events ranging from polluted first flush flows to large, flood producing rainstorms.

This work involves the study of the effects of land use on the chemical composition of urban stormwater runoff, and its subsequent acute toxicity to the aquatic invertebrate Daphnia pulex. Samples were obtained from the Brunette drainage basin of Burnaby, British Columbia, from a variety of sites in the land use classifications commercial (C), industrial (I), residential (R) and open/greenspace (0). Results indicate that the toxicity to D. pulex and the chemical composition of the stormwater (measured by such parameters as COD, alkalinity, hardness, hydrocarbons and trace metals) were influenced by land use and the interval between rainfall events. The industrial and commercial land use sites were the major source of those trace metals most often considered toxic to aquatic organisms, with runoff from the commercial sites proving most toxic to the test organism (toxicity followed the sequence C>I>R»0). Bioassays with synthetic stormwater (Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn, at concentrations observed from field samples) demonstrated that pH and suspended solids helped to regulate the toxicity of the trace metals, and implicated the importance of these elements in natural stormwater toxicity. Statistical comparison between synthetic and natural stormwater runoff toxicity yielded poor correlation; however, this was expected due to the inherent differences between the laboratory and field environments. A detailed study of a single storm event indicated that while the "first-flush" of the storm may be contributing to toxicity through the physical scouring of insoluble pollutants, the soluble pollutants proved to be more toxic and were washed out of the area over the entire duration of the event. This prompted the author to propose the complete treatment of all stormwater runoff, and not simply the slug load of the first hour. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

The Queen's Ditch is located three kilometers north of Comox on Vancouver Island and is roughly 1300 hectares in size. In 1998, the watershed experienced a 1 in 200-year rain event that flooded much of the lower watershed. The Regional District of Comox-Strathcona is responsible for land-use planning in the watershed and initiated an investigation into the stormwater runoff problem. This thesis is divided into two components: a planning phase to identify problems with watershed hydrology; and a design phase to illustrate urban design that manages stormwater runoff. Watershed assessments were conducted at the watershed and sub-watershed scale. Watershed assessments were descriptive and helped predict future trends in land-use change. These assessments were not able to identify site specific problems. Sub-watershed assessment was useful at quantifying and identifying stormwater problems. Planners should use sub-watershed hydrological performance to guide land-use planning decisions and assess hydrological and ecological effects of development. The planning phase provides planners with a process to prioritize candidate areas for development, conservation, and rehabilitation. The design phase compares urban design and stormwater performance standards of a proposed conventional design with a sustainable design. The goal of the sustainable design was to mimic the site's natural hydrology to help reduce off-site runoff, and to ensure adequate groundwater recharge. Objectives of the sustainable design were to preserve natural vegetation; maintain x>£ time of concentration; reduce and disconnect impervious surfaces,, and treatment first flush flows. Comparisons of conventional and sustainable designs indicate that stormwater runoff and pollution can be managed at the site level. The sustainable design provides forty-seven percent more dwelling units and exports no stormwater. The sustainable design achieves this without an expensive stormdrain infrastructure. Stormwater is managed at the site level using small infiltration depressions and swales. The design works with the natural hydrological processes of the site to generate a hydrologically sustainable design. Simulated stormwater outputs were used to test and size infiltration ponds and to assess flooding risks. The sustainable design effectively manages stormwater production, runoff, and pollution from storm events ranging from polluted first flush flows to large, flood producing rainstorms. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate