Northern Research Basins Water Balance (Proceedings of a workshop held at Victoria, Canada, March 2004). IAHS Publ. 290, 2004, 249–256

Abstract Discharge during the season of ice-effect can be an important component of an annual water balance at high latitudes. Standard hydrometric methodology is incapable of providing reliable discharge data during the winter season, and most winter streamflow data are estimated based on a few broadly held assumptions. Examples showing conditions during which these assumptions are invalid are provided. There is currently no way to estimate the uncertainty introduced into water balance calculations by acceptance of these assumptions, so interpretation of calculated runoff volumes should reflect that unknown uncertainty, particularly for basins subject to extensive ice cover. Further research is needed to understand and develop a predictive ability for winter streamflow variability.

Key words break-up; discharge depression; freeze-up; ice effect; stage-up; water balance; winter streamflow