Author(s): Martin Jasek
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Ice jams; Hydropower; Thermal ice growth
Abstract: A thermal ice growth model was developed for a 300 km reach of river allowing for the determination for when it was safe to resume normal hydro operations. The model takes into account insulation from snow and the presence of frazil slush below the solid thermal layer. The model keeps tract of the snow accumulation and thermal ice growth based on the date of first ice formation at each location. Three years of thermal ice growth and snow survey data were used to calibrate the model. Measured and calculated thermal ice thickness values for ice jam events were used to come up with a critical thermal ice thickness value for which normal hydro operations could be safely resumed. The model was applied to 25 years of historical data and suggested that normal hydro operations could be resumed 12 days earlier on average than what historically occurred without causing an increase in the risk of flooding.
Year: 2006