Hydrometeorological Conditions Controlling Ice Jam Floods Peace River Near The Peace Athabasca Delta PDF Download

A common perception since the 1970s was that lower flows on the Peace River resulting from regulation precluded the generation of flood levels that would inundate perched basins that are separated from the open-water flow system. However, some literature references and local inhabitants have said that ice jams also played a role in some flood events. The initial objective of this study was to determine the relative role of ice jams in flooding in the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD). Assuming ice jams to be a significant factor, a second objective was to determine the hydrometeorological conditions that lead to their generation near the PAD and a third objective was to determine what role flow regulation has had on their formation. The study uses analysis of hydrometric data in conjunction with various historical and local sources to show the extent to which open water floods could flood the higher elevations in the PAD.