CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Bourgault, D.; and Koutitonsky, V.G.
Date : 1999.
Title : Real-time monitoring of the freshwater discharge at the head of the St. Lawrence Estuary.
Publication : Atmosphere-Ocean
Issue : 37(2):
Page(s) : 203-220.
Abstract
The freshwater discharge at the head of the St. Lawrence Estuary near Québec city in eastern Canada, was monitored at monthly timescales from 1955 to 1988 by the Quebec Department of Environment and Fauna (DEF). Since 1988, these estimates have been discontinued. Using the 1962–1988 data, two models are developed to estimate the freshwater discharge at the head of the Estuary. The first is a regression model which estimates the discharge at monthly timescales using sea level data available at Neuville near Québec city. A second order polynomial fits the data with a correlation coefficient of R = 0.93. The second model is a one-dimensional numerical model which estimates the hourly discharge using hourly sea level data available at Neuville and at Lauzon as upstream and downstream boundary conditions respectively. The numerical model is calibrated with current measurements for the tidal variability, and with the DEF's estimates for monthly means. The linear least-squares fits between the monthly-averaged numerical model's results and the DEF's estimates is R = 0.91. Although slightly lower than the regression model for monthly means, the numerical model covers a much wider range of timescales, and can be used in real-time. Analysis of long term hourly river discharge shows that the fortnightly variation of river discharge represents roughly 7% of the annual mean.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology