ACAP Humber Arm is pleased to announce our next Coastal Matters speaker’s series will be a joint presentation by Alan Kirby, Environmental Technology Instructor at College of the North Atlantic.  Mr. Kirby has titled his presentation  Storage/Demand Analysis for Blue Gulch Watershed: A Case Study.  An abstract for the presentation can be found below. 

The presentation will take place 12:30 – 1:30pm, Thurs, May 26^th in the Lecture Theatre at College of the North Atlantic, Corner Brook.  Please feel free to bring your lunch.  Tea and coffee will be available.

Coastal Matters presentations are free of charge and open to the public; RSVP’s not required.   

PRESENTATION ABSTRACT
Storage/Demand Analysis for Blue Gulch Watershed: A Case Study

This presentation has two main objectives: (1) to present the methodology used on the Blue Gulch watershed in western Newfoundland to determine the mean annual runoff from which the storage/demand for the watershed was evaluated, and (2) to present the results of the same hydrological assessment using future changes in precipitation forecasted by a number of Global Climate Models (GCMs).

The purpose of the proposed dam on Blue Gulch Pond was to provide sufficient storage of runoff from the watershed to meet the future municipal water demand for the Town of Pasadena.  It was also necessary to comply with a Department of Fisheries and Oceans directive for an instream flow requirement of 25% of the mean annual runoff in Blue Gulch Brook for fish migration and habitat health.  The original work was done in 2002 using very limited streamflow data (17 years). 

This presentation considers the additional flow data collected since 2002 and predictions of GCMs.  The effects of the additional data and predicted climate changes on the original design storage capacity are discussed in the context of uncertainties in predictions using limited streamflow data and future climate conditions.  From the analysis it can be concluded that precipitation and mean temperature, as projected by GCMs, decreased the net annual watershed streamflow by 5% and increased the required storage volumes by 56% over values not adjusted by climate models.

Sheldon Peddle | Executive Director
ACAP Humber Arm Environmental Association Inc.

P.O. Box 564 | Corner Brook, NL | A2H 6E6
phone 709.637.2883