Flow and temperature models for the fraser and thompson rivers

Abstract

High river temperatures have been linked to pre-spawning mortalities in salmon returning to their natal streams. As a first step in predicting these temperatures, flow and temperature models were developed for the Fraser and Thompson Rivers in British Columbia. The flow model is essentially pre-calibrated while the temperature model was calibrated against data collected in 1993 and then verified against data from 1994. Root mean square differences between measured and calculated temperatures were found to be 0.70° C at thirteen stations in 1993 and 0.60°C at fifteen stations in 1994. As a purely speculative exercise, the models were then used to investigate the feasibility of using cooler waters from lakes to reduce the warm temperatures recorded in 1994. © 1997 Canadian Meteorological and Océanographie Society.