Parameterization of Seasonal Freshets for the Study of Effects of Freshwater Inflows on Galveston Bay

The principal freshwater inflows to the Galveston Bay system originate from the Trinity and San Jacinto river basins. It is hypothesized that the magnitude of these inflows to Galveston Bay is an important control on the productivity of the system. There is a distinct seasonality in the historical flows into Galveston Bay, being bimodal with high flows in the spring and fall. Often these inflows appear as intense seasonal pulses of flow (i.e. "seasonal freshets"). Many biologists hypothesize that organisms present in the bay at key lifestages are adapted to these seasonal pulses of inflow. In order to evaluate this hypothesis quantitatively, it is necessary to first characterize these seasonal freshets. An objective technique for identifying these seasonal freshets is derived and applied to the varying watersheds contributing to Galveston Bay. These results have been utilized as a representation of inflows to Galveston Bay in subsequent analyses of organism abundance.