Characterizing Ice Cover Formation during Freeze-Up on the Regulated Upper Nelson River, Manitoba
Publication: Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 35, Issue 3
Abstract
Flow control programs on regulated rivers can improve winter flow conveyance for hydropower operations. On the Upper Nelson River, station flows at Jenpeg Generating Station are reduced during freeze-up to promote formation of a smooth ice cover in often turbulent upstream areas. This ice cover reduces the risk of frazil generation, which could otherwise result in blockages and subsequent energy losses. In this study, a characterization of freeze-up conditions for the Upper Nelson River is presented through 15 years of historical observations, supplemented by a short-term detailed monitoring program (2015–2018). Observations of rapid leading edge celerity are associated with increased ice production under dampened hydraulic conditions. Analysis of ice cores and drone footage highlights the role of skim ice runs in early cover formation, while predictions of skim ice formation show agreement with ice floe taxonomy from the literature. Establishing a baseline of freeze-up conditions for the region will assist in the development of predictive tools, such as numerical models, to optimize flow control decisions for this significant hydropower system.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank NSERC (IRCPJ472185-13), Manitoba Hydro (G274/P274), Northern Scientific Training Program, and Research Manitoba for funding and project support. They would also like to acknowledge Alexander Wall, Mike Baron, and Manitoba Hydro hydrometrics for their assistance with fieldwork, as well as Natural Resources Canada for sharing satellite imagery. Finally, the authors would like to acknowledge the insightful comments and suggestions provided by the reviewers of this paper.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- b
- empirical coefficient;
- Cc
- fractional cloud cover;
- Cz
- Chezy coefficient;
- Dlocal
- flow depth at highest velocity point along cross section;
- ea
- vapor pressure;
- es
- saturated vapor pressure;
- F
- Froude number;
- Flocal
- Froude number at highest velocity point along cross section;
- g
- gravitational constant (9.81 m s−2);
- k
- empirical constant;
- L
- stream-wise distance from ice front to upstream open-water section;
- n
- Manning's coefficient;
- Qobs
- observed discharge;
- Qsim
- simulated discharge;
- Rt
- albedo;
- r2
- coefficient of determination;
- Ta
- air temperature (°C);
- Tak
- air temperature (K);
- Ts
- surface water temperature (°C);
- Tsk
- surface water temperature (K);
- Vf
- ice volume per unit width;
- v
- velocity;
- vice
- ice floe velocity;
- vlocal
- flow velocity at highest velocity point along cross section;
- w
- wind speed;
- z
- distance above the surface;
- ɛa
- emmisivity of air;
- ɛw
- emmisivity of water;
- λ
- 333,400 J kg−1;
- ρi
- 920 kg m−3;
- σ
- 5.67 × 10−8 W m−2 K−4;
- net long-wave radiation flux;
- clear-sky short-wave radiation flux;
- latent heat flux;
- net short-wave radiation flux;
- sensible heat flux; and
- total heat flux at air-water interface.
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Published In
Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 35 • Issue 3 • September 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 16, 2020
Accepted: Feb 20, 2021
Published online: Apr 22, 2021
Published in print: Sep 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Sep 22, 2021
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