The Regulation of Peace River (PDF)

This book presents a comprehensive overview of the first
longitudinal study of the downstream response of a major river to
the establishment of a large hydropower facility and dams. Peace
River, a northward flowing boreal river in northwestern Canada was
dammed in 1967 and the book describes the morphological
response of the 1200 km downstream channel and the response of
riparian vegetation to the change in flow regime over the first
forty years of regulated flows.

Beginning with a description of the effect of regulation on the
flow and sediment regimes of the river, the book proceeds to study
changes in downstream channel geometry on the main stem, on the
lowermost course of tributaries, and on the hydraulic geometry, the
overall morphology of the channel, and riparian vegetation
succession. The river is subject to annual freeze-up and break-up,
so a chapter is devoted to the ice regime of the river. A chapter
compares the effects of two extraordinary post-regulation flood
events. The penultimate chapter presents a prediction of the
ultimate equilibrium form of the regulated river based on rational
regime theory. An online database of all the main
observations will provide invaluable material for advanced students
of river hydraulics and geomorphology.

This book carefully brings together a range of studies that have
been previously inaccessible providing a rare and comprehensive
analysis of the effects of a big dam on a river, a river that
itself represents an example of the kind of system that is
likely to receive considerable attention in the future from dam
engineers and environmentalists.



* An invaluable reference to river scientists, hydroelectric
power developers, engineers and environmentalists

* Focus on a northward flowing boreal river, a type that
holds most of the remaining hydroelectric power potential in the
Northern Hemisphere

* Exceptional separation of water and sediment sources,
permitting study of the isolated effect of manipulating one of the
two major governing conditions of river processes and form

* Unique example of water regulation and both natural and
engineered flood flows

* Detailed study of both morphological changes of the channel
and of the riparian vegetation

* Online data supplement including major data tables and
numerous maps. Details of the main observations and provides
material for problem study by advanced students of river hydraulics
and geomorphology are provided