Carnivore and Chamberlin Creek Hydrology
Carnivore Creek discharged approximately 95% of the total measured water volume to Lake Peters in 2015 and 2016, with Chamberlin Creek accounting for the remaining 5%. No distinct spring freshet (independent of rainfall) was observed in either season, although in 2016 ice had partially melted and delivered the first flush of water and sediment, then refrozen, prior to the period of record commencing. Both creeks showed a diurnal trend peaking at 01:00, with the trend more distinct in Carnivore Creek. In 2015, Q exhibited five distinct peaks from low flow (>20 m3s-1 in Carnivore Creek; >1 m3 s-1 in Chamberlin Creek); whereas, in 2016, Q was elevated for an extended period between mid-June and mid-July in both creeks, with distinct peaks above this elevated flow throughout the season (Figure 4). Total water discharge in 2016 was greater than in 2015 by 28% for Carnivore Creek, but not significantly different for Chamberlin Creek. The largest flood peak in both creeks occurred on 07/07/16. Maximum 2016 Q in Carnivore Creek during this flood (98 m3 s-1) was more than double the maximum 2015 Q (48 m3s-1) (Table 2). Maximum 2016 Q during this flood in Chamberlin Creek is estimated to be 21 m3s-1—seven times larger than the maximum Q of 3 m3 s-1 in 2015 (Figure 4), noting the wider error margin because of photographic estimation (Table 2). Photographic evidence supports quantitative conclusions that the flood of 07/07/16 was more peaked in Chamberlin Creek than in Carnivore Creek. Turbidity maxima over 2500 NTU were recorded in Carnivore Creek in both 2015 and 2016 (Table 2; Figure 4). The maximum manually sampled SSC (1400 mg L-1) corresponds with the maximum 2015 NTU, but SSC was not sampled during the 2016 flood. Neither NTU nor SSC data are available for Chamberlin Creek during the 2016 flood. Available NTU and manually sampled SSC records for Chamberlin Creek peaked on 6/22/15, reaching 1200 NTU and 650 mg L-1, respectively, corresponding with a period of elevated Q (Table 2; Figure 4). Two high, spurious SSCs, which do not correspond with high NTU or Q, were sampled in Chamberlin Creek on 7/24/15.