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.