Small basin hydrology in the discontinuous permafrost zone

The response of small northern basins to similar rainfall events can vary greatly due to dramatic changes with time in basin parameters. An attempt is made to understand and quantify these changes and suggestions to incorporate systematic variation in model parameters are made in order to produce a more reliable 'northern' model. Of particular interest are the permafrost regime, the vegetative cover, the evaporation process and the attenuation of the hydrographs making antecedent conditions important in predicting peak flows. Further ideas are presented to produce a deterministic model which incorporates both random and systematic changes in parameters in order to yield more reliable estimates of flow statistics for use in design. The background study was sponsored by Canadian Arctic Gas Study Limited during their bid to construct a pipeline in the Mackenzie Valley.Applied Science, Faculty ofCivil Engineering, Department ofGraduat