The impact of Manitoba Hydro's Churchill River diversion on the length of the navigation season at the Port of Churchill

• Main Author: Henley, Thomas John
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Churchill; Hydro; Slush ice
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/30611

Manitoba Hydro's diversion of the Churchill River at Southern Indian Lake, part of a multi-million dollar hydro-electric development in northern Manitoba, will have extensive economic, social and environmental implications. The impact that the project may have on slush-ice formation in the estuary at the Port of Churchill is one such implication. Previous studies have suggested that reduced flows on the lower Churchill River may alleviate the problem of slush-ice formation which physically terminates the navigation season at Churchill. A reduction in the formation of slush ice would make feasible an average tow week extension of the navigation season. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effect of the Churchill River diversion on the length of the navigation season at the Port of Churchill. A secondary objective was to determine the relationship between the physical variables (slush ice and sedimentation) and the economic variable (insurance coverage) that influence the length of the navigation season. A field trip to Churchill was made in late July, 1973 to collect data. Interviews with hydrologists, ice observers, and National Harbours Board personnel were conducted at this time. In the data analysis, October Churchill River discharges and meteorological data on climatic factors were correlated with dates of Churchill harbour closure due to slush ice for the period 1928-1972......