Baseflow

Baseflow is the amount of water in a watercourse that comes from groundwater. This is typically measured during times when there is no runoff potential from rainfall or snowmelt events, primarily the dry summer and frozen winter seasons. The amount of baseflow in a watercourse may vary considerably along its length due to groundwater table levels and geological influences, such as underlying soils and bedrock conditions.

Measurements of baseflow are important as they give an indication of the sensitivity of a watercourse to changes in land use, water extraction or extended periods of dry weather. This will help us manage our water resources better into the future.

The goal is to produce a long-term monitoring network of baseflow stations throughout the watershed to build a database to assist with our planning services. Several gauge stations on streams and rivers in the watershed continuously record measurements throughout the year, however, these stations are expensive to install and maintain and there are few in the watershed. Additional measurements are recorded in the watershed at selected locations yearly since 2002 using specialized equipment.