3.0 WATER AND AIR: MONITORING AND INTERPRETATIONS 



3.1 Poplar River Power Station Operation 



In 2003, the two 300-megawatt coal-fired units generated 4,470,455 gross megawatt hours (MWh) of 

 electricity. The average capacity factors for Unit No. 1 and 2 were 84.5 percent and 83.0 percent, 

 respectively. The capacity factors are based on the maximum generating rating of 305 MW/h for both 

 Unit No.l and Unit No. 2. Similar to other years, scheduled maintenance was completed in the spring 

 and fall of 2003. 



3.2 Surface Water 



3.2.1 Streamflow 



Streamflow in the Poplar River basin was normal in 2003. The March to October recorded flow of the 

 Poplar River at International Boundary, an indicator of natural flow in the basin, was 10,700 cubic 

 decametres (dam^) (8,670 acre-feet), which was 104 percent of the 1931 to 2000 median seasonal flow 

 of 10,290 dam^ (8,340 acre-feet). A comparison of 2003 monthly mean discharge with the 1931-2000 

 median monthly mean discharge is shown in Figure 3.1. 



° - Median of Monthly Mean Discharge for 1931-2000 

 o — Monthly Mean Discharge for 2003 



Apr 



May 



Jun Jul Aug Sep 



Figure 3.1 Discharge during 2003 as Compared with the Median Discharge from 

 1931-2000 for the Poplar River at International Boundary. 



