3.0 WATER AND AIR: MONITORING AND INTERPRETATIONS 



3.1 Poplar River Power Station Operation 



In 2002. the two 300-megawatt coal-fired units generated 4,456,200 gross megawatt hours (MWh) of 

 electricity. The average capacity factors for Unit No. 1 and 2 were 80.1 percent and 86.7 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 2002. 



3.2 Surface Water 



3.2.1 Streamflow 



Streamflow in the Poplar River basin was below normal in 2002. The March to October recorded flow 

 of the Poplar River at International Boundary, an indicator of natural flow in the basin, was 7,010 cubic 

 decametres (dam^) (5.680 acre-feet), which was 68 percent of the 1931 to 2000 median seasonal flow of 

 10.290 dam' (8.340 acre-feet). A comparison of 2002 monthly mean discharge with the 1931-2000 

 median monthly mean discharge is shown in Figure 3.1. 



Figure 3.1 Discharge during 2002 as Compared with the Median Discharge from 

 1931-2000 for the Poplar River at International Boundary. 



