3.0 WATER AND AIR: MONITORING AND INTERPRETATIONS 



3.1 Poplar River Power Station Operation 



In 2001, the two 300-megawatt coal-fired units generated 4,354,900 gross megawatt hours (MW/h) of 

 electricity. The average capacity factors for Unit No. 1 and 2 were 74.6 percent and 88.4 percent, 

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

 Unit No. 1 and Unit No. 2. 



3.2 East Poplar River 



3.2.1 Streamflow 



Streamflow in the Poplar River basin was below normal in 2001. The March to October recorded flow 

 of the Poplar River at International Boundary, an indicator of natural flow in the basin, was 5,540 cubic 

 decametres (dam^) (4,490 acre-feet), which was 55 percent of the 1931 to 2000 median seasonal flow. 

 A comparison of 2001 monthly mean discharge with the 1931-2000 median discharge is shown in 

 Figure 3.1. 



O ■ -Median of Monthly Mean Discharge for 1931-2000 

 -O^ Monthly Mean Discharge for 2001 



Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep 



40 



35 1 

 o 



I 

 I 



25 I 



30 



20 I 

 o 



15^. 



10 



Oct 



Figure 3.1 Discharge during 2001 as Compared with the Median Discharge from 

 1931-2000 for the Poplar River at International Boundary. 



