- 6 - 

 SURFACE WATER QUANTITY 



Streamf low 



Streamflow in the Poplar River basin was much below normal during 1988, 

 assuming the recorded flow of the Poplar River at the International 

 Boundary is a good indicator of natural runoff conditions in the 

 basin. The March to October recorded flow volume at the gauge was 

 only 1,180 cubic decametres (dam 3 ), or 7 percent of the long-term 

 average. The volume is the smallest since records began in 1931 and 

 indicative of general drought conditions in the great plains. A 

 comparison of the flows of 1988 with those of the 1951-80 median 

 flow is shown in Figure 1. 



10 



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 UI 

 OH 



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 CD 



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I 1— 1 I 



MEDIAN OF MONTHLY MEAN DISCHARGE FOR 1951-80 - 

 MONTHLY MEAN DISCHARGE FOR 1988 



0.1 t 



0.01 



0.001 

 MAR 



APR 



MAY 



JUN 



JUL 



AUG 



SEP 



-O 

 OCT 



Figure 1. Discharge during 1988 Compared with Median Discharge for 

 1951-1980 for the Poplar River at International Boundary 



