- 12 - 



SURFACE WATER QUANTITY 



Streamflow 



Streamflow in the Poplar River basin was much below normal during 1981- 

 90 . Median March to October runoff at the gaging station on the Poplar 

 River at the International Boundary for the period was only 40 percent of 

 the median of the previous 50 years of record. Streamflow was well below 

 the long-term mean in all but two of ten years. Winter snowfall, spring 

 rains, and summer thundershowers were all noticeably absent during the 

 period. A comparison of the March-October runoff for 1981-90 with the 

 long-term mean and median is shown in Figure 5. 



30.000 



in 



Ld 



on 



H 



Ul 



< 



o 



UJ 

 Q 



O 



CD 

 =5 

 O 



20,000 



15,000 



10,000 



5,000 



m 



A v, 



2. 



1931-80 mean 

 March— October runoff 



1931-80 median 

 March— October runoff 



V777X 



% 



1981 



82 83 84 85 



86 87 88 89 1990 



Figure 5. — March through October runoff for 1981-90 as compared to the 

 1931-80 mean and median runoff on the Poplar River at 

 International Boundary. 



