Analysis of Storage and Conveyance Characteristics of the Mackenzie Delta

The Mackenzie Delta is the second largest northern delta in the world. The water from the Delta entering the Beaufort Sea has a significant impact on its dynamics. Areas in the Delta were surveyed using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The goals of this study were to characterize the floodplain storage of the surveyed parts of the Delta and determine if there are trends in these characteristics across and down the Delta. The storage area consisted of lakes and the overland floodplain areas. Cross sections were taken from the LiDAR data to estimate the conveyance and storage areas above the low water levels. The conveyance and storage trends, lake distribution, as well as lake and channel water elevations of each zone are discussed. Results from this study could be used to help develop zone-based storage relationships to be used in a hydraulic model.