The application of a coupled water-balance-salinity model to evaluate the sensitivity of a lake dominated by groundwater to climatic variability

A dynamic hydrologic model, specifically designed to assess lake-groundwater systems, has been used to provide insight into the effects of climatic variability on Wabamun Lake and its watershed, in Alberta, Canada. This lake is typical of many lakes in the prairies of Canada or western plains of the United States in that groundwater exhibits a dominant role in the hydrologic balance of the lake. Sensitivity analyses indicate that small changes …