Hydrological environment of the Hot Weather Creek basin, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut

Intensive hydrological studies in the Hot Weather Creek basin (1989-1991) allowed understanding of the hydrological processes in the 'polar desert oasis' environment, appreciation of the spatial and temporal variability of the microclimate and hydrology, and deduction of hydrological impacts due to global change. Site values were aggregated to a basin scale. A small subbasin (Heather Creek) was divided into terrain units and hydrological quantities were aerially weighted. Integrated values of rainfall, snowmelt, sublimation, and evaporation were used, together with streamflow, to compute the basin water balance. Results suggest that this basin has hydrological attributes different from most High Arctic basins. On the basis of field and modelling information, it is surmised that a reduction in snowfall will not satisfy the basin storage capacity so that even increased rainfall will be unable to raise the streamflow. Climatic warming will increase evaporation, leading to more frequent occurrence of very low summer flows.