Geology topics

Research about Souris River

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Souris River.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2024

Dissolved oxygen monitoring on the Souris River, 2019–23

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with the International Joint Commission installed and operated continuous water-quality monitors at three sites on the Souris River from May 2019 to October 2023. Continuously recorded data included dissolved oxygen (DO), water temperature, and specific conductance at the Souris River near Sherwood, North Dakota (USGS station 05114000), Souris River above Minot, N. Dak. (USGS station 05117500), and Souris River near Westhope, N. Dak (USGS station 05124000). The three sites on the Souris River were chosen for additional DO monitoring because they provided the best opportunity to capture potential effects on DO in areas downstream from major flow control structures and because identifying the connection of streamflow to DO at the international border is a focus of the International Souris River Board (ISRB). The continuous water-quality monitoring at three sites on the Souris River from May 16, 2019, to October 1, 2023, indicated different patterns in DO among the three sites, and the different patterns indicate different factors affect DO concentrations among the sites. DO concentrations near Sherwood indicated the strong effect of algal dynamics at lower streamflow conditions with large diurnal fluctuations in DO concentration and indicated that streamflow does seem to affect DO concentrations when the streamflow is greater than about 100 cubic feet per second. DO concentrations were also frequently less than the water-quality objective (WQO) of 5 milligrams per liter in the summer and winter months, particularly during relatively low streamflow conditions in 2020 and 2021. DO concentrations above Minot had a different pattern with considerably fewer diurnal fluctuations than near Sherwood, high DO concentrations most winters except for the winter of 2021–22, and fewer instances when the DO was less than the WQO compared to Sherwood. The pattern of DO concentrations near Westhope seemed to be mainly influenced by the water chemistry coming out of J. Clark Salyer Pool 357 rather than streamflow and channel conditions at the site. The Westhope site also had the most days with daily minimum DO concentrations less than the WQO among the three sites, mainly in the winter when concentrations were consistently at or near 0 milligrams per liter for most of the winter months.

North Dakota↗

USGS2022

Measurements of streamflow gain and loss on the Souris River between Lake Darling and Verendrye, North Dakota, August 31 and September 1, 2021

Dry conditions during 2020 and 2021 affected the water supply within the Souris River Basin and highlighted the need for better understanding of the streamflow dynamics for managing the resource during low-flow conditions. In June 2021, a loss of streamflow was observed on the Souris River between U.S. Geological Survey streamgages on the Souris River near Foxholm, North Dakota (site 1), and near Verendrye, N. Dak. (site 22). The largest loss was upstream from the Souris River above Minot, N. Dak. (site 7). On June 6, 2021, the daily mean streamflow decreased from 33.8 cubic feet per second at site 1 to 16.3 cubic feet per second at site 7, a loss of 17.5 cubic feet per second. To better understand where streamflow losses occurred in the reach from site 1 to site 22, multiple sites were selected for streamflow measurements between the three streamgages (sites 1, 7, and 22). Streamflow measurements made at 22 selected sites on the Souris River on August 31 and September 1, 2021, did not indicate the loss in streamflow that was observed at the three streamgages (sites 1, 7, and 22) in June 2021. Measurements made at the three streamgages (sites 1, 7, and 22) on August 31 had streamflows of 44.2, 45.9, and 46.8 cubic feet per second, respectively. Streamflow measured at all 22 sites on August 31 and September 1 on the Souris River ranged from 38.4 (site 9) to 49.8 cubic feet per second (site 12). In general, the largest change in streamflow was measured among sites on the Souris River in or near the city of Minot, N. Dak.

North Dakota↗

USGS2016

2011 Souris River flood—Will it happen again?

The Souris River Basin is a 61,000 square kilometer basin in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba and the state of North Dakota. Record setting rains in May and June of 2011 led to record flooding with peak annual streamflow values (762 cubic meters per second [m 3 /s]) more than twice that of any previously recorded peak streamflow and more than five times the estimated 100 year postregulation streamflow (142 m 3 /s) at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow-gaging station above Minot, North Dakota. Upstream from Minot, N. Dak., the Souris River is regulated by three reservoirs in Saskatchewan (Rafferty, Boundary, and Alameda) and Lake Darling in North Dakota. During the 2011 flood, the city of Minot, N. Dak., experienced devastating damages with more than 4,000 homes flooded and 11,000 evacuated. As a result, the Souris River Basin Task Force recommended the U.S. Geological Survey (in cooperation with the North Dakota State Water Commission) develop a model for estimating the probabilities of future flooding and drought. The model that was developed took on four parts: (1) looking at past climate, (2) predicting future climate, (3) developing a streamflow model in response to certain climatic variables, and (4) combining future climate estimates with the streamflow model to predict future streamflow events. By taking into consideration historical climate record and trends in basin response to various climatic conditions, it was determined flood risk will remain high in the Souris River Basin until the wet climate state ends.

Souris River↗

USGS2016

History of U.S. Geological Survey streamgaging on the Souris River in and near Minot, North Dakota, 1903–2016

The U.S. Geological Survey began collecting streamflow data, in cooperation with the North Dakota State Water Commission, on the Souris River in and near Minot, North Dakota, in April 1903. The gage was started up to better understand the water resources available in North Dakota. Currently (2016), water availability is still important as well as the flood monitoring and forecasting that has become an important component of this gage. Gage-height and streamflow data for the Souris River in and near Minot have been collected at five different streamgage locations during the years. This fact sheet describes the history of streamgaging (locations, gage-height data, and streamflow data) and flooding on the Souris River in and near Minot since 1903.

North Dakota↗

USGS2016

Tree-ring-based estimates of long-term seasonal precipitation in the Souris River Region of Saskatchewan, North Dakota and Manitoba

Historically unprecedented flooding occurred in the Souris River Basin of Saskatchewan, North Dakota and Manitoba in 2011, during a longer term period of wet conditions in the basin. In order to develop a model of future flows, there is a need to evaluate effects of past multidecadal climate variability and/or possible climate change on precipitation. In this study, tree-ring chronologies and historical precipitation data in a four-degree buffer around the Souris River Basin were analyzed to develop regression models that can be used for predicting long-term variations of precipitation. To focus on longer term variability, 12-year moving average precipitation was modeled in five subregions (determined through cluster analysis of measures of precipitation) of the study area over three seasons (November–February, March–June and July–October). The models used multiresolution decomposition (an additive decomposition based on powers of two using a discrete wavelet transform) of tree-ring chronologies from Canada and the US and seasonal 12-year moving average precipitation based on Adjusted and Homogenized Canadian Climate Data and US Historical Climatology Network data. Results show that precipitation varies on long-term (multidecadal) time scales of 16, 32 and 64 years. Past extended pluvial and drought events, which can vary greatly with season and subregion, were highlighted by the models. Results suggest that the recent wet period may be a part of natural variability on a very long time scale.

Manitoba, North Dakota, Saskatchewan↗