Some investigations in hydrological forecasting

Abstract

In the northern parts of Sweden precipitation falls during the winter as snow which melts only in spring, i. e. in April and May, or in the northern mountainous regions in June or even in July. Under natural conditions the water level and the flow are high during late spring and summer and low in winter. In order to reach a better utilization of the water power storage magazines have been created and thus the flow can be regulated in order to obtain more power during the winter time. To be able to do this in the most profitable way it is necessary to find the relations between the net influx and the relevant meteorological factors and then to make forecasts concerning the water supply for rather long periods. Some results from such already established forecast relations are discussed. There forecasts are concerned with the total flow of water during the spring time and are based only upon the amount of precipitation during the winter. Some preliminary results are also given from trials, just being started and aiming at forecasts of the variation with time of the flow during the spring.