The Hydrology component was established in 1991with the following objectives:  
1. To improve the understanding of runoff characteristics of small watersheds and the physical processes which lead to severe flooding and runoff problems along the Manitoba escarpment;  
2. To investigate structural and non-structural measures with potential to alleviate these problems.  
3. To develop tools to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the measures being investigated.  
4. To develop methodologies to extrapolate research results to other areas of the Manitoba Escarpment which experience similar problems.  

The South Tobacco Creek Project site is represented by specific boundaries which cover the entire South Tobacco Creek watershed above Miami, Manitoba. (View a large map of the sub-watersheds. - 92K)  

Between 1985 and 1995, 50 small headwater retention structures (small dams) were constructed, primarily within the upland tributaries of two local waterways: the Graham Creek and 26 specifically within the South Tobacco Creek (click to see small dams information again).  

Many individual sites within the watershed were also examined for potential small dam establishment. Fundamental to the hydrology research was a process to map the sub-watershed areas which drain into each Deerwood dam within the the entire South Tobacco Creek watershed.  

After installation, monitoring and evaluation of Deerwood dams was planned in order to determining their effectiveness in controlling runoff, and ultimately, reducing downstream erosion and flooding problems. It was also anticipated this research would contribute to a greater understanding of the hydrology of small agricultural watersheds on the Canadian Prairies.  

The South Tobacco Creek is extensively monitored. This includes: field surface conditions; rainfall; snow depth; dam water levels; runoff flow rates for three gauging stations; and sampling at these stations. The three stations include: the Twin Watersheds site (two adjacent watersheds within an upstream agricultural field); the Highway 240 site (an intermediate location centrally located in the South Tobacco Creek system, and partway down the escarpment); and the Miami site (several miles downstream from the escarpment base). (click for large map of the monitoring stations. 105K)  

The Twin Watershed runoff monitoring site was established to permit examination and comparison of local runoff under various soil cover conditions, specifically conventional vs. zero-tillage cropping systems. Water from each watershed is analyzed in terms of quality and quantity pertaining to pesticide, sediment, and nutrient levels. In addition, a wide range of ambient atmospheric, water quality, and rainfall monitoring occurs near the Twin Watershed site. The collection of comprehensive data at this site contributes to the quality of all data provided by the Deerwood association, and facilitates the involvement of many research partners.