Evaluation of Lake Simcoe watershed rainfall characterisics
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority is monitoring the phosphorous loading in Lake Simcoe and to understand the changes in phosphorous loading due to runoff, it is prudent to characterize the rainfall data of the watershed contributing to Lake Simcoe. In this project, hourly and daily rainfall data from 13 different raingage statistics surrounding Lake Simcoe was analyzed to identify event, monthly, seasonal and annual statistics and their trend and thereby to identify the driest and wettest and average annual rainfall. After initial analysis, daily rainfall data from only 4 stations with consistent data for an approximate period of 20 years were chosen for further analysis. The results showed that hydrological year 1995-1996 was the wettest and hydrologic year 1991-1992 was the driest year. Similarly summer season and the month of June were the wettest and winter season and month of February were the driest for the watershed. No significant trend was observed in the yearly and monthly rainfall data while an increasing trend was observed at 3 stations for the winter season.