Name
CRISSP2D Modelling of River Ice Freeze-Up: Burntwood River Case Study
Date & Time
Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Description
River ice processes can present significant risks to hydroelectric power generation, water management, and resource use across river systems in Canada. Numerical modelling of complex river ice processes is essential for understanding freeze-up and breakup processes, forecasting ice impacts on rivers, incorporating ice-related risks into decision-making, and evaluating mitigation strategies. The Comprehensive River Ice Simulation Software Program (CRISSP2D) is a coupled two-dimensional numerical model that simulates river hydrodynamics, thermodynamics, and ice dynamics including ice formation, transport, and breakup processes. The model supports ice regime assessments, hydropower operations, and ice-related risk management.
This presentation provides an overview of the CRISSP2D numerical model and presents a case study in which CRISSP2D is applied to support an ice regime assessment on the Burntwood River upstream and downstream of the Manasan Falls Control Structure, located near Thompson, Manitoba. In this case study, the model is used to simulate freeze-up processes under a range of hydraulic conditions and to assess changes in the ice regime with and without the presence of ice booms. Model results are compared with available remote sensing imagery to evaluate model performance and spatial representation of observed ice types and processes. The results highlight the capability of two-dimensional numerical modelling to support and inform ice management decisions.
Location Name
McCain 2017
Full Address
Dalhousie University
Halifax NS
Canada
Halifax NS
Canada
Session Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract ID
375
Speaker Organization
Manitoba Hydro
Session Name
H6
Presenting Author
Brittany Peters, Manitoba Hydro