Spatial and temporal variability of the hydrological response in a small Mediterranean research catchment (Vallcebre,Eastern Pyrenees)

This paper analyses the spatial and temporal variability of the hydrological response in a small Mediterranean catchment (Cal Rodó). The first part of the analysis focuses on the rainfall–runoff relationship at seasonal and monthly scale, using an 8‐year data set. Then, using storm‐flow volume and coefficient, the temporal variability of the rainfall–runoff relationship and its relationship with several hydrological variables are analysed at the event scale from hydrographs observed over a 3‐year period. Finally, the spatial non‐linearity of the hydrological response is examined by comparing the Cal Rodó hydrological response with the Can Vila sub‐catchment response at the event scale. Results show that, on a seasonal and monthly scale, there is no simple relationship between rainfall and runoff depths, and that evapotranspiration is a factor that introduced some non‐linearity in the rainfall–runoff relationship. The analysis of monthly values also reveals the existence of a threshold in the relationship between rainfall and runoff depths, denoting a more contrasted hydrological response than the one usually observed in humid catchments. At the event scale, the storm‐flow coefficient has a clear seasonal pattern with an alternance between a wet period, when the catchment is hydrologically responsive, and a dry summer period, when the catchment is much less reactive to any rainfall. The relationship between the storm‐flow coefficient and rainfall depth, rainfall maximum intensity and base‐flow shows that observed correlations are the same as those observed for humid conditions, even if correlation coefficients are notably lower. Comparison with the Can Vila sub‐catchment highlights the spatial heterogeneity of the rainfall‐runoff relationship at the small catchment scale. Although interpretation in terms of runoff processes remains delicate, heterogeneities between the two catchments seem to be related to changes in the ratio between infiltration excess and saturation processes in runoff formation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.