Long‐term prediction of the water level and salinity in the Dead Sea

The long‐term water level variations of the Dead Sea (DS) were assessed using a previously developed simulation model. The model establishes the condition of the DS by evaluating a series of ordinary differential equations describing mass balances on the water and major chemical species. The DS was modelled as a two‐layer system. The model was modified using up‐to‐date inflow data and recent hypsometric graphs to derive the volume–area–level relationships. Three scenarios were studied: continuation of current conditions; a cessation in industrial activity when the DS water level drops to a certain level; and a simplified weather change scenario. The model predicted that the DS will not dry up, but its level will continue to drop with a decelerating rate with no equilibrium level in 500 years. Changing climate would accelerate the level drop. In the 500 year period, after an initial increase, the DS salinity drops. The opposite behaviour is noted in the evaporation rate, which increases after an initial decrease. Ceasing industrial pumping would eventually restore the DS to its normal level, but with changed conditions. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of model complexity and space–time resolution on the prediction of long‐term soil salinity dynamics,western San Joaquin Valley,California

The numerical simulation of long‐term large‐scale (field to regional) variably saturated subsurface flow and transport remains a computational challenge, even with today's computing power. Therefore, it is appropriate to develop and use simplified models that focus on the main processes operating at the pertinent time and space scales, as long as the error introduced by the simpler model is small relative to the uncertainties associated with the spatial and temporal variation of boundary conditions and parameter values. This study investigates the effects of various model simplifications on the prediction of long‐term soil salinity and salt transport in irrigated soils. Average root‐zone salinity and cumulative annual drainage salt load were predicted for a 10‐year period using a one‐dimensional numerical flow and transport model (i.e. UNSATCHEM) that accounts for solute advection, dispersion and diffusion, and complex salt chemistry. The model uses daily values for rainfall, irrigation, and potential evapotranspiration rates. Model simulations consist of benchmark scenarios for different hypothetical cases that include shallow and deep water tables, different leaching fractions and soil gypsum content, and shallow groundwater salinity, with and without soil chemical reactions. These hypothetical benchmark simulations are compared with the results of various model simplifications that considered (i) annual average boundary conditions, (ii) coarser spatial discretization, and (iii) reducing the complexity of the salt‐soil reaction system. Based on the 10‐year simulation results, we conclude that salt transport modelling does not require daily boundary conditions, a fine spatial resolution, or complex salt chemistry. Instead, if the focus is on long‐term salinity, then a simplified modelling approach can be used, using annually averaged boundary conditions, a coarse spatial discretization, and inclusion of soil chemistry that only accounts for cation exchange and gypsum dissolution–precipitation. We also demonstrate that prediction errors due to these model simplifications may be small, when compared with effects of parameter uncertainty on model predictions. The proposed model simplifications lead to larger time steps and reduced computer simulation times by a factor of 1000. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influences of climate,terrain and land cover on stream salinity in southeastern Australia,and implications for management through reforestation

Reforestation of cleared land has the potential to reduce groundwater recharge, salt mobilization and streamflow. Stream salinity change is the net result of changes in stream salt load and streamflow. The net effect of these changes varies spatially as a function of climate, terrain and land cover. Successful natural resource management requires methods to map the spatial variability of reforestation impacts. We investigated salinity data from 2000 bores and streamflow and salinity measurements from 27 catchments in the Goulburn–Broken region in southeast Australia to assess the main factors determining stream salinity and opportunities for management through reforestation. For groundwater systems of similar geology, relationships were found between average annual rainfall and groundwater salinity and between groundwater salinity and low‐flow salinity. Despite its simplicity, we found that the steady‐state component of a simple conceptual coupled water–salt mass balance model (BC2C) adequately explained the spatial variation in streamflow and salinity. The model results suggest the efficiency of afforestation to reduce stream salinity could be increased by more than an order of magnitude through spatial planning. However, appreciable reductions in stream salinity in large rivers through land cover change alone would still require reforestation on an unprecedented scale. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structural controls on groundwater flow and groundwater salinity in the Spicers Creek catchment,Central West region,New South Wales

Saline seepage zone development, and hence the onset of dryland salinity, is a major environmental problem occurring within the Spicers Creek catchment. The primary objective of this paper was to identify previously unmapped faults and show the correlation between these faults and groundwater salinization. As identified from this study, there is a close association between geological structural features and the formation of saline seepage zones. The most saline groundwaters in the catchment were encountered where two geological structures join and form a fault intersection. These saline groundwaters are found at various depths within the fractured aquifers, and changes in groundwater chemistry in the aquifers are associated with the presence of fault zones. ¹⁸O and δ²H stable isotopes, together with ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotopic ratios, indicate that groundwaters within the fault zones are enriched in ¹⁸O and have a strontium signature similar to seawater. This study identifies several geological structures in the Spicers Creek catchment and demonstrates that groundwaters with the highest salinity arise where fault intersections occur. The results of this study may be used to interpret further the mechanisms leading to seepage zone formation in dryland salinity‐affected catchments located throughout the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The possible hydrologic effects of the proposed lignite open‐cast mining in Drama lignite field,Greece

The present study investigates the possible hydrologic effects of the proposed lignite open‐cast mining in Drama lignite field (north Greece). Recent years have seen a rapid increase in surface mining. This activity has generated a growing concern for the potential environmental impacts associated with large scale surface mining. In order to achieve a safe mine operation and allow extraction of lignite to considerable depths, extensive dewatering by pumping will be necessary, while at the same time it is desirable to avoid presence of overpumping conditions in the broader area. Based on stratigrafic, hydrologic and hydrogeologic data, a three‐dimensional finite difference model was developed in order to simulate the dewatering process of the western part of the lignite open‐cast mine in Drama and to predict both spatially and temporally the decline of ground water level down to the lignite surface. The dewatering of the part of the aquifer which underlies the mine area will influence the hydrological conditions of the broader region. The most important anticipated effects will be the abandonment of shallow wells as well as the decrease of ground water pumping rates of deep wells. Aquifer discharge towards the ditches of the study area will cease and there will be an inversion of ground water flow from the ditches towards the underlying aquifer. Dewatering activities will probably result in minor subsidence of the nearby peat deposits of Drama Philippi marshes. Moreover, sand pumping as well as the presence of gasses is likely to cause local subsidence phenomena, mainly in the pit slopes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrological and salinity impacts of a bio‐drainage strategy application in the Yizre'el Valley,Israel

The bio‐drainage–commercial forestry strategy was applied in five plots in the Yizre'el Valley, northern Israel, to evaluate the hydrological and salinity impacts of eucalypt plantations. Each plot contained a mix of 11 selected eucalyptus species/ecotypes. Two plots (Nahalal and Genigar), representing the two extreme waterlogging/salinity conditions in the valley, were selected for in‐depth monitoring over a 10‐year period to assess the likely environmental improvement through bio‐drainage. Despite impressive growth rates of genetically improved Eucalyptus camaldulensis in the year‐round waterlogged, slightly saline Nahalal site (650 mm annual rainfall), the water uptake by the trees was insufficient to control the rising water table caused by excessive water inputs, both natural and human. In the more saline, alkaline and drier Genigar plot (450 mm annual rainfall), where rainfall is the only water input, the ground water dropped to below 3 m from soil surface in the fourth year after planting, i.e. deeper than the adjacent ground water levels. Both sites showed appreciable rise in wells that penetrated the 3‐ to 4‐m confining layer. The 10‐year salinity (EC) trend of the top layer in Nahalal varied because the drainage was limited by the positive water balance and the above‐average spells of dry winters. In and below the 4 m deep layer the EC remained below 1·5 dS m^?1 throughout the entire 10‐year study. The last EC measurement, taken in 2003, showed values not higher than 4 dS m^?1 throughout the 6 m soil profile. In Genigar, there was significant leaching of salts from the top layer (1 m) during the 9‐year monitoring period, but recently a salts ‘bulge’ was gradually developed in the 1–5 m strata indicating that the expected downward movement of leached salts was impeded by the 3–4 m deep low‐permeability clayey layer that lies over a coarser, far more conductive and notably confined layer, which leads to a perched water body. The last EC measurement at the end of 2003 showed a maximum value of 5·5 dS m^?1 at 3 m depth. No signs of tree stress were observed in either site, at any soil depth during the 10 years of monitoring. Theoretical considerations do not support the hypothesis that there would be a fatal long‐term accumulation of salts in the root zone. The Israeli experience has shown that the bio‐drainage technique can effectively lower a shallow water table and reverse salinity trends, provided that the overall water balance is negative, i.e. that the water inputs match the water use by the tree plantation and local drainage characteristics. However, the rate of improvement of the hydraulic, salinity, sodicity and soil physical properties is site specific. Excess fresh water inputs into the plantation, although they create waterlogging conditions, supply unlimited water to the trees, which, in turn, show exceptional growth rates, with usable commercial value. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regionalisation of the parameters of the log‐Pearson 3 distribution: a case study for New South Wales,Australia

The index flood method is widely used in regional flood frequency analysis (RFFA) but explicitly relies on the identification of ‘acceptable homogeneous regions’. This paper presents an alternative RFFA method, which is particularly useful when ‘acceptably homogeneous regions’ cannot be identified. The new RFFA method is based on the region of influence (ROI) approach where a ‘local region’ can be formed to estimate statistics at the site of interest. The new method is applied here to regionalize the parameters of the log‐Pearson 3 (LP3) flood probability model using Bayesian generalized least squares (GLS) regression. The ROI approach is used to reduce model error arising from the heterogeneity unaccounted for by the predictor variables in the traditional fixed‐region GLS analysis. A case study was undertaken for 55 catchments located in eastern New South Wales, Australia. The selection of predictor variables was guided by minimizing model error. Using an approach similar to stepwise regression, the best model for the LP3 mean was found to use catchment area and 50‐year, 12‐h rainfall intensity as explanatory variables, whereas the models for the LP3 standard deviation and skewness only had a constant term for the derived ROIs. Diagnostics based on leave‐one‐out cross validation show that the regression model assumptions were not inconsistent with the data and, importantly, no genuine outlier sites were identified. Significantly, the ROI GLS approach produced more accurate and consistent results than a fixed‐region GLS model, highlighting the superior ability of the ROI approach to deal with heterogeneity. This method is particularly applicable to regions that show a high degree of regional heterogeneity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long‐term investigations of the snow cover in a subalpine semi‐forested catchment

To improve spring runoff forecasts from subalpine catchments, detailed spatial simulations of the snow cover in this landscape is obligatory. For more than 30 years, the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL has been conducting extensive snow cover observations in the subalpine watershed Alptal (central Switzerland). This paper summarizes the conclusions from past snow studies in the Alptal valley and presents an analysis of 14 snow courses located at different exposures and altitudes, partly in open areas and partly in forest. The long‐term performance of a physically based numerical snow–vegetation–atmosphere model (COUP) was tested with these snow‐course measurements. One single parameter set with meteorological input variables corrected to the prevailing local conditions resulted in a convincing snow water equivalent (SWE) simulation at most sites and for various winters with a wide range of snow conditions. The snow interception approach used in this study was able to explain the forest effect on the SWE as observed on paired snow courses. Finally, we demonstrated for a meadow and a forest site that a successful simulation of the snowpack yields appropriate melt rates. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial variability in the timing,nature and extent of channel response to typical human disturbance along the Upper Hunter River,New South Wales,Australia

Prior to European settlement, the Upper Hunter River near Muswellbrook, New South Wales, was a passively meandering gravel‐bed river of moderate sinuosity and relatively uniform channel width. Analyses of floodplain sedimentology, archival records, parish maps and aerial photographs document marked spatial variability in the pattern of channel change since European settlement in the 1820s. Different types, rates and extents of change are reported for seven zones of adjustment along an 8 km study reach. This variable adjustment reflects imposed antecedent controls (buried terrace material and bedrock), which have significantly influenced local variability in river sensitivity to change, as well as contemporary morphodynamics and geomorphic complexity. Local variability in system responses to disturbance has important implications for future river management and rehabilitation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Groundwater–surface water interactions in a large semi‐arid floodplain: implications for salinity management

Flow regulation and water diversion for irrigation have considerably impacted the exchange of surface water between the Murray River and its floodplains. However, the way in which river regulation has impacted groundwater–surface water interactions is not completely understood, especially in regards to the salinization and accompanying vegetation dieback currently occurring in many of the floodplains. Groundwater–surface water interactions were studied over a 2 year period in the riparian area of a large floodplain (Hattah–Kulkyne, Victoria) using a combination of piezometric surface monitoring and environmental tracers (Cl⁻, δ²H, and δ¹⁸O). Despite being located in a local and regional groundwater discharge zone, the Murray River is a losing stream under low flow conditions at Hattah–Kulkyne. The discharge zone for local groundwater, regional groundwater and bank recharge is in the floodplain within ∼1 km of the river and is probably driven by high rates of transpiration by the riparian Eucalyptus camaldulensis woodland. Environmental tracers data suggest that the origin of groundwater is principally bank recharge in the riparian zone and a combination of diffuse rainfall recharge and localized floodwater recharge elsewhere in the floodplain. Although the Murray River was losing under low flows, bank discharge occurred during some flood recession periods. The way in which the water table responded to changes in river level was a function of the type of stream bank present, with point bars providing a better connection to the alluvial aquifer than the more common clay‐lined banks. Understanding the spatial variability in the hydraulic connection with the river channel and in vertical recharge following inundations will be critical to design effective salinity remediation strategies for large semi‐arid floodplains. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long‐term discharge prediction for the Turnu Severin station (the Danube) using a linear autoregressive model

The long‐term trends of yearly discharge time series and runoff variability at seven stations along the River Danube are identified. The results of statistical analysis of discharge time series indicate the period around the year 1860 was the driest decade in central and eastern Europe since 1840. In these years, the mean annual air temperature in central Europe was lower by about 1 °C compared with the 1990s. It is important to notice that the two driest decades (around 1860s and 1990s) of the instrumental era occurred in very different temperature conditions. The 28–31 years; 20–21 years; 14 years, as well as 4·2, 3·6, and 2·4 years fluctuations of annual discharge in the River Danube were found. Also, the long‐term streamflow prediction based on stochastic modelling methods is treated. Harmonic models and the Box–Jenkins methods were used. The predictions of yearly River Danube discharge time series were made for two decades ahead. From the stochastic models it follows that the annual discharge in the Danube at Turnu Severin station should reach its local maximum within the years 2004–06. The period 2015–19 should be dry. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long‐term effects of aquifer overdraft and recovery on groundwater quality in a Ramsar wetland: Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park,Spain

Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park is one of Spain's most representative groundwater‐dependent ecosystems. Under natural conditions, water inflows combined brackish surface water from River Gigüela with freshwater inputs from River Guadiana and the underlying aquifer. Since the mid‐1970s, aquifer overexploitation caused the desiccation of the wetlands and neighbouring springs. The National Park remained in precarious hydrological conditions for three decades, with the only exception of rapid floods due to extreme rainfall events and sporadic water transfers from other basins. In the late 2000s, a decrease in groundwater abstraction and an extraordinarily wet period reversed the trend. The aquifer experienced an unexpected recovery of groundwater levels (over 20 m in some areas), thus restoring groundwater discharge to springs and wetlands. The complex historical evolution of the water balance in this site has resulted in substantial changes in surface and groundwater quality. This becomes evident when comparing the pre‐1980 groundwater quality and the hydrochemical status in the wetland in two different periods, under “dry” and “wet” conditions. Although the system is close to full recovery from the groundwater‐level viewpoint, bouncing back in the major hydrochemical constituents has not yet been obtained. These still appear to evolve in response to the previous overexploitation state. Moreover, in some sectors, there are groundwater‐dependent ecosystems that remain different to those found in preoverexploitation times. The experience of Las Tablas de Damiel provides an observatory of long‐term changes in wetland water quality, demonstrating that the effects of aquifer overexploitation on aquatic ecosystems are more than a mere alteration of the water balance and that groundwater quality is the key to aquifer and aquatic ecosystem sustainability.     

Modelling the effects of land‐use change on water and salt delivery from a catchment affected by dryland salinity in south‐east Australia

A comprehensive framework for the assessment of water and salt balance for large catchments affected by dryland salinity is applied to the Boorowa River catchment (1550 km²), located in south‐eastern Australia. The framework comprised two models, each focusing on a different aspect and operating on a different scale. A quasi‐physical semi‐distributed model CATSALT was used to estimate runoff and salt fluxes from different source areas within the catchment. The effects of land use, climate, topography, soils and geology are included. A groundwater model FLOWTUBE was used to estimate the long‐term effects of land‐use change on groundwater discharge. Unlike conventional salinity studies that focus on groundwater alone, this study makes use of a new approach to explore surface and groundwater interactions with salt stores and the stream. Land‐use change scenarios based on increased perennial pasture and tree‐cover content of the vegetation, aimed at high leakage and saline discharge areas, are investigated. Likely downstream impacts of the reduction in flow and salt export are estimated. The water balance model was able to simulate both the daily observed stream flow and salt load at the catchment outlet for high and low flow conditions satisfactorily. Mean leakage rate of about 23·2 mm year^?1 under current land use for the Boorowa catchment was estimated. The corresponding mean runoff and salt export from the catchment were 89 382 ML year^?1 and 38 938 t year^?1, respectively. Investigation of various land‐use change scenarios indicates that changing annual pastures and cropping areas to perennial pastures is not likely to result in substantial improvement of water quality in the Boorowa River. A land‐use change of about 20% tree‐cover, specifically targeting high recharge and the saline discharge areas, would be needed to decrease stream salinity by 150 µS cm^?1 from its current level. Stream salinity reductions of about 20 µS cm^?1 in the main Lachlan River downstream of the confluence of the Boorowa River is predicted. The FLOWTUBE modelling within the Boorowa River catchment indicated that discharge areas under increased recharge conditions could re‐equilibrate in around 20 years for the catchment, and around 15 years for individual hillslopes. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long‐wave radiation and heat flux estimates within a small tributary in Catamaran Brook (New Brunswick,Canada)

River water temperature is an important water quality parameter that also influences most aquatic life. Physical processes influencing water temperature in rivers are highly complex. This is especially true for the estimation of river heat exchange processes that are highly dependent on good estimates of radiation fluxes. Furthermore, very few studies were found within the stream temperature dynamic literature where the different radiation components have been measured and compared at the stream level (at microclimate conditions). Therefore, this study presents results on hydrometeorological conditions for a small tributary within Catamaran Brook (part of the Miramichi River system, New Brunswick, Canada) with the following specific objectives: (1) to compare between stream microclimate and remote meteorological conditions, (2) to compare measured long‐wave radiation data with those calculated from an analytical model, and (3), to calculate the corresponding river heat fluxes. The most salient findings of this study are (1) solar radiation and wind speed are parameters that are highly site specific within the river environment and play an important role in the estimation of river heat fluxes; (2) the incoming, outgoing, and net long‐wave radiation within the stream environment (under the forest canopy) can be effectively calculated using empirical formula; (3) at the study site more than 80% of the incoming long‐wave radiation was coming from the forest; (4) total energy gains were dominated by solar radiation flux (for all the study periods) followed by the net long‐wave radiation (during some periods) whereas energy losses were coming from both the net long‐wave radiation and evaporation. Conductive heat fluxes have a minor contribution from the overall heat budget (<3·5%); (5) the reflected short‐wave radiation at the water surface was calculated on average as 3·2%, which is consistent with literature values. Results of this study contribute towards a better understanding of river heat fluxes and water temperature models as well as for more effective aquatic resources and fisheries management. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Establishing a Clean‐quality Indicator System for Evaluating Reclaimed Land in the Antaibao Opencast Mine Area,China

This article discusses the existing problems associated with reclaimed land in the area of the Antaibao Opencast Coal Mine, which is located in the semi‐arid region of northwest China. The following eight indicators of the suitability of the reclaimed land were developed based on the theory of soil genesis and landscape ecology: the thickness of the effective soil layer, composition of the soil surface, vegetation index, types of covering vegetation, slope of the terrain, time of reclamation, area of the evaluation unit, and the shape index of the evaluation unit. The suitability evaluation indexes of the reclaimed land were determined using the 3S technology and fuzzy evaluation methods, which revealed that the suitability of the reclaimed land in the study area could be divided into six grades and two categories, land suitable for farming, and land suitable for trees or grass. The suitability evaluation indicators and evaluation methods developed to evaluate reclaimed land in this study will be beneficial to the large‐scale rapid monitoring and the effective management of reclaimed land in the opencast mine area.     

Inter‐annual variation in the topographic controls on catchment‐scale snow distribution in a maritime alpine catchment,New Zealand

Seasonal snow is a globally important water resource that contributes substantially to upland and lowland water resources. As such, there is a need to understand the controls on the spatial and temporal variation in snow distribution. This study meets this research need by investigating the topographic controls on snow depth distribution in the upper Jollie catchment in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Furthermore, inter‐annual variation in the importance of the topographic controls is examined and linked to variation in the dominant synoptic‐scale weather patterns over a 4‐year period (2007–2010). Through the use of regression trees, the relative importance of the topographic controls on snow depth was shown to vary between the four study years. In particular, elevation explained the greatest amount of variance in 2007 and 2008 and east‐exposure explained the greatest variance in 2009 and 2010. The other wind exposure variables also had a large effect on the snow depth distribution in 2009 and 2010. Differences in the frequency and duration of synoptic weather patterns were physically consistent with the changing importance of these variables. In particular, a higher frequency of troughing events in 2009 and 2010 is thought to be associated with a reduced importance of elevation and greater influence of wind exposure on snow depth in these years. These findings demonstrate the importance of using multi‐year data sets, and of considering topographic and climatic influences, when attempting to model alpine snow distribution. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Linking Test that investigates the feasibility of inverse modelling: application to a simple rainfall interception model for Mt Gambier,southeast South Australia

Interception loss has an important influence on the water yield of forested areas. Nevertheless, in most studies stemflow is not measured, therefore the question of how to determine the feasibility of optimizing interception and stemflow parameters simultaneously by matching daily simulated throughfall to fortnightly measurements of cumulative throughfall is an important one. By applying a daily empirical interception model, a goodness fit of 2·2 mm/day is obtained between observed and simulated cumulative throughfall. However, by applying the simple but robust Linking Test, it was shown that the parameters are non‐unique and falsely linked, i.e. inter‐relationships between different vegetation parameter sets give similar throughfall but non‐unique net precipitation. The Linking Test investigates the causes of obtaining falsely linked parameters and shows that objective equifinality is not the source of the problem. Objective equifinality occurs when an inappropriate objective function is used. The Linking Test also shows that falsely linked parameters are not caused by measuring throughfall on a non‐daily basis (termed frequency sampling equifinality). By expanding the interception model to the second degree, it was found that the non‐uniqueness is due to the inherent nature of interception and stemflow functions that behave similarly and therefore can easily compensate each other (termed similarity equifinality). It is also shown that a simple daily empirical exponential interception model developed for conifers in the uplands of the United Kingdom is suitable to model interception in Pinus radiata plantations in the Mediterranean climate of southern Australia by using only daily gross precipitation data and two parameters. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Timing and development of sedimentation of the Cleaverville Formation and a post‐accretion pull‐apart system in the Cleaverville area,coastal Pilbara Terrane,Pilbara, Western Australia

In the Cleaverville area of Western Australia, the Regal, Dixon Island, and Cleaverville Formations preserve a Mesoarchean lower‐greenschist‐facies volcano‐sedimentary succession in the coastal Pilbara Terrane. These formations are distributed in a rhomboidal‐shaped area and are unconformably overlain by two narrowly distributed shallow‐marine sedimentary sequences: the Sixty‐Six Hill and Forty‐Four Hill Members of the Lizard Hills Formation. The former member is preserved within the core of the Cleaverville Syncline and the latter formed along the northeast‐trending Eighty‐Seven Fault. Based on the metamorphic grade and structures, two deformation events are recognized: D₁ resulted in folding caused by a collisional event, and D₂ resulted in regional sinistral strike‐slip deformation. A previous study reported that the Cleaverville Formation was deposited at 3020 Ma, after the Prinsep Orogeny (3070–3050 Ma). Our SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages show that: (i) graded volcaniclastic–felsic tuff within the black shale sequence below the banded iron formation in the Cleaverville Formation yields an age of (3 114 ±14) Ma; (ii) the youngest zircons in sandstones of the Sixty‐Six Hill Member, which unconformably overlies pillow basalt of the Regal Formation, yield ages of 3090–3060 Ma; and (iii) zircons in sandstones of the Forty‐Four Hill Member show two age peaks at 3270 Ma and 3020 Ma. In this way, the Cleaverville Formation was deposited at 3114–3060 Ma and was deformed at 3070–3050 Ma (D₁). Depositional age of the Cleaverville Formation is at least 40–90 Myr older than that proposed in previous studies and pre‐dates the Prinsep Orogeny (3070–3050 Ma). After 3020 Ma, D₂ resulted in the formation of a regional strike‐slip pull‐apart basin in the Cleaverville area. The lower‐greenschist‐facies volcano‐sedimentary rocks are distributed only within this basin structure. This strike‐slip deformation was synchronous with crustal‐scale sinistral shear deformation (3000–2930 Ma) in the Pilbara region.     

Development of a three‐dimensional watershed modelling system for water cycle in the middle part of the Heihe rivershed,in the west of China

A three‐dimensional numerical modelling system is developed to study transformation processes of water resources in alluvial fan and river basin along the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin, Northwest China, an arid and semi‐arid region. Integrating land utilization, remote sensing and geographic information systems, we have developed a numerical modelling system that can be used to quantify the effects of land use and anthropogenic activities on the groundwater system as well as to investigate the interaction between surface water and groundwater. Various hydraulic measurements are used to identify and calibrate the hydraulic boundary conditions and spatial distributions of hydraulic parameters. In the modelling study, various water exchanges and human effects on the watershed system are considered. These include water exchange between surface water and groundwater, groundwater pumping, lateral water recharges from mountain areas, land utilization, and infiltration and evaporation in the irrigation and non‐irrigation areas. The modelling system provides a quantitative method to describe spatial and temporal distributions and transformations between various water resources, and it has application to other watersheds in arid and semi‐arid areas. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.