Vertical surface water–groundwater exchange processes within a headwater floodplain induced by experimental floods

Restoring hydrologic connectivity between channels and floodplains is common practice in stream and river restoration. Floodplain hydrology and hydrogeology impact stream hydraulics, ecology, biogeochemical processing, and pollutant removal, yet rigorous field evaluations of surface water–groundwater exchange within floodplains during overbank floods are rare. We conducted five sets of experimental floods to mimic floodplain reconnection by pumping stream water onto an existing floodplain swale. Floods were conducted throughout the year to capture seasonal variation and each involved two replicate floods on successive days to test the effect of varying antecedent moisture. Water levels and specific conductance were measured in surface water, soil, and groundwater within the floodplain, along with surface flow into and out of the floodplain. Vegetation density varied seasonally and controlled the volume of surface water storage on the floodplain. By contrast, antecedent moisture conditions controlled storage of water in floodplain soils, with drier antecedent moisture conditions leading to increased subsurface storage and slower flood wave propagation across the floodplain surface. The site experienced spatial heterogeneity in vertical connectivity between surface water and groundwater across the floodplain surface, where propagation of hydrostatic pressure, preferential flow, and bulk Darcy flow were all mechanisms that may have occurred during the five floods. Vertical connectivity also increased with time, suggesting higher frequency of floodplain inundation may increase surface water–groundwater exchange across the floodplain surface. Understanding the variability of floodplain impacts on water quality noted in the literature likely requires better accounting for seasonal variations in floodplain vegetation and antecedent moisture as well as heterogeneous exchange flow mechanisms. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determining long time‐scale hyporheic zone flow paths in Antarctic streams

In the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, glaciers are the source of meltwater during the austral summer, and the streams and adjacent hyporheic zones constitute the entire physical watershed; there are no hillslope processes in these systems. Hyporheic zones can extend several metres from each side of the stream, and are up to 70 cm deep, corresponding to a lateral cross‐section as large as 12 m², and water resides in the subsurface year around. In this study, we differentiate between the near‐stream hyporheic zone, which can be characterized with stream tracer experiments, and the extended hyporheic zone, which has a longer time‐scale of exchange. We sampled stream water from Green Creek and from the adjacent saturated alluvium for stable isotopes of D and ¹⁸O to assess the significance and extent of stream‐water exchange between the streams and extended hyporheic zones over long time‐scales (days to weeks). Our results show that water residing in the extended hyporheic zone is much more isotopically enriched (up to 11‰ D and 2·2‰ ¹⁸O) than stream water. This result suggests a long residence time within the extended hyporheic zone, during which fractionation has occurred owing to summer evaporation and winter sublimation of hyporheic water. We found less enriched water in the extended hyporheic zone later in the flow season, suggesting that stream water may be exchanged into and out of this zone, on the time‐scale of weeks to months. The transient storage model OTIS was used to characterize the exchange of stream water with the extended hyporheic zone. Model results yield exchange rates (α) generally an order magnitude lower (10^?5 s^?1) than those determined using stream‐tracer techniques on the same stream. In light of previous studies in these streams, these results suggest that the hyporheic zones in Antarctic streams have near‐stream zones of rapid stream‐water exchange, where ‘fast’ biogeochemical reactions may influence water chemistry, and extended hyporheic zones, in which slower biogeochemical reaction rates may affect stream‐water chemistry at longer time‐scales. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Patterns of hydrologic connectivity in the McMurdo Dry Valleys,Antarctica: a synthesis of 20 years of hydrologic data

Streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica moderate an important hydrologic and biogeochemical connection between upland alpine glaciers, valley‐bottom soils, and lowland closed‐basin lakes. Moreover, MDV streams are simple but dynamic systems ideal for studying interacting hydrologic and ecological dynamics. This work synthesizes 20 years of hydrologic data, collected as part of the MDVs Long‐Term Ecological Research project, to assess spatial and temporal dynamics of hydrologic connectivity between glaciers, streams, and lakes. Long‐term records of stream discharge (Q), specific electrical conductance (EC), and water temperature (T) from 18 streams were analysed in order to quantify the magnitude, duration, and frequency of hydrologic connections over daily, annual, and inter‐annual timescales. At a daily timescale, we observe predictable diurnal variations in Q, EC, and T. At an annual timescale, we observe longer streams to be more intermittent, warmer, and have higher median EC values, compared to shorter streams. Longer streams also behave chemostatically with respect to EC, whereas shorter streams are more strongly characterized by dilution. Inter‐annually, we observe significant variability in annual runoff volumes, likely because of climatic variability over the 20 record years considered. Hydrologic connections at all timescales are vital to stream ecosystem structure and function. This synthesis of hydrologic connectivity in the MDVs provides a useful end‐member template for assessing hydrologic connectivity in more structurally complex temperate watersheds. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Riparian influence on hyporheic‐zone formation downstream of a small dam in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas

Small‐order streams have highly variable flows that can result in large temporal and spatial variation of the hyporheic zone. Dam construction along these intermittent headwater streams alters downstream flow and influences the hydrologic balance between stream water and the adjacent riparian zone. A 3‐year site study was conducted along an impounded second‐order stream to determine the water balance between stream, unsaturated zone, groundwater and riparian vegetation. The presence of the upstream impoundment provided near‐perennial water flow in the stream channel. The observed woody plant transpiration accounted for 71% of average annual water loss in the site. The overall contribution of stream water via the hyporheic zone to site water balance was 73 cm, or 44% of total inputs. This exceeded both rainfall and upland subsurface contribution to the site. A highly dynamic hyporheic zone was indicated by high water use from woody plants that fluctuated seasonally with stream water levels. We found leaf area development in the canopy layer to be closely coupled with stream and groundwater fluctuations, indicating its usefulness as a potential indicator of site water balance for small dam systems. The net result of upstream impoundment increased riparian vegetation productivity by influencing movement of stream water to storage in the groundwater system. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relationships between hydraulic parameters in a small stream under varying flow and seasonal conditions

Twenty conservative tracer injections were carried out in the same reach of a small woodland stream in order to determine how variation in discharge and leaf accumulation affect stream hydraulic parameters. The injections were made at various discharge rates ranging from 2·6 to 40 l/s. Five of the injections were made during late autumn, when there were large accumulations of leaves in the stream. Estimates of hydraulic parameters were made by fitting a transient storage solute transport model to conservative tracer concentration profiles. Velocity increased almost linearly with increasing discharge, indicating a decline in the Darcy friction factor. Dispersion also increased with increasing discharge, especially for the lower flow injections. The relative size of the storage zone was small (∽0·1). There was no definable relationship between discharge and the relative storage zone size, but the rates of exchange between the storage zone and the main channel increased markedly with increasing discharge. The presence of large accumulations of leaves had a clear effect on the hydraulic characteristics of the stream, producing much higher friction factors, larger storage zone sizes and lower velocity than would have been predicted by discharge alone. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical modelling to evaluate the nitrogen removal rate in hyporheic zone and its implications for stream management

The hyporheic zone (HZ) plays a vital role in the stream ecosystem. Reactions in the HZ such as denitrification and nitrification have been examined in previous studies. However, no numerical model has yet been developed that can accurately simulate nitrogen concentration changes in the HZ, because the zones for the two reactions can change throughout the reactions. This study proposes a method of evaluating the nitrogen removal rate in the HZ through numerical modelling. First, a basic two‐dimensional numerical model coupling flow conditions with biochemical reactions is proposed to consider both nitrification and denitrification. The zones for different reactions are determined under the assumption that related environmental variables (i.e., the dissolved oxygen) will not change throughout the reactions. Next, to examine changes in environmental variables throughout the reactions, an improved model is proposed, and a method is developed for delineating the boundary between nitrification and denitrification zones and identifying a transition zone where either reaction might take place. However, more information about biochemical reactions in the HZ is required to use the improved model. To overcome this shortcoming, a new model that couples the basic model and genetic programming (GP) is proposed to optimize the simulation results of the basic model and allow for real‐time forecasting. The results show that the basic model obtains acceptable simulation results for nitrate concentration distribution in the HZ. The improved model performs better than the basic model, but the model coupling the basic model with GP performs best. In addition, the function of the HZ in nitrogen removal is examined through a case study of four scenarios, leading to the conclusion that the HZ has a higher nitrogen removal rate when water quality is neither too poor nor too good. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the HZ and can benefit the restoration and management of HZs and streams in the face of the continual degradation caused by human activity.     

Denitrification in a hyporheic riparian zone controlled by river regulation in the Seine river basin (France)

The purpose of this paper is to study denitrification and the conditions for its development in a hyporheic zone. The study site is the riparian zone of a former branch of the Seine River, where the river stage is kept almost constant during the year by hydraulic regulation. Hydrological and geochemical surveys were performed by monitoring four wells, ten shorter piezometers and the river over a 15‐month period. The water fluxes originating from the chalky hillsides and the river converge in a zone parallel to the river that acts as a drainage flow path through the floodplain. The riparian zone between this flow path and the river shows an important depletion of nitrate during the summer and autumn period, which cannot be explained by a simple mixing of waters coming from the river and the chalky hillsides. It can be attributed to denitrification as it occurs when oxygen concentration is below 2 mg l^?1, and goes along with a consumption of dissolved organic carbon and a decrease of redox potential. The river completely controls these hydro‐geochemical conditions. It also keeps the wetness of the riparian zone almost constant, which allowed us to isolate the high temperatures in summer and autumn as an important triggering factor for denitrification through its influence on the reaction rate and oxygen deficits. We also found a small isotopic enrichment of nitrate, suggesting that denitrification occurs after diffusion of nitrate through the sediment and riparian zone matrix, which is consistent with the hyporheic functioning of the study site. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Heterogeneous oxygenation of wetland soils with increasing inundation: Redox potential,water depth,and preferential flow paths

Saturated wetland soils are typically depleted in oxygen due to rapid consumption by biological processes. Fine-grained sediments limit the vertical flux of oxygenated surface water. In forested wetlands potential exists for advective transport along preferential flow pathways created by decomposing roots or tree remains, resulting in isolated zones of oxygenated pore water. This potential is enhanced in wetlands that are perched above the regional water table, where increases in surface-water depth create significant downward hydraulic gradients. Along the Mississippi River floodplain, many wetlands are now perched as a result of groundwater mining. This study was conducted at Sky Lake, MS, through a growing season, with high temporal-resolution monitoring of redox potential as a proxy for the delivery of oxygenated surface water at 30 and 60 cm depths at six locations. Results showed reducing conditions at all locations under moderate inundation, but redox potential rose significantly at a subset of locations when surface-water exceeded one meter in depth. Rising redox potential is argued to represent localised advective transport of oxygen in excess of the rate of biological consumption. Wetland plants growing in perennially saturated soils may benefit from periodic increases in water depth and subsequent increase in the flux of oxygen along preferential flow paths.     

Spatial and temporal variations of nutrient concentration in the groundwater of a floodplain: effect of hydrology,vegetation and substrate

Spatio‐temporal variations in nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in groundwater were analysed and related to the variations in hydrological conditions, vegetation type and substrate in an alluvial ecosystem. This study was conducted in the Illwald forest in the Rhine Plain (eastern France) to assess the removal of nutrients from groundwater in a regularly flooded area. We compared both forest and meadow ecosystems on clayey‐silty soils with an anoxic horizon (pseudogley) at 1·5–2 m depth (eutric gley soil) and a forest ecosystem on a clayey‐silty fluviosoil rich in organic matter with a gley at 0·5 m depth (calcaric gley soil). Piezometers were used to measure the nutrient concentrations in the groundwater at 2 m depth in the root layer and at 4·5 m depth, below the root layer. Lower concentrations of nitrate and phosphate in groundwater were observed under forest than under meadow, which could be explained by more efficient plant uptake by woody species than herbaceous plants. Thus NO₃‐N inputs by river floods were reduced by 73% in the shallow groundwater of the forested ecosystem, and only by 37% in the meadow. Compared with the superficial groundwater layer, the lowest level of nitrate nitrogen (NO₃‐N) and the highest level of ammonium nitrogen (NH₄‐N) were measured in the deep layer (under the gley horizon at 2·5 m depth), which suggests that the reducing potential of the anoxic horizon in the gley soils contributes to the reduction of nitrate. Nitrate concentrations were higher in the groundwater of the parcel rich in organic matter than in the one poorer in organic matter. Phosphate (PO₄‐P) concentrations in both shallow and deep groundwater are less than 62 to 76% of those found in surface water which can be related to the retention capacity of the clay colloids of these soils. Moreover, the temporal variations in nutrient concentrations in groundwater are directly related to variations in groundwater level during an annual hydrological cycle. Our results suggest that variations in groundwater level regulate spatio‐temporal variations in nutrient concentrations in groundwater as a result of the oxidation–reduction status of soil, which creates favourable or unfavourable conditions for nutrient bioavailability. The hydrological variations are much more important than those concerning substrate and type of vegetation. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of morphology and discharge on hyporheic exchange flows in two small streams in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon,USA

Stream‐tracer injections were used to examine the effect of channel morphology and changing stream discharge on hyporheic exchange flows. Direct observations were made from well networks to follow tracer movement through the hyporheic zone. The reach‐integrated influence of hyporheic exchange was evaluated using the transient storage model (TSM) OTIS‐P. Transient storage modelling results were compared with direct observations to evaluate the reliability of the TSM. Results from the tracer injection in the bedrock reach supported the assumption that most transient storage in headwater mountain streams results from hyporheic exchange. Direct observations from the well networks in colluvial reaches showed that subsurface flow paths tended to parallel the valley axis. Cross‐valley gradients were weak except near steps, where vertical and cross‐valley hydraulic gradients indicated a strong potential for stream water to downwell into the hyporheic zone. The TSM parameters showed that both size and residence time of transient storage were greater in reaches with a few large log‐jam‐formed steps than in reaches with more frequent, but smaller steps. Direct observations showed that residence times in the unconstrained stream were longer than in the constrained stream and that little change occurred in the location and extent of the hyporheic zone between low‐ and high‐baseflow discharges in any of the colluvial reaches. The transient storage modelling results did not agree with these observations, suggesting that the TSM was insensitive to long residence‐time exchange flows and was very sensitive to changes in discharge. Disagreements between direct observations and the transient storage modelling results highlight fundamental problems with the TSM that confound comparisons between the transient storage modelling results for tracer injections conducted under differing flow conditions. Overall, the results showed that hyporheic exchange was little affected by stream discharge (at least over the range of baseflow discharges examined in this study). The results did show that channel morphology controlled development of the hyporheic zone in these steep mountain stream channels. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Patterns in stream longitudinal profiles and implications for hyporheic exchange flow at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest,Oregon, USA

There is a need to identify measurable characteristics of stream channel morphology that vary predictably throughout stream networks and that influence patterns of hyporheic exchange flow in mountain streams. In this paper we characterize stream longitudinal profiles according to channel unit spacing and the concavity of the water surface profile. We demonstrate that: (1) the spacing between zones of upwelling and downwelling in the beds of mountain streams is closely related to channel unit spacing; (2) the magnitude of the vertical hydraulic gradients (VHGs) driving hyporheic exchange flow increase with increasing water surface concavity, measured at specific points along the longitudinal profile; (3) channel unit spacing and water surface concavity are useful metrics for predicting how patterns in hyporheic exchange vary amongst headwater and mid‐order streams. We use regression models to describe changes in channel unit spacing and concavity in longitudinal profiles for 12 randomly selected stream reaches spanning 62 km² in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon. Channel unit spacing increased significantly, whereas average water surface concavity (AWSC) decreased significantly with increasing basin area. Piezometer transects installed longitudinally in a subset of stream reaches were used to measure VHG in the hyporheic zone, and to determine the location of upwelling and downwelling zones. Predictions for median pool length and median distance between steps in piezometer reaches bracketed the median distance separating zones of upwelling in the stream bed. VHG in individual piezometers increased with increasing water surface concavity at individual points in the longitudinal profile along piezometer transects. Absolute values of VHG, averaged throughout piezometer transects, increased with increasing AWSC, indicating increased potential for hyporheic exchange flow. These findings suggest that average hyporheic flow path lengths increase—and the potential for hyporheic exchange flow in stream reaches decreases—along the continuum from headwater to mid‐order mountain streams. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wetland nitrogen dynamics in an Adirondack forested watershed

Wetlands often form the transition zone between upland soils and watershed streams, however, stream–wetland interactions and hydrobiogeochemical processes are poorly understood. We measured changes in stream nitrogen (N) through one riparian wetland and one beaver meadow in the Archer Creek watershed in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, USA from 1 March to 31 July 1996. In the riparian wetland we also measured changes in groundwater N. Groundwater N changed significantly from tension lysimeters at the edge of the peatland to piezometer nests within the peatland. Mean N concentrations at the peatland perimeter were 1·5, 0·5 and 18·6 µmol L^?1 for NH₄⁺, NO₃^? and DON (dissolved organic nitrogen), respectively, whereas peatland groundwater N concentration was 56·9, 1·5 and 31·6 µmol L^?1 for NH₄⁺, NO₃^? and DON, respectively. The mean concentrations of stream water N species at the inlet to the wetlands were 1·5, 10·1 and 16·9 µmol L^?1 for NH₄⁺, NO₃^? and DON, respectively and 1·6, 28·1 and 8·4 µmol L^?1 at the wetland outlet. Although groundwater total dissolved N (TDN) concentrations changed more than stream water TDN through the wetlands, hydrological cross‐sections for the peatland showed that wetland groundwater contributed minimally to stream flow during the study period. Therefore, surface water N chemistry was affected more by in‐stream N transformations than by groundwater N transformations because the in‐stream changes, although small, affected a much greater volume of water. Stream water N input–output budgets indicated that the riparian peatland retained 0·16 mol N ha^?1 day^?1 of total dissolved N and the beaver meadow retained 0·26 mol N ha^?1 day^?1 during the study period. Nitrate dominated surface water TDN flux from the wetlands during the spring whereas DON dominated during the summer. This study demonstrates that although groundwater N changed significantly in the riparian peatland, those changes were not reflected in the stream. Consequently, although in‐stream changes of N concentrations were less marked than those in groundwater, they had a greater effect on stream water chemistry—because wetland groundwater contributed minimally to stream flow. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Toward a new conceptual model for groundwater flow in merokarst systems: Insights from multiple geophysical approaches

Merokarst aquifers — relatively thin (<1–2 m) karstified carbonate units interbedded between mudstone, shale, or sandstone — constitute a significant proportion of carbonate terrain and underlie a large portion of the west- and south-central USA, yet few advances have been made in our understanding of porosity development and flow-path generation in these complex systems in decades. Toward this end, we used a multi-geophysical approach at the well-studied Konza Prairie Biological Station (KPBS), a part of the larger Flint Hills (25,734 km²), underlain by thin limestone units (1–2 m thick) interbedded with mudstone/shale units (2–4 m thick), to elucidate hydrologic connectivity and potential controls on known groundwater flow directions. We combined electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), surface and borehole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements across a low order catchment where over 25 boreholes and groundwater wells sampling perched aquifers could be used to constrain interpretation of lithology, potential flow paths, and permeability. Data revealed that groundwater export may be an unappreciated component of lateral-flow-dominated models used to represent merokarst in that: (a) potentiometric surfaces from two limestone units showed groundwater flows toward a hydrologic depression, opposite the direction of stream flow, in the upstream portion of the catchment, (b) long term measures of groundwater levels revealed a greater variance and overall water storage in this same upstream area compared to wells near the outlet, and (c) ERT and NMR results indicate pronounced lateral heterogeneity within a given unit, suggestive of a greater degree of vertical hydrological connectivity than usually considered for horizontally-layered merokarst. Our data suggest vertical connectivity can shunt water to depth in these “sandwiched” merokarst aquifers, yielding atypical groundwater flow directions and unrealized deep export of weathering solutes and carbon.     

Logjams as a driver of transient storage in a mountain stream

We use four stream segments along a wood-rich, pool–riffle mountain stream in the Southern Rockies of Colorado, USA to examine how spatial variations in wood load and variations in discharge during and after the snowmelt peak flow influence the magnitude of surface and subsurface transient storage. Segments range in complexity from a single channel with no large wood to an anabranching channel with closely spaced, channel-spanning logjams. Discharges at which transient storage was assessed range from base flow to snowmelt peak flow. To explore these relations, we used 10 geomorphic variables representing channel morphology and bed substrate, four wood-related variables representing wood load and associated backwater storage, and two measures of skewness from instream and bulk electrical conductivity breakthrough curves during tracer tests. Instream curves reflect surface and subsurface transient storage, whereas bulk curves primarily represent subsurface transient storage. Higher values of skewness indicate greater retention, and we used the values here as a metric of increased transient storage. Although limited sample size restricts the power of our results, our findings suggest that stream segments with greater instream large wood loads have more and larger pools, greater storage of fine sediment and particulate organic matter, and higher values of skew from instream conductivity. The results also suggest that the presence of instream wood, rather than changes in channel morphology associated with wood, is the most important driver of transient storage. This implies that river management designed to foster transient storage should focus on retaining instream large wood. We did not find significant correlations between geomorphic or wood-related variables and the skew estimated from bulk conductivity, which may reflect the relatively thin alluvium present in the field area and the prevalence of surface transient storage in this system.     

The effects of discharge and slope on hyporheic flow in step‐pool morphologies

This paper focuses on surface–subsurface water exchange in a steep coarse‐bedded stream with a step‐pool morphology. We use both flume experiments and numerical modelling to investigate the influence of stream discharge, channel slope and sediment hydraulic conductivity on hyporheic exchange. The model step‐pool reach, whose topography is scaled from a natural river, consists of three step‐pool units with 0.1‐m step heights, discharges ranging between base and over‐bankfull flows (scaled values of 0.3–4.5 l/s) and slopes of 4% and 8%. Results indicate that the deepest hyporheic flow occurs with the steeper slope and at moderate discharges and that downwelling fluxes at the base of steps are highest at the largest stream discharges. In contrast to findings in a pool‐riffle morphology, those in this study show that steep slopes cause deeper surface–subsurface exchanges than gentle slopes. Numerical simulation results show that the portion of the hyporheic zone influenced by surface water temperature increases with sediment hydraulic conductivity. These experiments and numerical simulations emphasize the importance of topography, sediment permeability and roughness elements along the channel surface in governing the locations and magnitude of downwelling fluxes and hyporheic exchange. Our results show that hyporheic zones in these steep streams are thicker than previously expected by extending the results from streams with pool‐riffle bed forms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Landscape influence on small‐scale water temperature variations in a moorland catchment

We monitored temperatures in stream water, groundwater and riparian wetland surface water over 18 months in a 3.2‐km² moorland catchment in the Scottish Highlands. The stream occupies a glaciated valley, aligned east–west. It has three main headwater tributaries with a large north facing catchment, a south facing catchment and the smallest east facing headwater. The lower catchment sampling locations begin after the convalescence of all three headwaters. Much of the stream network is fringed by riparian peatlands. Stream temperatures are mainly regulated by energy exchanges at the air–water interface. However, they are also influenced by inflows from the saturated riparian zone, where surface water source areas are strongly connected with the stream network. Consequently, the spatial distribution of stream temperatures exhibits limited variability. Nevertheless, there are significant summer differences between the headwaters, despite their close proximity to each other. This is consistent with aspect (and incident radiation), given the south and east facing headwaters having higher temperatures. The largest, north‐facing sub‐catchment shows lower summer diurnal temperature variability, suggesting that lower radiation inputs dampen temperature extremes. Whilst stream water temperature regimes in the lower catchment exhibit little change along a 1‐km reach, they are similar to those in the largest headwater; probably reflecting size and comparable catchment aspect and hydrological flow paths. Our results suggest that different parts of the channel network and its connected wetlands have contrasting sensitivity to higher summer temperatures. This may be important in land management strategies designed to mitigate the impacts of projected climatic warming. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrological flow paths controlling stream chemistry in Japanese forested watersheds

Water sources and flow paths contributing to stream chemistry were evaluated in four Japanese forested watersheds with steep topography (slopes ≥30°). Stream chemistry during periods without rainfall and during events with less than 100 mm of precipitation was similar to seepage water chemistry, but markedly different from that of soil water which had higher concentrations of NO⁻₃ and Ca²⁺ and lower concentrations of Na⁺ and HCO⁻₃. Also, stream Cl⁻ concentrations in a Cl⁻‐treated watershed did not increase either during events with less than 100 mm of total rainfall or at baseflow conditions, even three years after the Cl⁻ treatment. These results suggest that groundwater within bedrock fissures of Paleozoic strata had a long residence time and was a major contributor to steam water under baseflow conditions and even during small precipitation events (≤100 mm). In contrast, for large precipitation events (≥100 mm), stream chemistry became more similar to soil water chemistry, especially within the steepest watershed. Also, for large precipitation events, stream Cl⁻ concentrations in the Cl⁻‐treated watershed increased markedly. These results suggest that soil water was a major contributor to stream waters only during these large events. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hillslope water tracks in the High Arctic: Seasonal flow dynamics with changing water sources in preferential flow paths

Preferential subsurface flow paths known as water tracks are often the principal hydrological pathways of headwater catchments in permafrost areas, exerting an influence on slope physical and biogeochemical processes. In polar deserts, where water resources depend on snow redistribution, water tracks are mostly found in hydrologically active areas downslope from snowdrifts. Here, we measured the flow through seeping water track networks and at the front of a perennial snowdrift, at Ward Hunt Island in the Canadian High Arctic. We also used stable isotope analysis to determine the origin of this water, which ultimately discharges into Ward Hunt Lake. These measurements of water track hydrology indicated a glacio‐nival run‐off regime, with flow production mechanisms that included saturation overland flow (return flow) in a low sloping area, throughflow or pipe‐like flow in most seepage locations, and infiltration excess overland flow at the front of the snowdrift. Each mechanism delivered varying proportions of snowmelt and ground water, and isotopic compositions evolved during the melting season. Unaltered snowmelt water contributed to >90% of total flow from water track networks early in the season, and these values fell to <5% towards the end of the melting season. In contrast, infiltration excess overland flow from snowdrift consisted of a steady percentage of snowmelt water in July (mean of 69%) and August (71%). The water seeping at locations where no snow was left in August 2015 was isotopically enriched, indicating a contribution of the upper, ice‐rich layer of permafrost to late summer discharge during warmer years. Air temperature was the main driver of snowmelt, but the effect of slope aspect on solar radiation best explained the diurnal discharge variation at all sites. The water tracks in this polar desert are part of a patterned ground network, which increases connectivity between the principal water sources (snowdrifts) and the bottom of the slope. This would reduce soil–water interactions and solute release, thereby favouring the low nutrient status of the lake.     

Beaver dams along an agricultural stream in southern Ontario,Canada: their impact on riparian zone hydrology and nitrogen chemistry

The hydrology and nitrogen biogeochemistry of a riparian zone were compared before and after the construction of beaver dams along an agricultural stream in southern Ontario, Canada. The beaver dams increased surface flooding and raised the riparian water table by up to 1·0 m. Increased hydraulic gradients inland from the stream limited the entry of oxic nitrate‐rich subsurface water from adjacent cropland. Permeable riparian sediments overlying dense till remained saturated during the summer and autumn months, whereas before dam construction a large area of the riparian zone was unsaturated in these seasons each year. Beaver dam construction produced significant changes in riparian groundwater chemistry. Median dissolved oxygen concentrations were lower in riparian groundwater after dam construction (0·9–2·1 mg L^?1) than in the pre‐dam period (2·3–3·9 mg L^?1). Median NO₃‐N concentrations in autumn and spring were also lower in the post‐dam (0·03–0·07 mg L^?1) versus the pre‐dam period (0·1–0·3 mg L^?1). In contrast, median NH₄‐N concentrations in autumn and spring months were higher after dam construction (0·3–0·4 mg L^?1) than before construction (0·13–0·14 mg L^?1). Results suggest that beaver dams can increase stream inflow to riparian areas that limit water table declines and increase depths of saturated riparian soils which become more anaerobic. These changes in subsurface hydrology and chemistry have the potential to affect the transport and transformation of nitrate fluxes from adjacent cropland in agricultural landscapes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.