Contributing sources to baseflow in pre‐alpine headwaters using spatial snapshot sampling

Mountainous headwaters consist of different landscape units including forests, meadows and wetlands. In these headwaters it is unclear which landscape units contribute what percentage to baseflow. In this study, we analysed spatiotemporal differences in baseflow isotope and hydrochemistry to identify catchment‐scale runoff contribution. Three baseflow snapshot sampling campaigns were performed in the Swiss pre‐alpine headwater catchment of the Zwäckentobel (4.25 km²) and six of its adjacent subcatchments. The spatial and temporal variability of δ²H, Ca, DOC, AT, pH, SO₄, Mg and H₄SiO₄ of streamflow, groundwater and spring water samples was analysed and related to catchment area and wetland percentage using bivariate and multivariate methods. Our study found that in the six subcatchments, with variable arrangements of landscape units, the inter‐ and intra catchment variability of isotopic and hydrochemical compositions was small and generally not significant. Stream samples were distinctly different from shallow groundwater. An upper spring zone located near the water divide above 1,400 m and a larger wetland were identified by their distinct spatial isotopic and hydrochemical composition. The upstream wetland percentage was not correlated to the hydrochemical streamflow composition, suggesting that wetlands were less connected and act as passive features with a negligible contribution to baseflow runoff. The isotopic and hydrochemical composition of baseflow changed slightly from the upper spring zone towards the subcatchment outlets and corresponded to the signature of deep groundwater. Our results confirm the need and benefits of spatially distributed snapshot sampling to derive process understanding of heterogeneous headwaters during baseflow. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial variability in specific discharge and streamwater chemistry during low flows: Results from snapshot sampling campaigns in eleven Swiss catchments

Catchments consist of distinct landforms that affect the storage and release of subsurface water. Certain landforms may be the main contributors to streamflow during extended dry periods, and these may vary for different catchments in a given region. We present a unique dataset from snapshot field campaigns during low‐flow conditions in 11 catchments across Switzerland to illustrate this. The catchments differed in size (10 to 110 km²), varied from predominantly agricultural lowlands to Alpine areas, and covered a range of physical characteristics. During each snapshot campaign, we jointly measured streamflow and collected water samples for the analysis of major ions and stable water isotopes. For every sampling location (basin), we determined several landscape characteristics from national geo‐datasets, including drainage area, elevation, slope, flowpath length, dominant land use, and geological and geomorphological characteristics, such as the lithology and fraction of quaternary deposits. The results demonstrate very large spatial variability in specific low‐flow discharge and water chemistry: Neighboring sampling locations could differ significantly in their specific discharge, isotopic composition, and ion concentrations, indicating that different sources contribute to streamflow during extended dry periods. However, none of the landscape characteristics that we analysed could explain the spatial variability in specific discharge or streamwater chemistry in multiple catchments. This suggests that local features determine the spatial differences in discharge and water chemistry during low‐flow conditions and that this variability cannot be assessed a priori from available geodata and statistical relations to landscape characteristics. The results furthermore suggest that measurements at the catchment outlet during low‐flow conditions do not reflect the heterogeneity of the different source areas in the catchment that contribute to streamflow.     

The role of aridification in constraining the elevation range of Holocene solifluction processes and associated landforms in the periglacial belt of the Sierra Nevada (southern Spain)

Climate variability during the Mid‐Late Holocene has influenced the activity of geomorphic processes in the current periglacial belt of the Sierra Nevada. We studied two types of sedimentary records that reveal a synchronous timing for slope instability in this high semi‐arid massif: solifluction landforms and mountain lake sediments. Lithological and sedimentological properties of both records have recorded numerous cycles of different magnitude of slope processes in the massif. Solifluction deposits record seven phases of solifluction activity and soil development during the last 7 ka bp and lake sediments show evidence of eight periods with increased geomorphic activity in the catchments over the last 6 ka bp . Although present‐day climate conditions do not promote active solifluction processes in the Sierra Nevada, colder and wetter periods during the Holocene triggered solifluction and transported coarse‐grained sediments into the lakes. By contrast, warm phases favoured soil formation and spread an incipient vegetation cover over the headwaters of the highest valleys, diminishing the grain size of the particles reaching the lakes. Lake sediments record an aridification trend in the massif intensifying since 4·2 ka bp that has conditioned solifluction activity to shift gradually to higher elevations. During major cooler phases such as the Little Ice Age active solifluction was recorded back down to 2500 m altitude. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CATCHMENT ATTRIBUTES AND HYDROLOGICAL RESPONSE CHARACTERISTICS IN SMALL AUSTRALIAN MOUNTAIN ASH CATCHMENTS

Sixteen small catchments in the Maroondah region of Victoria, Australia were analysed using rainfall, temperature and streamflow time series with a rainfall–runoff model whose parameters efficiently characterize the hydrological response of a catchment. A set of catchment attributes for each of these catchments was then compared with the associated set of hydrological response characteristics of the catchments as estimated by the model. The time constant governing quickflow recession of streamflow (τ_q) was related to the drainage network and catchment area. The time constant governing slowflow recession of streamflow (τ_s) was related to the slope and shape of the catchment. The parameter governing evapotranspirative losses ( f ) was related to catchment gradient and vegetative water use. Forestry activities in the catchments changed evapotranspirative losses and thus total volume of streamflow, but did not affect the rate of streamflow recession.     

Alpine Hydrogeology: The Critical Role of Groundwater in Sourcing the Headwaters of the World

Groundwater discharge in alpine headwaters sustains baseflow in rivers originating in mountain ranges of the world, which is critically important for aquatic habitats, run-of-river hydropower generation, and downstream water supply. Groundwater storage in alpine watersheds was long considered negligible, but recent field-based studies have shown that aquifers are ubiquitous in the alpine zone with no soil and vegetation. Talus, moraine, and rock glacier aquifers are common in many alpine regions of the world, although bedrock aquifers occur in some geological settings. Alpine aquifers consisting of coarse sediments have a fast recession of discharge after the recharge season (e.g., snowmelt) or rainfall events, followed by a slow recession that sustains discharge over a long period. The two-phase recession is likely controlled by the internal structure of the aquifers. Spatial extent and distribution of individual aquifers determine the groundwater storage-discharge characteristics in first- and second-order watersheds in the alpine zone, which in turn govern baseflow characteristics in major rivers. Similar alpine landforms appear to have similar hydrogeological characteristics in many mountain ranges across the world, suggesting that a common conceptual framework can be used to understand alpine aquifers based on geological and geomorphological settings. Such a framework will be useful for parameterizing storage-discharge characteristics in large river hydrological models.     

Water isotopes and hydrograph separation in different glacial catchments in the southeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau

Snow and glaciers are known to be important sources for freshwater; nevertheless, our understanding of the hydrological functioning of glacial catchments remains limited when compared with lower altitude catchments. In this study, a temperate glacial region located in the southeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau is selected to analyse the characteristics of δ¹⁸O and δD in different water sources and the contribution of glacier–snow meltwater to streamflow. The results indicate that the δ¹⁸O of river water ranges from ?16.2‰ to ?10.2‰ with a mean of ?14.1‰ and that the δD values range from ?117.0‰ to ?68.0‰ with a mean of ?103.1‰. These values are more negative than those of glacier–snow meltwater but less negative than those of precipitation. The d ‐excess values are found to decrease from meltwater to river to lake/reservoir water as a result of evaporation. On the basis of hydrograph separation, glacier–snow meltwater accounts for 51.5% of river water in the Baishui catchment in the melting season. In the Yanggong catchment, snow meltwater contributes 47.9% to river water in the premonsoon period, and glacier meltwater contributes only 6.8% in the monsoon period. The uncertainty in hydrograph separation is sensitive to the variation of tracer concentrations of streamflow components. The input of meltwater to a water system varies with local climate and glacier changes. The results confirm that hydrograph separation using water isotopes is valuable for evaluating the recharge sources of rivers, especially in ungauged glacial regions. This study provides insights into the hydrological processes of glacial catchments on the Tibetan Plateau, which is important for water resource management.     

Oxygen‐18 dynamics in precipitation and streamflow in a semi‐arid agricultural watershed,Eastern Washington,USA

Understanding flow pathways and mechanisms that generate streamflow is important to understanding agrochemical contamination in surface waters in agricultural watersheds. Two environmental tracers, δ¹⁸O and electrical conductivity (EC), were monitored in tile drainage (draining 12 ha) and stream water (draining nested catchments of 6‐5700 ha) from 2000 to 2008 in the semi‐arid agricultural Missouri Flat Creek (MFC) watershed, near Pullman Washington, USA. Tile drainage and streamflow generated in the watershed were found to have baseline δ¹⁸O value of ?14·7‰ (VSMOW) year round. Winter precipitation accounted for 67% of total annual precipitation and was found to dominate streamflow, tile drainage, and groundwater recharge. ‘Old’ and ‘new’ water partitioning in streamflow were not identifiable using δ¹⁸O, but seasonal shifts of nitrate‐corrected EC suggest that deep soil pathways primarily generated summer streamflow (mean EC 250 µS/cm) while shallow soil pathways dominated streamflow generation during winter (EC declining as low as 100 µS/cm). Using summer isotopic and EC excursions from tile drainage in larger catchment (4700‐5700 ha) stream waters, summer in‐stream evaporation fractions were estimated to be from 20% to 40%, with the greatest evaporation occurring from August to October. Seasonal watershed and environmental tracer dynamics in the MFC watershed appeared to be similar to those at larger watershed scales in the Palouse River basin. A 0·9‰ enrichment, in shallow groundwater drained to streams (tile drainage and soil seepage), of δ¹⁸O values from 2000 to 2008 may be evidence of altered precipitation conditions due to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) in the Inland Northwest. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bedrock geology controls on catchment storage,mixing, and release: A comparative analysis of 16 nested catchments

The bedrock controls on catchment mixing, storage, and release have been actively studied in recent years. However, it has been difficult to find neighbouring catchments with sufficiently different and clean expressions of geology to do comparative analysis. Here, we present new data for 16 nested catchments (0.45 to 410 km²) in the Alzette River basin (Luxembourg) that span a range of clean and mixed expressions of schists, phyllites, sandstones, and quartzites to quantify the relationships between bedrock permeability and metrics of water storage and release. We examined 9 years' worth of precipitation and discharge data, and 6 years of fortnightly stable isotope data in streamflow, to explore how bedrock permeability controls (a) streamflow regime metrics, (b) catchment storage, and (c) isotope response and catchment mean transit time (MTT). We used annual and winter precipitation–run‐off ratios, as well as average summer and winter precipitation–run‐off ratios to characterise the streamflow regime in our 16 study catchments. Catchment storage was then used as a metric for catchment comparison. Water mixing potential of 11 catchments was quantified via the standard deviation in streamflow δD (σδD) and the amplitude ratio (A_S/A_P) of annual cycles of δ¹⁸O in streamflow and precipitation. Catchment MTT values were estimated via both stable isotope signature damping and hydraulic turnover calculations. In our 16 nested catchments, the variance in ratios of summer versus winter average run‐off was best explained by bedrock permeability. Whereas active storage (defined here as a measure of the observed maximum interannual variability in catchment storage) ranged from 107 to 373 mm, total catchment storage (defined as the maximum catchment storage connected to the stream network) extended up to ~1700 mm (±200 mm). Catchment bedrock permeability was strongly correlated with mixing proxies of σδD in streamflow and δ¹⁸O A_S/A_P ratios. Catchment MTT values ranged from 0.5 to 2 years, based on stable isotope signature damping, and from 0.5 to 10 years, based on hydraulic turnover.     

Controls of streamflow generation in small catchments across the snow–rain transition in the Southern Sierra Nevada,California

Processes controlling streamflow generation were determined using geochemical tracers for water years 2004–2007 at eight headwater catchments at the Kings River Experimental Watersheds in southern Sierra Nevada. Four catchments are snow‐dominated, and four receive a mix of rain and snow. Results of diagnostic tools of mixing models indicate that Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺ and Cl^? behaved conservatively in the streamflow at all catchments, reflecting mixing of three endmembers. Using endmember mixing analysis, the endmembers were determined to be snowmelt runoff (including rain on snow), subsurface flow and fall storm runoff. In seven of the eight catchments, streamflow was dominated by subsurface flow, with an average relative contribution (% of streamflow discharge) greater than 60%. Snowmelt runoff contributed less than 40%, and fall storm runoff less than 7% on average. Streamflow peaked 2–4 weeks earlier at mixed rain–snow than snow‐dominated catchments, but relative endmember contributions were not significantly different between the two groups of catchments. Both soil water in the unsaturated zone and regional groundwater were not significant contributors to streamflow. The contributions of snowmelt runoff and subsurface flow, when expressed as discharge, were linearly correlated with streamflow discharge (R² of 0.85–0.99). These results suggest that subsurface flow is generated from the soil–bedrock interface through preferential pathways and is not very sensitive to snow–rain proportions. Thus, a declining of the snow–rain ratio under a warming climate should not systematically affect the processes controlling the streamflow generation at these catchments. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transpiration and subsurface controls of streamflow recession characteristics

In headwater catchments, streamflow recedes between periods of rainfall at a predictable rate generally defined by a power–law relationship relating streamflow decay to streamflow. Research over the last four decades has applied this relationship to predictions of water resource availability as well as estimations of basin‐wide physiographic characteristics and ecohydrologic conditions. However, the interaction of biophysical processes giving rise to the form of these power–law relationships remains poorly understood, and recent investigations into the variability of streamflow recession characteristics between discrete events have alternatively suggested evapotranspiration, water table elevation, and stream network contraction as dominant factors, without consensus. To assess potential temporal variability and interactions in the mechanism(s) driving streamflow recession, we combine long‐term observational data from a headwater stream in the southern Appalachian Mountains with state and flux conditions from a process‐based ecohydrologic model. Streamflow recession characteristics are nonunique and vary systematically with seasonal fluctuations in both rates of transpiration and watershed wetness conditions, such that transpiration dominates recession signals in the early growing season and diminishes in effect as the water table elevation progressively drops below and decouples with the root zone with topographic position. As a result of this decoupling, there exists a seasonal hysteretic relationship between streamflow decay and both evapotranspiration and watershed wetness conditions. Results indicate that for portions of the year, forest transpiration may actively compete with subsurface drainage for the same water resource that supplies streamflow, though for extended time periods, these processes exploit distinct water stores. Our analysis raises concerns about the efficacy of assessing humid headwater systems using traditional recession analysis, with recession curve parameters treated as static features of the watershed, and we provide novel alternatives for evaluating interacting biological and geophysical drivers of streamflow recession.     

Using stable isotopes to identify major flow pathways in a permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope during summer rainfall period

Global warming has leaded to permafrost degradation, with potential impacts on the runoff generation processes of permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope. Stable isotopes have the potential to trace the complex runoff generation processes. In this study, precipitation, hillslope surface and subsurface runoff, stream water, and mobile soil water (MSW) at different hillslope positions and depths were collected during the summer rainfall period to analyse the major flow pathway based on stable isotopic signatures. The results indicated that (a) compared with precipitation, the δ²H values of MSW showed little temporal variation but strong heterogeneity with enriched isotopic ratios at lower hillslope positions and in deeper soil layers. (b) The δ²H values of middle-slope surface runoff and shallow subsurface flow were similar to those of precipitation and MSW of the same soil layer, respectively. (c) Middle-slope shallow subsurface flow was the major flow pathway of the permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope, which turned into surface runoff at the riparian zone before contributing to the streamflow. (d) The slight variation of δ²H values in stream water was shown to be related to mixing processes of new water (precipitation, 2%) and old water (middle-slope shallow subsurface flow, 98%) in the highly transmissive shallow thawed soil layers. It was inferred that supra-permafrost water levels would be lowered to a less conductive, deeper soil layer under further warming and thawing permafrost, which would result in a declined streamflow and delayed runoff peak. This study explained the “rapid mobilization of old water” paradox in permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope and improved our understanding of permafrost hillslope hydrology in alpine regions.     

Catchment water storage variation with elevation

One of the most important functions of catchments is the storage of water. Catchment storage buffers meteorological extremes and interannual streamflow variability, controls the partitioning between evaporation and runoff, and influences transit times of water. Hydrogeological data to estimate storage are usually scarce and seldom available for a larger set of catchments. This study focused on storage in prealpine and alpine catchments, using a set of 21 Swiss catchments comprising different elevation ranges. Catchment storage comparisons depend on storage definitions. This study defines different types of storage including definitions of dynamic and mobile catchment storage. We then estimated dynamic storage using four methods, water balance analysis, streamflow recession analysis, calibration of a bucket‐type hydrological model Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning model (HBV), and calibration of a transfer function hydrograph separation model using stable isotope observations. The HBV model allowed quantifying the contributions of snow, soil and groundwater storages compared to the dynamic catchment storage. With the transfer function hydrograph separation model both dynamic and mobile storage was estimated. Dynamic storage of one catchment estimated by the four methods differed up to one order of magnitude. Nevertheless, the storage estimates ranked similarly among the 21 catchments. The largest dynamic and mobile storage estimates were found in high‐elevation catchments. Besides snow, groundwater contributed considerably to this larger storage. Generally, we found that with increasing elevation the relative contribution to the dynamic catchment storage increased for snow, decreased for soil, but remained similar for groundwater storage.     

Understanding hydrological processes in glacierized catchments: Evidence and implications of highly variable isotopic and electrical conductivity data

The spatial and temporal characterization of geochemical tracers over Alpine glacierized catchments is particularly difficult, but fundamental to quantify groundwater, glacier melt, and rain water contribution to stream runoff. In this study, we analysed the spatial and temporal variability of δ²H and electrical conductivity (EC) in various water sources during three ablation seasons in an 8.4‐km² glacierized catchment in the Italian Alps, in relation to snow cover and hydro‐meteorological conditions. Variations in the daily streamflow range due to melt‐induced runoff events were controlled by maximum daily air temperature and snow covered area in the catchment. Maximum daily streamflow decreased with increasing snow cover, and a threshold relation was found between maximum daily temperature and daily streamflow range. During melt‐induced runoff events, stream water EC decreased due to the contribution of glacier melt water to stream runoff. In this catchment, EC could be used to distinguish the contribution of subglacial flow (identified as an end member, enriched in EC) from glacier melt water to stream runoff, whereas spring water in the study area could not be considered as an end member. The isotopic composition of snow, glacier ice, and melt water was not significantly correlated with the sampling point elevation, and the spatial variability was more likely affected by postdepositional processes. The high spatial and temporal variability in the tracer signature of the end members (subglacial flow, rain water, glacier melt water, and residual winter snow), together with small daily variability in stream water δ²H dynamics, are problematic for the quantification of the contribution of the identified end members to stream runoff, and call for further research, possibly integrated with other natural or artificial tracers.     

Hillslope‐swamp interactions and flow pathways in a hypermaritime rainforest,British Columbia

The process of water delivery to a headwater stream in a hypermaritime rainforest was examined using a variety of physical techniques and tracing with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and the stable isotopes of water. Headwater swamps, often the major discharge zones for water draining off steep forest slopes, strongly affect the physical and chemical character of streamflow in the region. The headwater swamp selected for detailed investigation was sustained by relatively constant groundwater input from the steep colluvial slopes that maintained the water table above the ground surface. During significant storm events the water table rose quickly and the swamp expanded to engulf marginal pools that developed rapidly on the adjacent ground surfaces. The corresponding release of surface water directly to the stream typically comprised up to 95% of total stream discharge. The proportion of groundwater seepage to the stream by matrix flow (<1%) and via macropore‐fed springs (up to 73%) increased during the recession period, but could not be sustained over the longer term. In more protracted drying periods, deep groundwater contributions to the stream were routed first to the headwater swamp. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the stream, measured daily or more frequently during storm events, was found to be directly proportional to discharge, owing to the domination of DOC‐rich headwater‐swamp water sources. Although δ¹⁸O and δ²H composition of rainwater, groundwater and stream flow were found to be similar, deuterium excess (d ? δ²H ? 8δ¹⁸O) of water components was often found to be distinct, and suggested short water residence times of roughly 12 days for one event. Overall, observations of a typical headwater swamp reveal that the groundwater regime is dominated by rapid infiltration and short, emergent flow paths. With a relatively short turnover time, potential disturbances to the system by harvesting of upslope areas can be expected to occur rapidly. Forest managers can mitigate some of the harmful effects of logging operations by respecting the integrity of headwater wetland systems. The nature and magnitude of such perturbations will require further study. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface and subsurface water contributions to streamflow from a mesoscale watershed in complex mountain terrain

An understanding of surface and subsurface water contributions to streamflow is essential for accurate predictions of water supply from mountain watersheds that often serve as water towers for downstream communities. As such, this study used the end‐member mixing analysis technique to investigate source water contributions and hydrologic flow paths of the 264 km² Boulder Creek Watershed, which drains the Colorado Front Range, USA. Four conservative hydrochemical tracers were used to describe this watershed as a 3 end‐member system, and tracer concentration reconstruction suggested that the application of end‐member mixing analysis was robust. On average from 2009 to 2011, snowmelt and rainwater from the subalpine zone and groundwater sampled from the upper montane zone contributed 54%, 22%, and 24% of the annual streamflow, respectively. These values demonstrate increased rainwater and decreased snow water contributions to streamflow relative to area‐weighted mean values derived from previous work at the headwater scale. Young water (2.3 ± 0.8 months) fractions of streamflow decreased from 18–22% in the alpine catchment to 8–10% in the lower elevation catchments and the watershed outlet with implications for subsurface storage and hydrological connectivity. These results contribute to a process‐based understanding of the seasonal source water composition of a mesoscale watershed that can be used to extrapolate headwater streamflow generation predictions to larger spatial scales.     

Impacts of climate change on water resources in the Mediterranean Basin: a case study in Catalonia,Spain

Abstract

Most climate change projections show important decreases in water availability in the Mediterranean region by the end of this century. We assess those main climate change impacts on water resources in three medium-sized catchments with varying climatic conditions in northeastern Spain. A combination of hydrological modelling and climate projections with B1 and A2 IPCC emission scenarios is performed to infer future streamflows. The largest reduction (34%) in mean streamflows (for 2076–2100) is expected in the headwaters of the two wettest catchments, while lower decreases (25% of mean value for 2076–2100) are expected in the drier one. In all three catchments, autumn and summer are the seasons with the most notable projected decreases in streamflow, of 50% and 30%, respectively. Thus, ecological flows in the study area might be noticeably influenced by climate change, especially in the headwaters of the wet catchments.     

Linking metrics of hydrological function and transit times to landscape controls in a heterogeneous mesoscale catchment

Long‐term river flow data and one year of isotopic tracer data in a nested 749 km² catchment were analysed conjunctively to evaluate the relationships between hydrometric statistics, transit times, and catchment characteristics. The catchment comprised two distinct geomorphic provinces; upland headwaters draining glaciated landscapes underlain by crystalline geology and lowland headwaters draining a major regional sandstone aquifer. In the uplands, flow regimes were ‘flashy’ with high runoff coefficients for storm hydrographs, steep recession curves and strong nonlinearity in event responses. In the lowlands, runoff coefficients were low, recessions less steep, and event responses more linear. Flow data from the catchment outfall showing damping of these extremes, but was most strongly influenced by the upland headwaters where precipitation was highest. The damping of variability in stable water isotopes between precipitation inputs and streamflow outputs reflected this; with upland tributaries least damped and lowland tributaries most damped. Attempts to quantify the mean transit times of the sampling points met with mixed success; partly reflecting the short run (1 year) of data, but mainly as a result of the marked damping in lowland sites. As a consequence, MTT estimates can only be said to be in the order of a few years in upland sites, but are probably decadal or greater in lowland tributaries. Again, the catchment outfall averages these extremes, but is more similar to the upland headwaters. Despite the difficulties in quantifying MTTs, it is clear that they, like the hydrological response, primarily reflect the dominant control of catchment soil cover, which in turn is determined by geology and glacial history. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Depositional and diagenetic history of limestones and dolostones of the Oligo‐Miocene Kujung Formation in the Northeast Java Basin,Indonesia

Lithological and geochemical features of platformal carbonates record the signatures of the global climates and the regional environmental settings and also reconstruct the diagenetic history and porosity evolution, which are essential to evaluate the potential of hydrocarbon reservoirs. This study investigates the platformal carbonates of the Oligo‐Miocene Krunji Formation of North East Java Basin, which are potentially significant hydrocarbon reservoirs. The carbonate sequence in a 283 m thick section at Kranji in East Java is subdivided into three lithological units: limestone unit 1, dolostone unit 2, and limestone unit 3, in ascending order. The strontium‐isotope ratios of well‐preserved calcite samples indicate the depositional period from Chattian (late Oligocene) to Burdigalian (early Miocene), which is consistent with ages of the foraminifer assemblages. Unit 1 consists of low‐porosity limestone, in which two horizons of subaerial exposure are recognized by the occurrence of red‐colored matrix and lower δ¹³C values. Unit 2 consists of dolomitic rock and exhibits coarse‐grained calcitic grains and cross‐stratified structure. Considering that this unit has been subject to dolomitization, the sediment of unit 2 was initially permeable and was likely deposited in a shoal setting. The overlying unit 3 of Aquitanian–Burdigalian age is characterized by a highly granular texture. High porosity and uniformly low δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values indicate that Unit 3 was subjected to more intense meteoric diagenesis than the Chattian unit 1. This was likely a consequence of the Antarctic ice‐sheet expansion during the Oligocene/Miocene transition, which amplified sea level change. The unit 2 dolomite has high δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values and a high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio which resulted from the reflux of seawater into permeable the sediment body in middle‐late Miocene (Burdigalian Tortonian) following the deposition of unit 3. The porosity and permeability of the Kujung Formation were initially controlled by sedimentological processes, but largely modified by later diagenetic processes.     

Hydrologic and water isotope characterization of a regulated Canadian Shield river basin

Stable water isotope surveys have increasingly been integrated into river basins studies, but fewer have used them to evaluate impact of hydropower regulation. This study applies hydrologic and water isotope survey approaches to a Canadian Shield river basin with both regulated and natural flows. Historical streamflow records were used to evaluate the influence of three hydroelectric reservoirs and unregulated portions of the basin on downstream flows and changes in water level management implemented after an extreme flood year (1979). In 2013, water isotope surveys of surface and source waters (e.g., rainfall, groundwater, snowmelt) were conducted to examine spatial and temporal variation in contributions to river flow. Seasonal changes in relative groundwater contribution were assessed using a water‐isotope mass balance approach. Within the basin, two regulated reservoirs exhibited inverted hydrographs with augmented winter flows, whereas a third exhibited a hydrograph dominated by spring snowmelt. In 2013, spatial variation in rain‐on‐snow and air temperatures resulted in a critical lag in snowmelt initiation in the southern and northern portions of the basin resulting in a dispersed, double peak spring hydrograph, contrasting with 1979 when a combination of rain‐on‐snow and coincident snowmelt led to the highest flood on record. Although eastern basin reservoirs become seasonally enriched in δ¹⁸O and δ²H values, unregulated western basin flows remain less variable due to groundwater driven baseflow with increasing influence downstream. Combined analysis of historical streamflow (e.g., flood of 1979, drought of 2010) and the 2013 water isotope surveys illustrate extreme meteorological conditions that current management activities are unable to prevent. In this study, the influence of evaporative fractionation on large surface water reservoirs provides important evidence of streamflow partitioning, illustrating the value of stable water isotope tracers for study of larger catchments.