Satellite based estimates of terrestrial water storage variations in Turkey

In recent years, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) has provided a new tool to study terrestrial water storage variations (TWS) at medium and large spatial scales, providing quantitative measures of TWS change. Linear trends in TWS variations in Turkey were estimated using GRACE observations for the period March 2003 to March 2009. GRACE showed a significant decrease in TWS in the southern part of the central Anatolian region up to a rate of 4 cm/year. The Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) model also captured this TWS decrease event but with underestimated trend values. The GLDAS model represents only a part of the total TWS variations, the sum of soil moisture (2 m column depth) and snow water equivalent, ignoring groundwater variations. Therefore, GLDAS model derived TWS variations were subtracted from GRACE derived TWS variations to estimate groundwater storage variations. Results revealed that decreasing trends of TWS observed by GRACE in the southern part of central Anatolia were largely explained by the decreasing trends of groundwater variations which were confirmed by the limited available well groundwater level data in the region.     

Global Terrestrial Water Storage Changes and Connections to ENSO Events

Improved data quality of extended record of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite gravity solutions enables better understanding of terrestrial water storage (TWS) variations. Connections of TWS and climate change are critical to investigate regional and global water cycles. In this study, we provide a comprehensive analysis of global connections between interannual TWS changes and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, using multiple sources of data, including GRACE measurements, land surface model (LSM) predictions and precipitation observations. We use cross-correlation and coherence spectrum analysis to examine global connections between interannual TWS changes and the Niño 3.4 index, and select four river basins (Amazon, Orinoco, Colorado, and Lena) for more detailed analysis. The results indicate that interannual TWS changes are strongly correlated with ENSO over much of the globe, with maximum cross-correlation coefficients up to ~0.70, well above the 95% significance level (~0.29) derived by the Monte Carlo experiments. The strongest correlations are found in tropical and subtropical regions, especially in the Amazon, Orinoco, and La Plata basins. While both GRACE and LSM TWS estimates show reasonably good correlations with ENSO and generally consistent spatial correlation patterns, notably higher correlations are found between GRACE TWS and ENSO. The existence of significant correlations in middle–high latitudes shows the large-scale impact of ENSO on the global water cycle.     

Forecasting terrestrial water storage for drought management in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Reliable seasonal forecasting of water resources variability may be of great value for agriculture and energy management in Ethiopia. This work aims to develop statistical forecasting of seasonal total water storage (TWS) anomalies in Ethiopia using sea-surface temperature and sea-level pressure indices. Because of the spatial and temporal variability of TWS over the country, Ethiopia is divided into four regions each having similar TWS dynamics. Periods of long-term water deficit observed in GRACE TWS products for the region are found to coincide with periods of meteorological drought. Multiple linear regression is employed to generate seasonal forecasting models for each region. We find that the skill of the resulting models varies from region to region, with R ² from 0.33 to 0.73 and correlation from 0.27 to 0.77 between predicted and observed values (using leave-one-out cross-validation). The skill of the models is better than the climatology in all regions.     

Water resources and the sustainable development of humankind: International cooperation in the rational use of freshwater-lake resources: Conclusions from materials of foreign studies

The current and future state of the Earth’s water resources under present-day trends in water use is discussed. The activity of international institutions in the organization of management of lake ecosystems and drainage basins was analyzed from the viewpoint of sustainable development. The work of International Committee on Lake Environment, International Joint Commission (USA and Canada), International Commission on Lake Constance Protection, Autonomous Bilateral Management of Lake Titicaca, Commission on Chad Lake Basin, and Fishery Organization of Lake Victoria. Recommendations are proposed for the organization of international management of water bodies and their drainage basins.     

Large-Scale Total Water Storage and Water Flux Changes over the Arid and Semiarid Parts of the Middle East from GRACE and Reanalysis Products

Previous studies indicate that water storage over a large part of the Middle East has been decreased over the last decade. Variability in the total (hydrological) water flux (TWF, i.e., precipitation minus evapotranspiration minus runoff) and water storage changes of the Tigris–Euphrates river basin and Iran’s six major basins (Khazar, Persian, Urmia, Markazi, Hamun, and Sarakhs) over 2003–2013 is assessed in this study. Our investigation is performed based on the TWF that are estimated as temporal derivatives of terrestrial water storage (TWS) changes from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) products and those from the reanalysis products of ERA-Interim and MERRA-Land. An inversion approach is applied to consistently estimate the spatio-temporal changes of soil moisture and groundwater storage compartments of the seven basins during the study period from GRACE TWS, altimetry, and land surface model products. The influence of TWF trends on separated water storage compartments is then explored. Our results, estimated as basin averages, indicate negative trends in the maximums of TWF peaks that reach up to ?5.2 and ?2.6 (mm/month/year) over 2003–2013, respectively, for the Urmia and Tigris–Euphrates basins, which are most likely due to the reported meteorological drought. Maximum amplitudes of the soil moisture compartment exhibit negative trends of ?11.1, ?6.6, ?6.1, ?4.8, ?4.7, ?3.8, and ?1.2 (mm/year) for Urmia, Tigris–Euphrates, Khazar, Persian, Markazi, Sarakhs, and Hamun basins, respectively. Strong groundwater storage decrease is found, respectively, within the Khazar ?8.6 (mm/year) and Sarakhs ?7.0 (mm/year) basins. The magnitude of water storage decline in the Urmia and Tigris–Euphrates basins is found to be bigger than the decrease in the monthly accumulated TWF indicating a contribution of human water use, as well as surface and groundwater flow to the storage decline over the study area.     

The role of coastal-trapped waves on the 2008 cold disaster in the Taiwan Strait

In early 2008, cold water in the Taiwan Strait (TWS) was moved sequentially by a cross-strait flow and a southward flow to the Penghu Island, causing a cold-related fish kill disaster. Except for the local wind forcing, the coastal-trapped waves (CTWs), intermittently propagating toward the TWS from north in winter, are an additional factor that could impact the flow patterns by changing cross-strait sea-level gradient during the disaster. In the first stage (January 28–February 7), the reach of a large CTW trough induced an additional northward flow, which formed a cyclone after turning around the Zhangyun Ridge. Then, the cyclone led to an additional cross flow, which enhanced an eastward (offshore) movement of cold water. In the second stage (February 7–14), the arrival of a large CTW crest triggered an additional southward flow, which intensified a southward movement of the cold water. Due to the additional eastward and southward movements caused by the CTWs, the cold water could reach Penghu Island inducing a cold disaster.     

Hydrological variability of major French rivers over recent decades,assessed from gauging station and GRACE observations

Abstract

This study was carried out in the framework of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) programme of the French National Centre of Space Studies (CNES). Based on discharge measurements and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) determination of total water storage (TWS), we have investigated the hydrological variability of the main French drainage basins (Seine, Loire, Garonne and Rhône) using a wavelet approach (continuous wavelet analyses and wavelet coherence analyses). The results of this analysis have shown a coherence ranging between 82% and 90% for TWS and discharge, thus demonstrating the potential use of TWS for characterization of the hydrological variability of French rivers. Strong coherence between the four basin discharges (between 73% and 92%) and between their associated TWS data (from 82% to 98%) suggested a common external influence on hydrological variability. To determine this influence, we investigated the relationship between hydrological variability and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), considered as an index of prevailing climate in Europe. Basin discharges show strong coherence with NAO, ranging between 64% and 72% over the period 1959–2010. The coherence between NAO and TWS was 62% to 67% for 2003–2009. This is similar to the coherence between NAO and basin discharges detected for the same period. According to these results, strong influence of the NAO was clearly observed on the TWS and discharges of the major French river basins.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz     

Analysis and partitioning of terrestrial water storage in the Yellow River source region

In order to increase the capability to understand and quantify the spatial differences in terrestrial water storage (TWS), and to reflect the unique energy balance processes and soil freeze–thaw mechanisms in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), this study improved the energy balance processes of the water and energy transfer processes model, including its surface radiation calculations and snowmelt module. By integrating these improvements, a water and energy transfer processes model in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (WEP-QTP) for the Yellow River source region (YRSR) is developed. Using the improved WEP-QTP model to perform simulations, we assessed the daily changes in snow cover, soil moisture (SM), permafrost (PM), and groundwater storage (GWS) in the YRSR. Our analysis revealed an increase in TWS of 0.24 mm/yr from 1961 to 2020. Snow water equivalent (SWE), SM, PM, and GWS have proportional contributions of 8.33%, 216.67%, −154.17%, and 29.17% to the increased TWS, respectively. SM is the primary component of TWS. Temperature (T), precipitation (P), evapotranspiration (E), and solar radiation (Rs) influence the spatiotemporal variations in TWS, as well as those of its components. The increase in P is the primary cause for the rise in TWS, SWE, and SM, while the increase in T predominantly contributes to the decrease in PM. Furthermore, permafrost degradation and climate-induced warming and humidification lead to increased infiltration, resulting in elevated GWS.     

基于Forward-Modeling方法的黑河流域水储量变化特征研究

黑河流域陆地水储量变化对流域下游等周边区域水资源的合理利用以及经济和社会发展等有着重要的意义.本文利用2003年1月至2013年12月的GRACE RL05数据反演了黑河流域陆地水储量长时间序列的变化,并针对重力场模型和数据处理中产生的信号泄漏问题,采用Forward-Modeling方法进行了改正并恢复泄漏信号;将GRACE获得的泄漏信号恢复前后的黑河流域水储量变化结果与全球水文模型GLDAS和CPC进行比较分析,结果表明泄漏信号改正后的结果与水文模型结果的时间序列相关性均有明显提高,从其空间分布结果可以看出Forward-Modeling方法有效地恢复初始信号、增强被湮没的信号,泄漏信号误差减小;通过分析黑河流域水储量变化的长时间序列结果,发现其具有明显的阶段性变化特征,即2003—2006年呈明显下降趋势,约为-0.86cm·a-1,在2007—2010年趋于平衡状态,而2011—2013年则呈现缓慢上升趋势约为0.14cm·a-1;联合GRACE数据和GLDAS数据反演了黑河流域地下水储量变化,并与全球降雨数据GPCC进行了比较分析,两者相关性可达到0.88以上.     

Growing season evapotranspiration in boreal fens in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region: Variability and environmental controls

Current efforts to assess changes to the wetland hydrology caused by growing anthropogenic pressures in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) require well-founded spatial and temporal estimates of actual evapotranspiration (ET), which is the dominant component of the water budget in this region. This study assessed growing season (May–September) and peak growing season (July) ET variability at a treed moderate-rich fen and treed poor fen (in 2013–2018), open poor fen (in 2011–2014), and saline fen (in 2015–2018) using eddy covariance technique and a set of complementary environmental data. Seasonal fluctuations in ET were positively related to net radiation, air temperature and vapour pressure deficit and followed trends typical for the Boreal Plains (BP) and AOSR with highest rates in June–July. However, no strong effect of water table position on ET was found. Strong surface control on ET is evident from lower ET values than potential evapotranspiration (PET); the lowest ET/PET was observed at saline fen, followed by open fen, moderately treed fen, and heavily treed fen, suggesting a strong influence of vegetation on water loss. In most years PET exceeded precipitation (P), and positive relations between P/PET and ET were observed with the highest July ET rates occurring under P/PET ~1. However, during months with P/PET > 1, increased P/PET was associated with decreased July ET. With respect to 30-year mean values of air temperature and P in the area, both dry and wet, cool and warm growing seasons (GS) were observed. No clear trends between ET values and GS wetness/coldness were found, but all wet GS were characterized by peak growing seasons with high daily ET variability.     

Characterization of Ethiopian mega hydrogeological regimes using GRACE,TRMM and GLDAS datasets

Understanding the spatio-temporal characteristics of water storage changes is crucial for Ethiopia, a country that is facing a range of challenges in water management caused by anthropogenic impacts as well as climate variability. In addition to this, the scarcity of in situ measurements of soil moisture and groundwater, combined with intrinsic “scale limitations” of traditional methods used in hydrological characterization are further limiting the ability to assess water resource distribution in the region. The primary objective of this study is therefore to apply remotely sensed and model data over Ethiopia in order to (i) test the performance of models and remotely sensed data in modeling water resources distribution in un-gauged arid regions of Ethiopia, (ii) analyze the inter-annual and seasonal variability as well as changes in total water storage (TWS) over Ethiopia, (iii) understand the relationship between TWS changes, rainfall, and soil moisture anomalies over the study region, and (iv) identify the relationship between the characteristics of aquifers and TWS changes. The data used in this study includes; monthly gravity field data from the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, rainfall data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), and soil moisture from the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) model. Our investigation covers a period of 8 years from 2003 to 2011. The results of the study show that the western part and the north-eastern lowlands of Ethiopia experienced decrease in TWS water between 2003–2011, whereas all the other regions gained water during the study period. The impact of rainfall seasonality was also seen in the TWS changes. Applying the statistical method of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to TWS, soil moisture and rainfall variations indentified the dominant annual water variability in the western, north-western, northern, and central regions, and the dominant seasonal variability in the western, north-western, and the eastern regions. A correlation analysis between TWS and rainfall indicated a minimum time lag of zero to a maximum of six months, whereas no lag is noticeable between soil moisture anomalies and TWS changes. The delay response and correlation coefficient between rainfall and TWS appears to be related to recharge mechanisms, revealing that most regions of Ethiopia receive indirect recharge. Our results also show that the magnitude of TWS changes is higher in the western region and lower in the north-eastern region, and that the elevation influences soil moisture as well as TWS.     

Statistical Analysis of Water Quality Parameters in Seven Major Serbian Rivers during 2004‒2013 Period

Rivers on territory of the Republic of Serbia can be separated to three sea drainage basins: Black, Adriatic and Aegean. Majority of rivers belong to the Black Sea drainage basin. The Danube is the most important river in Serbia and one of the most important rivers of Europe. All rivers investigated in this paper represent direct or indirect tributaries of the Danube River and as that, they are belonging to the Black Sea drainage basin. In this study, the water quality status and the spatial and temporal trends of seven major rivers in Serbia were assessed through the application of ten parameters of Water Quality Index. Ten year (2004–2013) public database of environmental data was used. Into considerations were taken differences between every river individually and difference between sample positions on every single river. Based on the chemical parameters of water quality, it can be seen that the biggest rivers in Serbia show different values of WQ parameters. The highest WQ value is measured on the Drina River, while the lowest value is measured on the Ju?na Morava and the Tisza River. Analyses of parameters per period of year show that there is a statistically significant difference between values during warm and cold periods.     

Inter-annual simulation of global carbon cycle variations in a terrestrial–aquatic continuum

The advanced process-based model, National Integrated Catchment-based Eco-hydrology (NICE)-BGC, which incorporates the whole process of carbon cycling in land, was modified to include the feedback between soil organic content and overland carbon fluxes. It is a crucial and difficult task to evaluate the balance of the terrestrial carbon budget including the effect of inland water robustly. To accomplish this purpose, NICE-BGC was applied to quantify the global biogeochemical carbon cycle closely associated with the complex hydrological cycle during the 36 years between 1980 and 2015. The model demonstrated that the inter-annual variations of carbon cycle have been greatly affected by the extreme weather patterns. In particular, spatial distribution of temporal trends in riverine carbon fluxes and their relation to soil organic carbon (SOC) were analysed between different biomes and major river basins. Although there was a positive relationship between SOC and riverine flux of dissolved organic carbon and particulate organic carbon in the northern boreal region, it is difficult to see this relation in other regions. Further, the evaluation of potential controlling factors of temporal trends in SOC and fluvial carbon exports was also helpful to quantify the inter-annual variation or temporal trend caused by the various effects. SOC was more influenced by temperature variations, whereas riverine carbon exports were mainly determined by precipitation variations. Finally, net land flux including inland water (−1.49 ± 0.50 PgC/year) showed a slight decrease in the carbon sink in comparison with previous values (−2.33 ± 0.50 PgC/year). These results help to distinguish the carbon cycle in different river basins and to re-evaluate carbon cycle change explicitly including the effect of inland water because this effect has been so far implicitly included within the range of uncertainty in the Earth's global carbon cycle comprising land, oceans, and atmosphere.     

应用MODIS数据监测千岛湖流域植被覆盖动态(2001-2013年)

流域植被覆盖状况对于水源地生态环境保护具有重要的指示作用.当前的水质目标管理不仅要着眼于湖库水质参数控制,更应该从整个流域的角度维系生态平衡.在此背景下,依托长时间序列MODIS遥感数据对千岛湖流域2001-2013年植被覆盖状况进行监测,采用最小二乘法趋势分析和Mann-Kendall显著性检验方法分析了千岛湖流域植被的空间分布特征、时间变化特征与长期变化趋势.研究表明该方法能够有效地监测流域植被覆盖的时空动态变化:1)从空间分布上来看,千岛湖流域植被覆盖状况整体较好,但同时也发现受人为干扰较大的地域如河、湖附近的城镇建设用地、农业用地以及园地,其NDVI值明显低于自然林地;2)从时间变化特征上看,2001-2013年千岛湖流域植被年际NDVI在0.69~0.73之间波动,且近年来有增长趋势,年内季节性NDVI动态分析表明高时间分辨率的MODIS数据能够用来区分常绿植被与落叶植被的物候特征,以分析不同植被类型对流域氮、磷流失的风险差异;3)从变化趋势上看,2001-2013年植被覆盖状况改善的区域远大于退化的区域,其中改善区域约占流域面积的55.90%,呈现出一定退化状态的区域约占29.60%(严重退化区域仅占3.97%),而相对稳定不变区域约占14.51%.经与气温与降水等气候因子进行相关性分析表明,植被NDVI与气温呈显著正相关,而降水则不敏感,说明气温是研究区植被生长的主导气候因子.同时发现,人类活动对局部植被变化影响较大.研究结果可为流域水资源与生态环境保护提供空间数据支撑.     

Hydrology and dynamics of a polythermal (mostly cold) High Arctic glacier

To improve our understanding of the interactions between hydrology and dynamics in mostly cold glaciers (in which water flow is limited by thermal regime), we analyse short‐term (every two days) variations in glacier flow in the ablation zone of polythermal John Evans Glacier, High Arctic Canada. We monitor the spatial and temporal propagation of high‐velocity events, and examine their impacts upon supraglacial drainage processes and evolving subglacial drainage system structure. Each year, in response to the rapid establishment of supraglacial–subglacial drainage connections in the mid‐ablation zone, a ‘spring event’ of high horizontal surface velocities and high residual vertical motion propagates downglacier over two to four days from the mid‐ablation zone to the terminus. Subsequently, horizontal velocities fall relative to the spring event but remain higher than over winter, reflecting channelization of subglacial drainage but continued supraglacial meltwater forcing. Further transient high‐velocity events occur later in each melt season in response to melt‐induced rising supraglacial meltwater inputs to the glacier bed, but the dynamic response of the glacier contrasts with that recorded during the spring event, with the degree of spatial propagation a function of the degree to which the subglacial drainage system has become channelized. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

利用广义三角帽方法评估GRACE反演中国大陆地区水储量变化的不确定性

在无真实观测值的情况下,本文利用广义三角帽方法评估了五种GRACE时变重力场模型（CSR、GFZ、GRGS、HUST发布的球谐系数解和JPL发布的Mascon解）反演中国大陆地区2003-2013年水储量变化的不确定性.研究结果表明,CSR、GFZ、JPL、HUST和GRGS反演月水储量变化不确定性的区域平均RMS分别为14.4 mm、26.3 mm、25.3 mm、26.6 mm和56.1 mm,其中GRGS的结果未恢复泄漏信号;在季和年尺度上,模型的不确定性均小于月尺度;扣除周期和趋势信号后,各模型反演结果更为一致.除长江流域外,CSR在13个流域的不确定性均小于其他模型,GRGS反演各流域水储量变化的不确定性通常较大,且可能高估了温带大陆性气候地区水储量的波动;CSR和JPL的不确定性受流域周边水文特征、气候类型、流域面积和形状的影响相对较小,不确定性变化范围分别为2.3~17.1 mm和5.6~22.5 mm,GFZ和HUST受影响较大,不确定性变化范围分别为5.5~35.1 mm和4.0~40.6 mm.本文的研究结果为GRACE产品不确定性评估提供了新的途径,为GRACE时变重力场模型的选取提供参考.     

Tracing contributions to hydro‐isotopic differences between two adjacent lakes in the southern Tibetan Plateau

Hydrological processes of lakes in the Tibetan Plateau are an important indicator of climate change. Due to the high elevation, inaccessibility and limited availability of historical observations, water budget evaluation of typical lake basins has been inadequate. In this study, stable isotopes are used to trace the multiple water sources contributing to two adjacent lakes on the north slope of the Himalayas, Gongmo‐tso and Drem‐tso. The two lakes have nearly the same elevation, lake area and climatic condition. However, the isotopic composition of the two lakes presents significant differences. Qualitative observations attribute the differences to hydrological discrepancies: Gongmo‐tso is a through‐flow lake, whereas Drem‐tso is a terminal lake. Quantitative analyses, including water and isotope mass balance modelling, clarify the fluxes and isotopic compositions among the various hydrological elements. The isotopic composition of input water, calculated as the summation of rainfall and upstream runoff, is estimated using the local meteoric water line (LMWL) combined with the time series of lake water isotope values. The isotopic composition of evaporation is calculated with a linear resistance model using local meteorological data. The results show that Drem‐tso is a closed lake in a hydrological steady state with relatively more enriched lake water isotope values resulting mainly from evaporation. In contrast, through‐flow accounts for more than 88% of the water input into Gongmo‐tso. The large amount of upstream runoff with lower isotopic composition and enrichment due to evaporation are the major contributions to the observed lake water isotope values. Isotopic modelling of the two neighbouring lakes is effective for isotopic and hydrological research in this region with limited in situ observations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulating pan‐Arctic runoff with a macro‐scale terrestrial water balance model

A terrestrial hydrological model, developed to simulate the high‐latitude water cycle, is described, along with comparisons with observed data across the pan‐Arctic drainage basin. Gridded fields of plant rooting depth, soil characteristics (texture, organic content), vegetation, and daily time series of precipitation and air temperature provide the primary inputs used to derive simulated runoff at a grid resolution of 25 km across the pan‐Arctic. The pan‐Arctic water balance model (P/WBM) includes a simple scheme for simulating daily changes in soil frozen and liquid water amounts, with the thaw–freeze model (TFM) driven by air temperature, modelled soil moisture content, and physiographic data. Climate time series (precipitation and air temperature) are from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis project for the period 1980–2001. P/WBM‐generated maximum summer active‐layer thickness estimates differ from a set of observed data by an average of 12 cm at 27 sites in Alaska, with many of the differences within the variability (1σ) seen in field samples. Simulated long‐term annual runoffs are in the range 100 to 400 mm year^?1. The highest runoffs are found across northeastern Canada, southern Alaska, and Norway, and lower estimates are noted along the highest latitudes of the terrestrial Arctic in North America and Asia. Good agreement exists between simulated and observed long‐term seasonal (winter, spring, summer–fall) runoff to the ten Arctic sea basins (r = 0·84). Model water budgets are most sensitive to changes in precipitation and air temperature, whereas less affect is noted when other model parameters are altered. Increasing daily precipitation by 25% amplifies annual runoff by 50 to 80% for the largest Arctic drainage basins. Ignoring soil ice by eliminating the TFM sub‐model leads to runoffs that are 7 to 27% lower than the control run. The results of these model sensitivity experiments, along with other uncertainties in both observed validation data and model inputs, emphasize the need to develop improved spatial data sets of key geophysical quantities (particularly climate time series) to estimate terrestrial Arctic hydrological budgets better. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Streamflow variability and its relationship with climate indices in western rivers of Argentina

The objective of this study was to examine the streamflow variability of Argentinean Andean basins (22°–52°S). Trends and step changes of seven hydrological variables were analysed. In addition, relationships between the hydrological variables and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), Niño 3.4, and Southern Annular Mode (SAM) indices were analysed. Most streamflow variables showed upward trends in the northwest and central-western basins, while downward trends were identified in the Patagonia (southwestern) region. Streamflow of the central-western and Patagonian basins was positively correlated with the Niño 3.4 index. Moreover, an inverse relationship with the SAM was found in watersheds south of 37°S. Positive step changes associated with the PDO phases in the north and central-western basins in the mid-1970s were detected, while negative step changes resulted in Patagonia between 1970 and 2000. This research provides new evidence of the influence of major climate modes on streamflow variability in the western rivers of Argentina.