Mean residence time of lagoons in shallow vegetated floodplains

Lagoons interspersed within wetlands are expected to increase the residence time of the flow in the system which, in turn, will lead to enhanced pollutant removal thus ensuring a good ecological status of the ecosystem. In this study, lagoons interspersed in vegetated wetlands have been mimicked in the laboratory to develop a theoretical model to establish the impact three major driving parameters (the vegetation density surrounding a lagoon, the depth aspect ratio [length vs. depth] of the lagoon and the circulating flow – through the Reynolds number) have on determining the residence time of the flow in the lagoon. The results indicate that, according to the maximum free available area of the flow, the presence of vegetation (Juncus maritimus) decreases the residence time. In addition, an increase in the Reynolds number of the circulating flow in the wetlands also resulted in a decrease in the lagoon residence time. Nevertheless, lagoon residence times were found to depend on the depth of the lagoon, with deeper lagoons having higher residence times. The length of the lagoon, however, was found not to affect the residence time. High lagoon residence times in either natural or constructed wetlands are desirable because they enhance pollutant removal from the water. Although, if the residence times are too long, this may lead to anoxic water conditions that could in fact threaten the wetland's ecosystem.     

Improved dissolved oxygen status following removal of exotic weed mats in important fish habitat lagoons of the tropical Burdekin River floodplain, Australia

The Burdekin delta floodplain, north Queensland, is highly modified for agricultural purposes. Riparian condition is very poor and exotic aquatic weeds dominate waterways. Historically, most streams and lagoons were highly seasonal, but those now used for the delivery of irrigation water maintain elevated flows and increased turbidity and nutrient loading. These factors have aided exotic weed growth and many major lagoons are covered by dense water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) mats which greatly reduce dissolved oxygen levels, one of the most important water quality variables for aquatic fauna. Mechanical harvesting of water hyacinth from several of these lagoons resulted in rapid and substantial increases in dissolved oxygen saturation, and improved suitability of the habitat to support fish species. Decrease in dissolved oxygen as water passes sequentially through weed-infested lagoons, justified the approach of harvesting upstream lagoons first, however, the channels that connect these lagoons remain weed-infested and are still impacting upon downstream oxygen levels.     

High Arctic wetlands: Their occurrence, hydrological characteristics and sustainability

High Arctic wetlands, though limited in occurrence, are an important ecological niche, providing the major vegetated areas in an arid and cold polar desert environment. These wetlands are often found as patches in the barren landscape. At a few locales which may be ice-wedge polygonal grounds, glacial terrain and zones of recent coastal uplift, wetland occurrence can become extensive, forming a mosaic that comprises patches of different wetland types. Reliable water supply during the thawed season is a deciding factor in wetland sustainability. The sources include meltwater from late-lying snowbanks, localized ground water discharge, streamflow, inundation by lakes and the sea, and for some ice-wedge wetlands, ground-ice melt. Different types of wetlands have their own characteristics, and peat accumulation or diatom depositions are common. The peat cover insulates the wetland from summer heating and encourages permafrost aggradation, with the feedback that a shallow frost table reduces the moisture storage capacity in a thinly thawed layer, which becomes easily saturated. All the wetlands studied have high calcium content since they are formed on carbonate terrain. Coastal wetlands have high salt concentration while snowmelt and ground-ice melt provides dilution. The sustainability of High Arctic wetlands is predicated upon water supply exceeding the losses to evaporation and lateral drainage. Disturbances due to natural causes such as climatic variations, geomorphic changes, or human-induced drainage, can reduce inundation opportunities or increase outflow. Then, the water table drops, the vegetation changes and the peat degrades, leading to the detriment of the wetlands.     

A coupled model for simulating surface water and groundwater interactions in coastal wetlands

Coastal wetlands are characterized by strong, dynamic interactions between surface water and groundwater. This paper presents a coupled model that simulates interacting surface water and groundwater flow and solute transport processes in these wetlands. The coupled model is based on two existing (sub) models for surface water and groundwater, respectively: ELCIRC (a three‐dimensional (3‐D) finite‐volume/finite‐difference model for simulating shallow water flow and solute transport in rivers, estuaries and coastal seas) and SUTRA (a 3‐D finite‐element/finite‐difference model for simulating variably saturated, variable‐density fluid flow and solute transport in porous media). Both submodels, using compatible unstructured meshes, are coupled spatially at the common interface between the surface water and groundwater bodies. The surface water level and solute concentrations computed by the ELCIRC model are used to determine the boundary conditions of the SUTRA‐based groundwater model at the interface. In turn, the groundwater model provides water and solute fluxes as inputs for the continuity equations of surface water flow and solute transport to account for the mass exchange across the interface. Additionally, flux from the seepage face was routed instantaneously to the nearest surface water cell according to the local sediment surface slope. With an external coupling approach, these two submodels run in parallel using time steps of different sizes. The time step (Δt_g) for the groundwater model is set to be larger than that (Δt_s) used by the surface water model for computational efficiency: Δt_g = M × Δt_s where M is an integer greater than 1. Data exchange takes place between the two submodels through a common database at synchronized times (e.g. end of each Δt_g). The coupled model was validated against two previously reported experiments on surface water and groundwater interactions in coastal lagoons. The results suggest that the model represents well the interacting surface water and groundwater flow and solute transport processes in the lagoons. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling groundwater/surface water interaction in a managed riparian chalk valley wetland

Understanding hydrological processes in wetlands may be complicated by management practices and complex groundwater/surface water interactions. This is especially true for wetlands underlain by permeable geology, such as chalk. In this study, the physically based, distributed model MIKE SHE is used to simulate hydrological processes at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology River Lambourn Observatory, Boxford, Berkshire, UK. This comprises a 10‐ha lowland, chalk valley bottom, riparian wetland designated for its conservation value and scientific interest. Channel management and a compound geology exert important, but to date not completely understood, influences upon hydrological conditions. Model calibration and validation were based upon comparisons of observed and simulated groundwater heads and channel stages over an equally split 20‐month period. Model results are generally consistent with field observations and include short‐term responses to events as well as longer‐term seasonal trends. An intrinsic difficulty in representing compressible, anisotropic soils limited otherwise excellent performance in some areas. Hydrological processes in the wetland are dominated by the interaction between groundwater and surface water. Channel stage provides head boundaries for broad water levels across the wetland, whilst areas of groundwater upwelling control discrete head elevations. A relic surface drainage network confines flooding extents and routes seepage to the main channels. In‐channel macrophyte growth and its management have an acute effect on water levels and the proportional contribution of groundwater and surface water. The implications of model results for management of conservation species and their associated habitats are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Under‐ice salinity and stable isotope distribution of Saroma‐ko Lagoon,Hokkaido, northern Japan

In winter, lakes and lagoons at high altitudes or high latitudes have interesting hydrological cycles that differ from those in other seasons or in other regions, because water surfaces are covered with ice. Hydrological balances of lakes and lagoons are complex dynamic systems, and to elucidate them, isotopic tracers of water have been used as effective tools along with observations of precipitation, evaporation, inflows, and outflows. Here, to understand hydrological processes during freezing periods in the brackish Saroma‐ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, northern Japan, we examined horizontal and vertical distributions of salinity and isotope compositions of lagoon water and ice in 2005 and 2006. Horizontal and vertical gradients of salinity and isotope compositions were observed from the river mouth to the sea channel, and factors determining these distributions were considered. The mixing of freshwater and seawater and a freezing effect were presumed to be factors in relationships between salinity and isotopes and in relationships between surface waters and ice just above the water. A simple box model for water balance was constructed based on these putative factors to reproduce the distributions of salinity and isotope compositions of surface waters and ice. An evaluation of the model revealed that this hydrological system is controlled primarily by horizontal advection of the epilimnion, freshwater influx, and the ice growth rate. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Landscape and climate change threats to wetlands of North and Central America

North and Central America has a combined total of 2.5 million km² of wetlands, with 51 % in Canada, 46 % in the USA, and the remainder in subtropical and tropical Mexico and Central America. Loss rates are well known for the conterminous USA and for parts of Canada but poorly understood for Mexico and Central America. Wetlands of North America continue to be threatened due to drainage for agriculture and urban development, extreme coastal and river management, water pollution from upstream watersheds, peat mining, waterfowl management, and more recently climate change. Human use of wetlands in this region are many, including receiving ecosystem services such as water purification, flood regulation, climate regulation, and direct provisioning benefits for many cultures living in and among wetlands, especially in the Louisiana Delta and in Mexico and Central America. Climate change affects will cause wetland impacts on coastal wetlands due to sea level rise and on inland wetlands due to changes in precipitation, air temperature, and river discharges. Wetlands, in turn, have a major role in the storage of carbon in boreal regions of Canada and with carbon sequestration in temperate and tropical wetlands of the Americas.     

Hydrodynamics of floodplain wetlands in a chalk catchment: The River Lambourn, UK

Variations in floodplain channel water levels and valley floor groundwater levels (measured in piezometers and boreholes) are examined at selected points along the course of the River Lambourn, a chalk river in southern England. A local alluvial gravel aquifer in the valley bottom is associated with numerous small wetlands that extend over much of the river's perennial profile. Variations in hydraulic gradient between local borehole levels and/or floodplain channel water levels are described for three sites in the seasonal section of the channel at Bockhampton, East Garston and West Shefford. The results indicate that observed groundwater levels are closely associated with flows from discrete springs at the margins of the channel and floodplain. However, as the floodplain widens and the alluvial gravel aquifer increases in size, the gravel aquifer accounts for a substantial down-valley component of groundwater flow with a diffuse vertical water flux. In the lower catchment, the exchange of flows between the gravel aquifer and the river enables some attenuation of floodplain water-table variability, providing a stable hydrological regime for valley-bottom wetlands. Catchment controls upon the local, valley-bottom, wetland regime are demonstrated with the application of a simple groundwater model developed using MODFLOW. The model is used to simulate groundwater discharge to the river in the upper and lower catchment, in addition to the water level regime at selected points in the valley bottom in the lower catchment. The results demonstrate the importance of taking catchment-scale water flow into account when managing isolated wetlands in a permeable catchment.     

Future of wetlands in tropical and subtropical Asia, especially in the face of climate change

Tropical and subtropical Asia differs from other tropical regions in its monsoonal climate and the dominant influence of the Hindukush and Himalayan mountain ranges which result in extremes of spatial and temporal variability in precipitation. However, several major rivers and their tributaries arise in the Himalayan ranges and are fed by thousands of glaciers. Huge sediment loads carried by these rivers result in important deltas at their mouths. The climatic and physiographic diversity have endowed the region with many kinds of wetlands. Of these, the peatswamps of southeast Asia constitute about 56% of the world’s tropical peatlands, and more than 42% of the world’s mangroves occur in South and southeast Asia. Among other wetlands, riverine swamps are rather restricted whereas the seasonal marshes are a dominant feature. Another characteristic feature of tropical Asia are the innumerable human-made and intensively managed wetlands of which the paddy fields and aquaculture ponds are the most extensive. Throughout tropical Asia, wetlands have been a part of the socio-cultural ethos of the people and many communities have lived in wetlands. However, the pressures of high population and the economic development have extensively impacted upon wetlands which have been transformed for paddy cultivation and aquaculture, drained and converted to other land uses for economic gains (e.g., conversion to oil palm), and degraded by discharge of domestic and industrial wastes. Invasive plant and animal species have also played a significant role. The climate change is already being felt in the rapid retreat of Himalayan glaciers, increased temperature and variability in precipitation as well as the frequency of extreme events. Sea level rise is seen as a major threat to the coastal wetlands, particularly the mangroves. Increasing droughts have caused frequent fires in Indonesian peat swamps that have further feedback impacts on regional climate. However, the actual threat to wetlands in this region arises from the extensive hydrological alterations being caused by storage, abstraction and diversion of river flows for agriculture, industry and hydropower. Currently, the state of our understanding wetlands in general, and the efforts and infrastructure for research and training in wetlands are very poor. Although a few wetlands have been designated as Ramsar sites, the policies aimed at wetland conservation are either non-existent or very weak. Human responses to greater uncertainty and variability in the available water resources in different parts of Asia will be crucial to the conservation of wetlands in the future.     

Reedbed Treatment of Sewage in the UK

Natural wetlands perform significant sewage treatment, but artificial reedbeds are likely to be more reliable and effective. The processes responsible for purification in wetlands and reedbeds are described in this paper, together with an outline of the experimental reedbeds which have been established in the UK up to 1987. Major research needs are outlined.     

Modelling indicators of water security,water pollution and aquatic biodiversity in Europe

Abstract

The GWAVA (Global Water AVailability Assessment) model for indicating human water security has been extended with a newly developed module for calculating pollutant concentrations. This module is first described and then illustrated by being used to model nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter concentrations. The module uses solely input variables that are likely to be available for future scenarios, making it possible to apply the module to such scenarios. The module first calculates pollutant loading from land to rivers, lakes and wetlands by considering drivers such as agriculture, industry and sewage treatment. Calculated loadings are subsequently converted to concentrations by considering aquatic processes, such as dilution, downstream transport, evaporation, human water abstraction and biophysical loss processes. Aquatic biodiversity is indicated to be at risk if modelled pollutant concentrations exceed certain water quality standards. This is indicated to be the case in about 35% of the European area, especially where lakes and wetlands are abundant. Human water security is indicated to be at risk where human water demands cannot be fulfilled during drought events. This is found to be the case in about 10% of the European area, especially in Mediterranean, arid and densely-populated areas. Modelled spatial variation in concentrations matches well with existing knowledge, and the temporal variability of concentrations is modelled reasonably well in some river basins. Therefore, we conclude that the updated GWAVA model can be used for indicating changes in human water security and aquatic biodiversity across Europe.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz

Citation Dumont, E., Williams, R., Keller, V., Voss, A., and Tattari, S., 2012. Modelling indicators of water security, water pollution and aquatic biodiversity in Europe. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (7), 1378–1403.     

The performance of benthic indicators of ecological change in Adriatic coastal lagoons: throwing the baby with the water?

The ecological quality of 127 stations from six Adriatic coastal lagoons was assessed using a suite of biotic indices: H', d, 1-lambda', Delta(*), Delta(+), W, AMBI, BOPA and FINE. The analysis indicated the difficulties in deriving and using the existing indices from benthic communities in highly variable environmental conditions in coastal lagoons. Different metrics rendered different results: the use of H' resulted in the classification of all stations as "Moderate/Poor/Bad", whereas BOPA classified the majority of the stations as "Good/High". Using Delta(+), most of the stations resulted as "Not anthropogenically impacted", while the W-statistics gave 82 stations as "Undisturbed" and 45 as "Moderately/Grossly disturbed". AMBI classified 55 stations as "High/Good" and 72 as "Moderate/Poor/Bad", whereas those were 32 and 95 with FINE, respectively. The latter, which was developed just for Italian coastal lagoons, was the most conservative among the indices studied. Yet, it showed the highest correlation with the species/abundance matrix. Using indices developed for coastal waters in lagoons can give the distorted indication that the water body is degraded, when it might be just a natural, low diversity, high abundance community, i.e. a lagoonal community. Moreover, the outcome of the use of a certain index has a financial dimension such that lagoons misclassified as being "poor status" will then require expensive remediation measures. For the lagoons studied, there is probably an adequate quality and quantity of benthic data available for making management decisions, but this study highlights the limits of the existing indices for lagoonal ecosystems. The challenge for the next future is to couple long term conservation of the natural environment with the highly productive activities carried out in lagoonal ecosystems.     

Behavioural responses of the mangrove fiddler crabs (Ucaannulipes and U. inversa) to urban sewage loadings: Results of a mesocosm approach

The study aimed at investigating the effects of sewage loadings on the behaviour of two fiddler crabs species maintained in a system of experimental mesocosms, built in a mangrove area in Tanzania and inundated with different seawater/sewage mixtures. Our results show that sewage loads led to a modification of the overall activity budget of the crab community as a result of increased hypertrophic conditions (high COD, increased chlorophyll-a concentrations). During their activity period, crabs inside contaminated mesocosms seemed to satisfy their feeding demand faster than those of the control cells, spending a significant longer time in other activities like courtship and territorial defence. Apart from being a good biological indication of ecosystem eutrophication, such a reduced foraging activity by fiddler crabs also depresses their sediment bioturbation activity, important factor for the health of mangrove systems, suggesting practical implications regarding the efficiency of mangrove-based wetlands for treatment of domestic sewage.     

Wetlandscape hydrologic dynamics driven by shallow groundwater and landscape topography

Wetlands play an important role in watershed eco-hydrology. The occurrence and distribution of wetlands in a landscape are affected by the surface topography and the hydro-climatic conditions. Here, we propose a minimalist probabilistic approach to describe the dynamic behaviour of wetlandscape attributes, including number of inundated wetlands and the statistical properties of wetland stage, surface area, perimeter, and storage volume. The method relies on two major assumptions: (a) wetland bottom hydrologic resistance is negligible; and (b) groundwater level is parallel to the mean terrain elevation. The approach links the number of inundated wetlands (depressions with water) to the distribution of wetland bottoms and divides, and the position of the shallow water table. We compared the wetlandscape attribute dynamics estimated from the probabilistic approach to those determined from a parsimonious hydrologic model for groundwater-dominated wetlands. We test the reliability of the assumptions of both models using data from six cypress dome wetlands in the Green Swamp Wildlife Management Area, Florida. The results of the hydrologic model for groundwater-dominated wetlands showed that the number of inundated wetlands has a unimodal dependence on the groundwater level, as predicted by the probabilistic approach. The proposed models provide a quantitative basis to understand the physical processes that drive the spatiotemporal hydrologic dynamics in wetlandscapes impacted by shallow groundwater fluctuations. Emergent patterns in wetlandscape hydrologic dynamics are of key importance not only for the conservation of water resources, but also for a wide range of eco-hydrological services provided by connectivity between wetlands and their surrounding uplands.     

Monitoring wetland ditch water levels in the North Kent Marshes,UK, using Landsat TM imagery and ground-based measurements

Abstract

An understanding of hydrology is a prerequisite for ensuring the successful management, conservation and restoration of wetland environments. Frequently, however, little is known about historical hydrological conditions, such as water levels, within wetlands. Moreover, many channel and ditch systems in wetlands are not routinely monitored, except perhaps for research purposes. A methodology is presented herein which makes use of satellite imagery to indirectly provide remotely sensed observations of water levels within channels and ditches. Using multi-temporal Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery and simultaneous ground-based measurements of water levels, statistical relationships are established between satellite-derived effective wet ditch widths and measured water levels in the drainage system of the Elmley Marshes, southeast England. These relationships can be used subsequently to estimate historical ditch water levels and to monitor contemporary ditch water levels in the wetland. The study shows that satellite imagery has much to offer in monitoring changes in the hydrological regime of wetlands and in providing complimentary approaches to field monitoring.     

The filtering capacity of a tropical riverine wetland: II. Sediment and nutrient balances

The ability of wetlands to improve the quality of water has long been recognized and has led to the proliferation of wetlands as a means to treat diffuse and point source pollutants from a range of land uses. However, much of the existing research has been undertaken in temperate climates with a paucity of information on the effectiveness of wetlands, particularly natural wetlands, in tropical regions. This paper contributes to addressing this issue by presenting a comprehensive measurement based assessment of the potential for a naturally occurring tropical riverine wetland to improve the quality of the water entering it. We found small net imports and exports of sediment to/from the wetland in individual years, but over the longer term this kind of wetland is neither a sink nor source of sediment. In contrast, phosphorus was continually removed by the wetland with an overall net reduction of 14%. However, it should be noted that there is no ‘permanent’ gaseous loss mechanism for phosphorus, and its removal from the water column is equal to its accumulation in the wetland soil. We found very little removal of nitrogen by this type of wetland from several analyses including: (i) Surface and groundwater fluxes, (ii) Estimation of water column and soil denitrification rates, (iii) Wetland residence times, and (iv) Hydraulic loading. We also found no clear evidence for transformation of nitrogen to more or less bio‐available forms. Hence, while the benefits of using wetlands to improve water quality in controlled environments have been demonstrated in the literature, these benefits may not always be directly translated to unmanaged natural wetland systems when there is strong seasonality in flows and short residence time during the periods of maximum sediment and nutrient load. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sedimentation patterns in the Selenga River delta under changing hydroclimatic conditions

The Selenga River delta (Russia) is a large (>600 km²) fluvially dominated fresh water system that transfers water and sediment from an undammed drainage basin into Lake Baikal, a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site. Through sedimentation processes, the delta and its wetlands provide important environmental services, such as storage of sediment‐bound pollutants (e.g., metals), thereby reducing their input to Lake Baikal. However, in the Selenga River delta and many other deltas of the world, there is a lack of knowledge regarding impacts of potential shifts in the flow regime (e.g., due to climate change and other anthropogenic impacts) on sedimentation processes, including sediment exchanges between deltaic channels and adjacent wetlands. This study uses field measurements of water velocities and sediment characteristics in the Selenga River delta, investigating conditions of moderate discharge, which have become more frequent over the past decades (at the expense of peak flows, Q > 1,350 m³ s^?1). The aims are to determine if the river system under moderate flow conditions is capable of supporting sediment export from the main distributary channels of the delta to the adjacent wetlands. The results show that most of the deposited sediment outside of the deltaic channels is characterized by a large proportion of silt and clay material (i.e., <63 μm). For example, floodplain lakes function as sinks of very fine sediment (e.g., 97% of sediment by weight < 63 μm). Additionally, bed material sediment is found to be transported outside of the channel margins during conditions of moderate and high water discharge conditions (Q ≥ 1,000 m³ s^?1). Submerged banks and marshlands located in the backwater zone of the delta accumulate sediment during such discharges, supporting wetland development. Thus, these regions likely sequester various metals bound to Selenga River sediment.     

The status of wetlands and the predicted effects of global climate change: the situation in Australia

The condition of many wetlands across Australia has deteriorated due to increased water regulation and the expansion and intensification of agriculture and increased urban and industrial expansion. Despite this situation, a comprehensive overview of the distribution and condition of wetlands across Australia is not available. Regional analyses exist and several exemplary mapping and monitoring exercises have been maintained to complement the more general information sets. It is expected that global climate change will exacerbate the pressures on inland wetlands, while sea level rises will adversely affect coastal wetlands. It is also expected that the exacerbation of these pressures will increase the potential for near-irreversible changes in the ecological state of some wetlands. Concerted institutional responses to such pressures have in the past proven difficult to sustain, although there is some evidence that a more balanced approach to water use and agriculture is being developed with the provision of increasing funds to purchase water for environmental flows being one example. We identify examples from around Australia that illustrate the impacts on wetlands of long-term climate change from palaeoecological records (south-eastern Australia); water allocation (Murray-Darling Basin); dryland salinisation (south-western Australia); and coastal salinisation (northern Australia). These are provided to illustrate both the extent of change in wetlands and the complexity of differentiating the specific effects of climate change. An appraisal of the main policy responses by government to climate change is provided as a basis for further considering the opportunities for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.     

Ground water dependence of endangered ecosystems: Nebraska's eastern saline wetlands

Many endangered or threatened ecosystems depend on ground water for their survival. Nebraska's saline wetlands, home to a number of endangered species, are ecosystems whose development, sustenance, and survival depend on saline ground water discharge at the surface. This study demonstrates that the saline conditions present within the eastern Nebraska saline wetlands result from the upwelling of saline ground water from within the underlying Dakota Aquifer and deeper underlying formations of Pennsylvanian age. Over thousands to tens of thousands of years, saline ground water has migrated over regional scale flowpaths from recharge zones in the west to the present-day discharge zones along the saline streams of Rock, Little Salt, and Salt Creeks in Lancaster and Saunders counties. An endangered endemic species of tiger beetle living within the wetlands has evolved under a unique set of hydrologic conditions, is intolerant to recent anthropogenic changes in hydrology and salinity, and is therefore on the brink of extinction. As a result, the fragility of such systems demands an even greater understanding of the interrelationships among geology, hydrology, water chemistry, and biology than in less imperiled systems where adaptation is more likely. Results further indicate that when dealing with ground water discharge-dependent ecosystems, and particularly those dependent on dissolved constituents as well as the water, wetland management must be expanded outside of the immediate surface location of the visible ecosystem to include areas where recharge and lateral water movement might play a vital role in wetland hydrologic and chemical mixing dynamics.     

The water regime of the Monegros playa-lakes as established from ground and satellite data

The Monegros playa-lakes are isolated saline wetlands, locally named ‘saladas’, situated in a vulnerable semi-arid territory where agricultural expansion threatens the natural hydrologic cycle with regular artificial flooding, risking the survival of a valuable natural resource. This study aims to examine the water regime of these playa-lakes from climate data and available hydrologic records. These records are historical and limited to a series of weekly measurements of depth and of water extent extracted from Landsat imagery. We have characterized the hydrological behavior of the playa-lakes by treating ground and satellite data separately. For this purpose, the playa-lakes are first grouped according to the water occurrence episodes. Then their hydrologic status is related to the previous rainfall and also to ET₀, since there is a lack of local records of wind as well as brine or fresh water evaporation. The northern playa-lakes respond to rain faster than the southern ones. All playa-lakes have a significant relationship between water occurrence and rainfall accumulated within 180 days prior to an observation. A significant relationship between ET₀ and water occurrence was found for a shorter 15-day accumulation period. Quantifying the current water regime now is critical for monitoring the effects of expanding irrigation in adjacent lands. Remote sensing is well-suited to an environmental assessment for regions of difficult access with the added benefit of lowered field measurement cost. The hydrological data from the Monegros playa-lakes could be integrated with other playa environments worldwide to compare regionally specific climate conditions.