Hydrological transit times in nested urban and agricultural watersheds in the Greater Toronto Area,Canada

Watershed mean transit times (MTTs) are used to characterize the hydrology of watersheds. Watershed MTTs could have important implications for water quality, as relatively long MTTs imply lengthier water retention, thereby allowing more time for pollutant transformation and more moderate release of pollutants into streams. Although estimates of MTTs are common for undisturbed watersheds, only a few studies to date have applied MTT models to urbanized watersheds. In the present study, we use δ¹⁸O to compare estimates of MTTs for paired suburban‐industrial and agricultural watersheds in Toronto, Canada. Although differences in precipitation δ¹⁸O between the two watersheds were negligible, there were significant differences in stream δ¹⁸O, suggesting differences in water transport pathways. Less damping between input precipitation δ¹⁸O and output stream δ¹⁸O in the suburban‐industrial watershed indicated a larger streamflow contribution from quick‐flow transport pathways. We applied three transit time models to quantify MTTs. Considering overall model fit, root mean square error, and uncertainty in model parameters, the exponential model performed the best of the three models. Optimized MTTs using this distribution across the suburban‐industrial subwatersheds ranged from 2.1 to 2.9 months, whereas those in the agricultural subwatersheds ranged from 2.7 to 7.5 months. The relatively small difference between urban and agricultural MTTs coincides with observations elsewhere. Model efficiencies could potentially be improved, and MTTs estimated more reliably, with a higher sampling frequency that captures a greater volume of overall discharge. Overall, this work provides a distinct first glimpse into the separation of MTTs between paired watersheds with such a large contrast in their land use.     

Isotopic evidence for widespread cold‐season‐biased groundwater recharge and young streamflow across central Canada

Transformations of precipitation into groundwater and streamflow are fundamental hydrological processes, critical to irrigated agriculture, hydroelectric power generation, and ecosystem health. Our understanding of the timing of groundwater recharge and streamflow generation remains incomplete, limiting our ability to predict fresh water, nutrient, and contaminant fluxes, especially in large basins. Here, we analyze thousands of rain, snow, groundwater, and streamflow δ¹⁸O and δ²H values in the Nelson River basin, which covers 1.2 million km² of central Canada. We show that the fraction of precipitation that recharges aquifers is ~1.3–5 times higher for precipitation falling during cold months with subzero mean monthly temperatures than for precipitation falling during warmer months. The near‐ubiquity of cold‐season‐biased groundwater recharge implies that changes to winter water balances may have disproportionate impacts on annual groundwater recharge rates. We also show that young streamflow—defined as precipitation that enters a river in less than ~2.3 months—comprises ~27% of annual streamflow but varies widely among tributaries in the Nelson River basin (1–59%). Young streamflow fractions are lower in steep catchments and higher in flatter catchments such as the transboundary Red River basin. Our findings imply that flat, lower permeability, heavily tiled landscapes favor more rapid transmission of precipitation into rivers, possibly mobilizing excess soluble fertilizers and exacerbating eutrophication events in Lake Winnipeg.     

Catchment transit times and landscape controls—does scale matter?

Mean transit times (MTTs) can give useful insights into the internal processes of hydrological systems. However, our understanding of how they vary and scale remains unclear. We used MTT estimates obtained from δ¹⁸O data from 20, mostly nested, contrasting catchments in North East Scotland, ranging from 1 to 1700 km². The estimated MTTs ranged between 270 and 1170 days and were used to test a previously developed multiple linear regression (MLR) model for MTT prediction based on metrics of soil cover, landscape organization and climate. We show that the controls on MTT identified by the MLR model hold with the independent data from these 20 sites and that the MLR can be used to predict MTT in ungauged montane catchments. The dominant controls also remain unchanged over four orders of magnitude of catchment size, suggesting no major change of dominant flow paths and mixing processes at larger scales. This is consistent with the fact that only the variance of MTT, rather than MTT, showed a scaling relationship. MTTs appeared to converge with increasing catchment scale, apparently due to the integration of heterogeneous headwater responses in larger downstream catchments. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of forest recovery on summer streamflow in small forested watersheds,Northeastern China

The hydrological effect of forest recovery is receiving renewed interest globally because information on forest carbon–water relationship is critically needed to support carbon management through reforestation and sustainable water management. In Northeastern China, summer (June to August) streamflow accounts for about 50% of total annual streamflow and is vital to water supply and management in the region. Understanding how forest recovery may affect streamflow is important to both reforestation campaign and long‐term water sustainability. In this study, we analysed 33 years of summer hydrologic data (1970–2002) from two comparable small‐scale watersheds located in the Xiaoxing'anling, Northeastern China. Time series analysis and two graphic methods (double mass curve and flow duration curve) with statistical testing as well as long‐term data on forest cover changes and climate were used. Our results show that the significant streamflow reduction as a result of reforestation occurred when forest cover reached 70% or 10 years after planting. After forest cover reached 85%, water reduction became stabilized. The accumulative streamflow reduction in 2002 reached 8·61% of the total accumulative streamflow. Among those water reduced, high flows (from 5 to 25 percentiles) were mostly affected, demonstrating that northeastern forests have an important role in reducing high flows. Implications of these results are discussed in the context of climate change, reforestation and water resource management. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of source water to cedar elm in a central Texas riparian ecosystem

A riparian ecosystem downstream of a small dam in central Texas was instrumented for sap flow, soil moisture content, and stream level from 2001. Stable isotopes in water (D and ¹⁸O) were analysed from rainfall, stream, lake, and cored sapwood cellulose from cedar elm (Ulmus crassifolia). The isotope signature of water source to cedar elm was identified by back calculation starting with the water isotopes in cellulose, and accounting for leaf‐water evaporation and biological fractionation during cellulose synthesis. The estimated mean isotope of the source water to cedar elm was enriched above rainfall in similarity to stream water during 2002. Flow paths that may have contributed to estimated variability from regional base flow and recharge water were identified using the variably saturated HYDRUS‐2D model. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characteristics of soil water movement in a grass slope in a karst peak‐cluster region,China

Soil water is very important in hilly areas with thin soil layers and deep groundwater tables, such as the karst peak‐cluster region of Southwest China. An investigation into soil water movement can provide insights into management of shallow water resources and soil nutrients, as well as prevention of groundwater pollution. In this study, ¹⁸O and ²H tracers were used to trace soil water movement in planar soil mass type microhabitats in the middle part of a steep hillslope covered by grasses in a karst peak‐cluster region of China. From May 2008 to July 2009, samples of precipitation and two types of soil water, which had different integrated degrees of mobility and were of different depth intervals or depths, were collected. The hydrogeochemical characteristics were compared between precipitation and soil water, and these data were applied in convolution‐based lumped parameter models. Our results indicated that vertical piston flow, rather than lateral flow along the soil–bedrock interface, played an important role in soil water percolation at least in the upper soil layer approximately 7 cm over the permeable bedrock. The mixing effect and preferential flow might also play a role in soil water percolation. In general, the evaporation effect on soil water was weak except for the uppermost 10 cm soil matrix water during winter. The lower limits of mean transit time of soil matrix flow passing through 5, 15, 25, 35, and 41.5 cm depths were 4.81, 7.70, 16.19, 21.85, and 27.44 days, respectively. Our study demonstrated the crucial functions of the soil reservoir in regulating the water cycle and could provide guidance on conservation of soil water and hydrological studies. The applied method was proved to be a suitable approach for investigating soil water movement on a monthly scale.     

Factors controlling the acid‐neutralizing capacity of Japanese cedar forest watersheds in stands of various ages and topographic characteristics

Acid‐neutralizing capacity (ANC) is an important index for streamwater acidification caused by external factors (i.e. chronic acid deposition) and internal factors such as soil acidification due to nitrification. In this study, the influence of forest clear‐cutting and subsequent regrowth on internal acidification was investigated in central Japan, where stream pH (near 7·0) and ANC (above 0·1 meq L^?1) are high. pH, the concentrations of major cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺), major anions (NO₃^?, Cl^? and SO₄^2?) and dissolved silica (Si), and ANC were measured in 33 watersheds of various stand ages, during 2002 to 2004. Only NO₃^? concentration decreased with stand age, whereas pH, ANC, and concentrations of the sum of base cations (BC) and Si were negatively correlated with the minimum elevation of the watershed. The correlation between the BC/Si ratio and minimum elevation suggested that factors contributing to acid neutralization changed at 1100 m above sea level. In watersheds at lower elevations (?1100 m), the relatively high contribution of soil water with longer soil contact times should result in higher ANC, and cation exchange reactions should be the dominant process for acid neutralization due to deposition of colluvial soils on the lower slope. In contrast, in higher‐elevation watersheds (≥1100 m), weathered residual soils are thin and the small contribution of deeper groundwater results in lower ANC. These results suggest that the local acid sensitivity is determined by the hydrological and geomorphologic factors generated by steep topography. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isotope hydrological study of mean transit time in the granitic Strengbach catchment (Vosges massif,France): application of the FlowPC model with modified input function

Measurements of ¹⁸O concentrations in precipitation, soil solution, spring and runoff are used to determine water transit time in the small granitic Strengbach catchment (0·8 km²; 883–1146 m above sea level) located in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France. Water transit times were calculated by applying the exponential, exponential piston and dispersion models of the FlowPC program to isotopic input (rainfall) and output (spring and stream water) data sets during the period 1989–95. The input function of the model was modified compared with the former version of the model and estimated by a deterministic approach based on a simplified hydrological balance. The fit between observed and calculated output data showed marked improvements compared with results obtained using the initial version of the model. An exponential piston version of the model applied to spring water indicates a 38·5 month mean transit time, which suggests that the volume in the aquifer, expressed in water depth, is 2·4 m. A considerable thickness (>45 m) of fractured bedrock may be involved for such a volume of water to be stored in the aquifer. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of canopy drying time after rainfall using sap flow measurements in an emergent tree in a lowland mixed‐dipterocarp forest in Sarawak,Malaysia

This study emphasizes the importance of canopy drying time (CDT) after rainfall in a lowland tropical rain forest. In this study, we estimate CDT using sap flow velocities measured by a heat‐pulse method in an emergent tree in a lowland mixed‐dipterocarp forest. Estimated CDT (ECDT) for each rain event has been defined as the time from rainfall cessation to the specific time derived from the difference between diurnal courses of sap flow velocities on a rainy day versus bright days. ECDT could be derived for 22 rain events that were grouped into two types, depending on whether rainfall ceased before or after noon. The ECDTs were distributed more widely and with greater values when rainfall ceased before noon (Type 1) than after noon (Type 2). The ECDTs of both Type 1 and Type 2 decreased with increases in net radiation (Rn) and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) after rainfall. This result shows that ECDT is determined mainly by post‐rainfall evaporation rates. The sap flow velocity as a detector of canopy wetness worked out well because of the specific rainfall characteristics at this site. The practical limitations of the method using sap flow velocities are discussed in relation to rainfall characteristics and time lags between transpirations and sap flow velocities. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigating snowpack across scale in the northern Great Lakes–St. Lawrence forest region of Central Ontario,Canada

This study investigates scaling issues by evaluating snow processes and quantifying bias in snowpack properties across scale in a northern Great Lakes–St. Lawrence forest. Snow depth and density were measured along transects stratified by land cover over the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 winters. Daily snow depth was measured using a time‐lapse (TL) camera at each transect. Semivariogram analysis of the transect data was conducted, and no autocorrelation was found, indicating little spatial structure along the transects. Pairwise differences in snow depth and snow water equivalent (SWE) between land covers were calculated and compared across scales. Differences in snowpack between forested sites at the TL points corresponded to differences in canopy cover, but this relationship was not evident at the transect scale, indicating a difference in observed process across scale. TL and transect estimates had substantial bias, but consistency in error was observed, which indicates that scaling coefficients may be derived to improve point scale estimates. TL and transect measurements were upscaled to estimate grid scale means. Upscaled estimates were compared and found to be consistent, indicating that appropriately stratified point scale measurements can be used to approximate a grid scale mean when transect data are not available. These findings are important in remote regions such as the study area, where frequent transect data may be difficult to obtain. TL, transect, and upscaled means were compared with modelled depth and SWE. Model comparisons with TL and transect data indicated that bias was dependent on land cover, measurement scale, and seasonality. Modelled means compared well with upscaled estimates, but model SWE was underestimated during spring melt. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the spatial representativeness of in situ measurements and the processes those measurements represent when validating gridded snow products or assimilating data into models.