Effective run‐off flow length over biological soil crusts on silty loam soils in drylands

Surface hydrological behaviour is important in drylands because it affects the distribution of soil moisture and vegetation and the hydrological functioning of slopes and catchments. Microplot scale run‐off can be relatively easily measured, i.e. by rainfall simulations. However, slope or catchment run‐off cannot be deduced from microplots, requiring long‐time monitoring, because run‐off coefficients decrease with increasing drainage area. Therefore, to determine the slope length covered by run‐off (run‐off length) is crucial to connect scales. Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are good model systems, and their hydrology at slope scale is insufficiently known. This study provides run‐off lengths from BSCs, by field factorial experiments using rainfall simulation, including two BSC types, three rain types, three antecedent soil moistures and four plot lengths. Data were analysed by generalized linear modelling, including vascular plant cover as covariates. Results were the following: (i) the real contributing area is almost always much smaller than the topographical contributing area; (ii) the BSC type is key to controlling run‐off; run‐off length reached 3 m on cyanobacterial crust, but hardly over 1 m on lichen crust; this pattern remained through rain type or soil moisture; (iii) run‐off decreased with BSC development because soil sealing disappears; porosity, biomass and roughness increase and some changes occur in the uppermost soil layer; and (iv) run‐off flow increased with both rain type and soil moisture but run‐off coefficient only with soil moisture (as larger rains increased both run‐off and infiltration); vascular plant cover had a slight effect on run‐off because it was low and random. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tracing variability of run‐off generation in mountainous permafrost of semi‐arid north‐eastern Mongolia

The headwaters of mountainous, discontinuous permafrost regions in north‐eastern Mongolia are important water resources for the semi‐arid country, but little is known about hydrological processes there. Run‐off generation on south‐facing slopes, which are devoid of permafrost, has so far been neglected and is totally unknown for areas that have been affected by recent forest fires. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study applied artificial tracers on a steppe‐vegetated south‐facing and on two north‐facing slopes, burned and unburned. Combined sprinkling and dye tracer experiments were used to visualize processes of infiltration and water fluxes in the unsaturated zone. On the unburned north‐facing slope, rapid and widespread infiltration through a wet organic layer was observed down to the permafrost. On the burned profile, rapid infiltration occurred through a combusted organic and underlying mineral layer. Stained water seeped out at the bottom of both profiles suggesting a general tendency to subsurface stormflow (SSF). Ongoing SSF could directly be studied 24 h after a high‐intensity rainfall event on a 55‐m hillslope section in the burned forest. Measurements of water temperature proved the role of the permafrost layer as a base horizon for SSF. Repeated tracer injections allowed direct insights into SSF dynamics: A first injection suggested rather slow dispersive subsurface flow paths; whereas 18 h later, a second injection traced a more preferential flow system with 20 times quicker flow velocities. We speculate that these pronounced SSF dynamics are limited to burned slopes where a thermally insulating organic layer is absent. On three south‐facing soil profiles, the applied tracer remained in the uppermost 5 cm of a silt‐rich mineral soil horizon. No signs of preferential infiltration could be found, which suggested reduced biological activity under a harsh, dry and cold climate. Instead, direct observations, distributed tracers and charcoal samples provided evidence for the occurrence of overland flow. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A finite element model for simulating surface run‐off and unsaturated seepage flow in the shallow subsurface

This work introduces water–air two‐phase flow into integrated surface–subsurface flow by simulating rainfall infiltration and run‐off production on a soil slope with the finite element method. The numerical model is formulated by partial differential equations for hydrostatic shallow flow and water–air two‐phase flow in the shallow subsurface. Finite element computing formats and solution strategies are presented to obtain a numerical solution for the coupled model. An unsaturated seepage flow process is first simulated by water–air two‐phase flow under the atmospheric pressure boundary condition to obtain the rainfall infiltration rate. Then, the rainfall infiltration rate is used as an input parameter to solve the surface run‐off equations and determine the value of the surface run‐off depth. In the next iteration, the pressure boundary condition of unsaturated seepage flow is adjusted by the surface run‐off depth. The coupling process is achieved by updating the rainfall infiltration rate and surface run‐off depth sequentially until the convergence criteria are reached in a time step. A well‐conducted surface run‐off experiment and traditional surface–subsurface model are used to validate the new model. Comparisons with the traditional surface–subsurface model show that the initiation time of surface run‐off calculated by the proposed model is earlier and that the water depth is larger, thus providing values that are closer to the experimental results.     

Identifying run‐off contributions during melt‐induced run‐off events in a glacierized alpine catchment

We analysed contributions to run‐off using hourly stream water samples from seven individual melt‐induced run‐off events (plus one rainfall event) during 2011, 2012 and 2013 in two nested glacierized catchments in the Eastern Italian Alps. Electrical conductivity and stable isotopes of water were used for mixing analysis and two‐component and three‐component hydrograph separation. High‐elevation snowmelt, glacier melt and autumn groundwater were identified as major end‐members. Discharge and tracers in the stream followed the diurnal variations of air temperature but markedly reacted to rainfall inputs. Hysteresis patterns between discharge and electrical conductivity during the melt‐induced run‐off events revealed contrasting loop directions at the two monitored stream sections. Snowmelt contribution to run‐off was highest in June and July (up to 33%), whereas the maximum contribution of glacier melt was reached in August (up to 65%). The maximum groundwater and rainfall contributions were 62% and 11%, respectively. Run‐off events were generally characterized by decreasing snowmelt and increasing glacier melt fractions from the beginning to the end of the summer 2012, while run‐off events in 2013 showed less variable snowmelt and lower glacier melt contributions than in 2012. The results provided essential insights into the complex dynamics of melt‐induced run‐off events and may be of further use in the context of water resource management in alpine catchments. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Soil moisture states,lateral flow,and streamflow generation in a semi‐arid,snowmelt‐driven catchment

Hydraulic connectivity on hillslopes and the existence of preferred soil moisture states in a catchment have important controls on runoff generation. In this study we investigate the relationships between soil moisture patterns, lateral hillslope flow, and streamflow generation in a semi‐arid, snowmelt‐driven catchment. We identify five soil moisture conditions that occur during a year and present a conceptual model based on field studies and computer simulations of how streamflow is generated with respect to the soil moisture conditions. The five soil moisture conditions are (1) a summer dry period, (2) a transitional fall wetting period, (3) a winter wet, low‐flux period, (4) a spring wet, high‐flux period, and (5) a transitional late‐spring drying period. Transitions between the periods are driven by changes in the water balance between rain, snow, snowmelt and evapotranspiration. Low rates of water input to the soil during the winter allow dry soil regions to persist at the soil–bedrock interface, which act as barriers to lateral flow. Once the dry‐soil flow barriers are wetted, whole‐slope hydraulic connectivity is established, lateral flow can occur, and upland soils are in direct connection with the near‐stream soil moisture. This whole‐slope connectivity can alter near‐stream hydraulics and modify the delivery of water, pressure, and solutes to the stream. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subsurface lateral flow generation in aspen and conifer‐dominated hillslopes of a first order catchment in northern Utah

Mountain headwater catchments in the semi‐arid Intermountain West are important sources of surface water because these high elevations receive more precipitation than neighboring lowlands. This study examined subsurface runoff in two hillslopes, one aspen dominated, the other conifer dominated, adjacent to a first order stream in snow‐driven northern Utah. Snow accumulation, soil moisture, trenchflow and streamflow were examined in hillslopes and their adjacent stream. Snow water equivalents (SWEs) were greater under aspen stands compared to conifer, the difference increasing with higher annual precipitation. Semi‐variograms of shallow spatial soil moisture patterns and transects of continuous soil moisture showed no increase in soil moisture downslope, suggesting the absence of subsurface flow in shallow (～12 cm) soil layers of either vegetation type. However, a clear threshold relationship between soil moisture and streamflow indicated hillslope–stream connectivity, deeper within the soil profile. Subsurface flow was detected at ～50 cm depth, which was sustained for longer in the conifer hillslope. Soil profiles under the two vegetation types varied, with deep aspen soils having greater water storage capacity than shallow rocky conifer soils. Though SWEs were less under the conifers, the soil profile had less water storage capacity and produced more subsurface lateral flow during the spring snowmelt. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface moisture area during rainfall–run‐off events to understand the hydrological dynamics of a basin in a plain region

The understanding of the hydrology of plain basins may be improved by the combined analysis of rainfall–run‐off records and remote sensed surface moisture data. Our work evaluates the surface moisture area (SMA) produced during rainfall–run‐off events in a plain watershed of the Argentine Pampas Region, and studies which hydrological variables are related to the generated SMA. The study area is located in the upper and middle basins of the Del Azul stream, characterized by the presence of small gently hilly areas surrounded by flat landscapes. Data from 9 rainfall–run‐off events were analysed. MODIS surface reflectance data were processed to calculate SMA subsequent to the peak discharge (post‐SMA), and previous to the rainfall events (prev‐SMA), to consider the antecedent wetness. Rainfall–run‐off data included total precipitation depth (P), maximum intensity of rainfall over 6 hr (I6max), surface run‐off registered between the beginning of the event and the day previous to the analysed MODIS scene (R), peak flow (Qp), and flood intensity (IF). In contrast with other works, post‐SMA showed a negative relationship with the R. Three groups of cases were identified: (a) Events of low I6max, high prev‐SMA, and low R were associated with slow and weakly channelized flow over plain areas, leading to saturated overland flow (SOF), with large SMA; (b) events of high I6max, low prev‐SMA, and medium to high R were rapidly transported along the gentle slopes of the basin, related to Hortonian overland flow (HOF) and low post‐SMA; and (c) events of medium to high I6max and prev‐SMA with medium R were related to heterogeneous input‐antecedent‐run‐off conditions combined: Local spatial conditions may have produced HOF or SOF, leading to an averaged response with medium SMA. The interactions between the geomorphology of the basin, the characteristics of the events, and the antecedent conditions may explain the obtained results. This analysis is relevant for the general knowledge of the hydrology of large plains, whose functioning studies are still in their early stages.     

Pipeflow response in loess‐derived soils to precipitation and groundwater table fluctuations in a temperate humid climate

Piping is a widespread phenomenon in the world and can significantly contribute to the downward movement of water, sediments, and nutrients. This study examines the hydrological functioning of soil pipes in a loess‐derived soil under pasture using hydrometric and hydrochemical analyses. It aims to investigate the relation between pipeflow, rainfall, and groundwater table fluctuations and to determine the dominant source of the water flowing through the soil pipes using both hydrometric and hydrochemical approaches. A rapid pipeflow response is observed when a threshold rainfall depth is exceeded. This threshold depth is larger in the summer (9 mm) compared with that in the winter (4 mm) which is related to the prestorm wetness of the soil. Hydrochemical analyses indicate that both groundwater and rainfall contribute to the pipeflow with a dominance of groundwater. This study shows that pipeflow can be an important hydrological pathway in loess‐derived soils with a clear seasonal pattern in pipeflow responses to rainfall events.     

Soil water content in southern England derived from a cosmic‐ray soil moisture observing system – COSMOS‐UK

Cosmic‐ray soil moisture sensors have the advantage of a large measurement footprint (approximately 700 m in diameter) and are able to operate continuously to provide area‐averaged near‐surface (top 10–20 cm) volumetric soil moisture content at the field scale. This paper presents the application of this technique at four sites in southern England over almost 3 years. Results show the soil moisture response to contrasting climatic conditions during 2011–2014 and are the first such field‐scale measurements made in the UK. These four sites are prototype stations for a UK COsmic‐ray Soil Moisture Observing System, and particular consideration is given to sensor operating conditions in the UK. Comparison of these soil water content observations with the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator 10‐cm soil moisture layer shows that these data can be used to test and diagnose model performance and indicate the potential for assimilation of these data into hydro‐meteorological models. The application of these large‐area soil water content measurements to evaluate remotely sensed soil moisture products is also demonstrated. Numerous applications and the future development of a national COsmic‐ray Soil Moisture Observing System network are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulating saturation‐excess surface run‐off in a semi‐distributed hydrological model

The level of complexity, and the number of parameters, to include in a hydrological model is a relatively contentious issue in hydrological modelling. However, it can be argued that explicitly representing important run‐off generation processes can improve the practical value of a model's outputs. This paper explores the benefits of including a new function into an existing semi‐distributed hydrological model (the Pitman model) that is widely used in the sub‐Saharan Africa region. The new function was designed to represent saturation‐excess surface run‐off processes at subcatchment scales and was motivated by the evidence of dambo (low topography riparian areas) type features in many sub‐Saharan river basins. The results for uncertainty versions of the model, with and without the new function, were compared for 25 catchments, which were divided up into those where evidence of dambos exists and those where there is no such evidence. The results suggest that the new function certainly improves the model results for the catchments where dambos exist, but not in situations where saturation‐excess surface run‐off is not expected to occur. The overall conclusion is therefore that the addition of the new function is justified.     

Impact of precipitation characteristics on soil hydrology in tile‐drained landscapes

Understanding the variables regulating tile‐flow response to precipitation in the US Midwest is critical for water quality management. This study (1) investigates the relationship between precipitation characteristics, antecedent water table depth and tile‐flow response at a high temporal resolution during storms; and (2) determines the relative importance of macropore flow versus matrix flow in tile flow in a tile‐drained soya bean field in Indiana. In spring, although variations in antecedent water table depth imparted some variation in tile‐flow response to precipitation, bulk precipitation was the best predictor of mean tile flow, maximum tile flow, time to peak, and run‐off ratio. The contribution of macropore flow to total flow significantly increased with precipitation amount, and macropore flow represented between 11 and 50% of total drain flow, with peak contributions between 15 and 74% of flow. For large storms (>6 cm bulk precipitation), cations data indicated a dilution of groundwater with new water as discharge peaked. Although no clear dilution or concentration patterns for Mg²⁺ or K⁺ were observed for smaller tile flow generating events (<3 cm bulk precipitation), macropore flow still contributed between 11 and 17% of the total flow for these moderate size storms. Inter‐drain comparison stressed the need to use triplicate or duplicate tile drain experiments when investigating tile drainage impact on water and N losses at the plot scale. These results significantly increase our understanding of the hydrological functioning of tile‐drained fields in spring, when most N losses to streams occur in the US Midwest. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of stable isotopes to understand run‐off generation processes in the Red River Delta

This paper presents the use of stable isotopes of water for hydrological characterization and flow component partitioning in the Red River Delta (RRD), the downstream section of the Red River. Water samples were collected monthly during 2015 from the mainstream section of the river and its right bank tributaries flowing through the RRD. In general, δ¹⁸O and δ²H river signatures were depleted in summer–autumn (May–October) and elevated in winter–spring (November–April), displaying seasonal variation in response to regional monsoon air mass contest. The Pacific equatorial–maritime air mass dominates in summer and the northern Asia continental air mass controls in winter. Results show that water of the RRD tributaries stems solely from local sources and is completely separated from water arriving from upstream subbasins. This separation is due to the extensive management of the RRD (e.g., dykes and dams) for the purposes of irrigation and inundation prevention. Mainstream river section δ¹⁸O and δ²H compositions range from ?10.58 and ?73.74‰ to ?6.80 and ?43.40‰, respectively, and the corresponding ranges inside the RRD were from ?9.35 and ?64.27‰ to ?2.09 and ?15.80‰. A combination of data analysis and hydrological simulation confirms the role of upstream hydropower reservoirs in retaining and mixing upstream water. River water inside the RRD experienced strong evaporation characterized by depleted d‐excess values, becoming negative in summer. On the other hand, the main stream of the Red River has d‐excess values around 10‰, indicating moderate evaporation. Hydrograph separation shows that in upstream subbasins, the groundwater fraction dominates the river flow composition, especially during low flow regimes. Inside the RRD, the river receives groundwater during the dry season, whereas groundwater replenishment occurs in the rainy season. Annual evaporation obtained from this hydrograph separation computation was about 6.3% of catchment discharge, the same order as deduced from the difference between subbasin precipitation and discharge values. This study shows the necessity to re‐evaluate empirical approaches in large river hydrology assessment schemes, especially in the context of climate change.     

Impacts of forest structure on precipitation interception and run‐off generation in a semiarid region in northern China

Water resource scarcity and uneven distribution are 2 major environmental issues in China today. Forest structure is a dominant factor that influences hydrological processes, but the specific interactions remain uncertain due to the predominant use of individual or 1‐dimensional forest structure metrics in previous studies. In this study, forest structures in 8 run‐off plots on Mount Miaofeng in north China were parameterized by metrics of different dimensionalities. The relation between canopy interception and forest structure, shrub/litter interception, and forest structure as well as run‐off and forest structure were analysed by regression method and validated by leave‐one‐out cross test. The results showed that canopy interception rates ranged from less than 0.10 all the way to 0.80, affected by forest structure and precipitation, with interception rate decreasing logarithmically as precipitation increased. Forests with a larger canopy area (CA), leaf area index (LAI), and higher average height (H) had a narrow range of canopy interception rates, and forest with larger value of diameters at breath height (DBH), H, LAI, vertical heterogeneity coefficient (T), and structure complexity index (SCI) had higher interception rates. Forests with higher value of DBH, H, and horizontal heterogeneity coefficient (R) had higher shrub/litter interception rates on the forest floor. The run‐off coefficient was only significantly associated with LAI, T, and SCI. The validation test indicated that regression analysis of canopy interception rates and shrub interception are reliable and SCI is a key factor to influence the run‐off coefficient. However, the regression results of litter interception have a relatively large error. According to the results, to reduce the risks of the landslides and floods, forest managers should complicate the canopy and preserve trees with thicker stems and larger canopies. By contrast, to obtain more water resource from run‐off in arid regions, forest managers should harvest trees with large canopies and construct complex vertical structures by intermediate cutting.     

Experimental and analytical studies of solute transport during run‐off over vegetated surfaces

Solute transport in overland flow is considered as one of the main contributors to water pollution. Although many models of pollutant transport mechanism from soil to run‐off water have been proposed, the characteristics of solute transport accompanying the water run‐off over vegetated surface have not been well studied. In this study, a series of laboratory experiments were conducted to study the solute transport over vegetated surfaces. Based on the experimental results, an idea of the “stationary water layer” in run‐off was proposed. Applying the complete mixing theory in the stationary water layer, an analytical solute transport model was developed with the assumption that the upper run‐off completely mixes with the underlying water in the stationary water layer for each site. The results show that the predictions made by the present model are in good agreement with the measured experimental data. For the vegetated surfaces, the depth of stationary water layer is related to the rainfall intensity, bed slope, and vegetation density. The analytical solution shows that the maximum solute transport occurs at the time of concentration. This study advances our understanding of the mechanisms of solute transport over vegetated areas.     

Water repellency as run‐off and soil detachment controlling factor in a dry‐Mediterranean hillslope (South of Spain)

This study examines the effect of water repellency on controlling temporal variability of runoff generation mechanisms and soil detachment on metamorphic derived soils under dry‐Mediterranean climate. The research is carried out in an unburnt Mediterranean hillslope in souther Spain characterized by a patchy vegetation pattern and shallow soils. The Water Drop Penetration Time test (WDPT) is applied to measure water repellency at the end of summer (Sep‐2008), mid autumn (Nov‐2008) and mid winter (Feb‐2009). Rainfall simulations were used to obtain runoff generation and soil detachment in the same periods of time. The main shrub specie is Cistus monspeliensis which leaves a load of litter during the summer due to the lack of water. This great amount of organic material is accumulated under the shrubs triggering an extreme water repellence (WDPT > 6,000 s) that limits infiltration processes. This process is enforced due to the low soil water content at the end of dry season. Certain water repellency (WDPT > 1,500 s) is also observed on bare soil as consequence of their sandier texture and the accumulation of annual plants which die at the end of the wet season. Soil moisture increases during the autumn and water repellency disappears in both shrub and bare soil at the middle of the wet season (WDPT < 5 s). The main consequence is that the temporal trend of water repellency controls the mechanism and frequency of runoff generation and, hence, soil detachment. At the end of the summer, Hortonian mechanisms predominates when water repellency is extreme, even in soils under Cistus monspeliensis where runoff generation can reach higher peaks of overland flow and sediment concentration. Conversely, only the saturation of soil could generate runoff during the wet season being this quite less frequent in bare soil and absent in shrub. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Field‐scale phosphorus losses from a drained clay soil in Sweden

The objective of this study was to determine and discuss field‐scale phosphorus losses via subsurface tile drains. A total phosphorous (Tot‐P) export, which averaged 0·29 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, was measured over a six‐year period from the 4·43 ha drainage system of a Eutric Cambisol in Central Sweden. The main part (63%) was in particulate form (PP) while the remainder was either in phosphate form (PO₄‐P) or in other dissolved or colloidal forms. A very small area, less than 1% of the soil surface, was demonstrated to be hydraulically active by using a staining technique in soil monoliths taken from the field. The stained macropores were few, but were continuous downward, and were relatively evenly distributed among the eight 7 dm² areas that were investigated. The transport from the field mainly occurred in episodes during which the relationship between phosphorus concentration and discharge was characterized by hysteresis loops. On average, half of the yearly P transport occurred in 140 hours. Compared with flow‐proportional and frequent sampling, manual and fortnightly sampling underestimated the transport of Tot‐P and suspended solids (SS) by 59 and 42%, respectively, during the six years studied. Amounts of different phosphorus forms exported through the tile drains were very similar to those reported from other clay soils in Northern Europe and North America. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Glacier retreat and its impact on summertime run‐off in a high‐altitude ungauged catchment

Glaciers are significant freshwater storage systems in western China and contribute substantially to the summertime run‐off of many large rivers in the Tibetan Plateau. Under the scenario of climate change, discussions of glacier variability and melting contributions in alpine basins are important for understanding the run‐off composition and ensuring that water resources are adequately managed and protected in the downstream areas. Based on the multisource spatial data and long‐term ground observation of climatic and hydrologic data, using the remote sensing interpretation, degree‐day model, and ice volume method, we presented a comprehensive study of the glacier changes in number, area, and termini and their impacts on summertime run‐off and water resource in the Tuotuo River basin, located in the source region of the Yangtze River. The results indicated that climate change, especially rising temperature, accelerated the glacier melting and consequently led to hydrological change. From 1969 to 2009, the glacier retreat showed an absolutely dominant tendency with 13 reduced glaciers and lost glacier area of 45.05 km², accompanied by limited growing glaciers in the study area. Meanwhile, it indicated that annual glacial run‐off was averagely 0.38 × 10⁸ m³, accounting for 4.96% of the total summertime run‐off, followed by the supply from precipitation and snowmelt. The reliability of this magnitude was assessed by the classic volume method, which also showed that the water resources from glacier melting in the Tuotuo River basin increased by approximate 17.11 × 10⁸ m³, accounting for about 3.77% of the total run‐off over the whole period of 1969–2009. Findings from this study will serve as a reference for future research about glacier hydrology in regions where observational data are deficient. Also, it can help the planning of future water management strategies in the source region of the Yangtze River.     

Use of a parsimonious rainfall–run‐off model for predicting hydrological response in ungauged basins

A new parameter parsimonious rainfall–run‐off model, the Distance Distribution Dynamics (DDD) model, is used to simulate hydrological time series at ungauged sites in the Lygne basin in Norway. The model parameters were estimated as functions of catchment characteristics determined by geographical information system. The multiple regression equations relating catchment characteristics and model parameters were trained from 84 calibrated catchments located all over Norway, and all model parameters showed significant correlations with catchment characteristics. The significant correlation coefficients (with p‐value < 0.05) ranged from 0.22 to 0.55. The suitability of DDD for predictions in ungauged basins was tested for 17 catchments not used to estimate the multiple regression equations. For ten of the 17 catchments, deviations in Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) criteria between the calibrated and regionalised model were less than 0.1, and for two calibrated catchments within the Lygne basin, the deviations were less than 0.08. The median NSE for the regionalized DDD for the 17 catchments for two time series was 0.66 and 0.72. Deviations in NSE between calibrated and regionalised models are well explained by the deviations between calibrated and regressed parameters describing spatial snow distribution and snowmelt respectively. The quality of the simulated run‐off series for the ungauged sites in the Lygne basin was assessed by comparing flow indices describing high, medium and low flow estimated from observed run‐off at the 17 catchments and for the simulated run‐off series. The indices estimated for the simulated series were generally well within the ranges defined by the 17 observed series. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Runoff‐generating processes in hydromorphic soils on a plot scale: free gravity‐driven versus pressure‐controlled flow

Draining soil water is an important runoff generator. This study aims to describe runoff‐generating processes on a plot scale (1 m²) in hydromorphic soils with different initial soil water contents. We irrigated 16 hydromorphic soils in the northern Pre‐Alps in Switzerland and recorded the variations in water content with time domain reflectometry (TDR) at five different depths per plot. Sprinkling was repeated three times at approximately 23‐h intervals and lasted for 1 h with a volume flux density of 70 mm h^?1. The comparison between the measured water content of the drainages with two physically based models revealed which of the flow processes dominated during water recessions. We distinguished between vertical drainage, lateral outflow and infiltration without drainage. Approximately 45% of all recorded time series of soil water content did not drain within approximately 20 h after the end of irrigation, about 25% drained laterally and 10% of the outflow was vertical. The drainage of the remaining 20% was the result of both lateral and vertical water flow (≈12%), or was not interpretable with the approaches applied (≈8%). Vertical flow was only observed in layers without any or with just a few hydromorphic features. Lateral draining horizons had approximately half the storage capacity and amplitude of water recession of those with vertical flow. Vertical flow was only observed in the upper soil horizons. Thus, vertical flow transmitted water to layers with lateral outflow and did not delay runoff by deep percolation. Increasing initial soil moisture increased the percentage of water content recordings according to a lateral outflow slightly, while vertical flow was less frequent. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment concentrations in run‐off varying with spatial scale in an agricultural subwatershed of the Chinese Loess Plateau

Information is scarce on the spatial‐scale effect on sediment concentrations in run‐off. This study addressed this issue within an agricultural subwatershed of the Chinese Loess Plateau, using data observed at a hilltop plot, three nested hillslope plots, two entire‐slope plots (a combination of hillslope and valley side slope) and the subwatershed outlet. Dominated by the splash and sheet erosions, the hilltop plot has a minimum C_ae (mean sediment concentration for all recorded events) of 45 kg m^?3. Unexpectedly, the high sediment concentrations at the hilltop do not occur at high rainfall intensities or large run‐off events because of the protection of surface soils by relatively thick sheet flows. Because of the emergence of rills, C_ae is as high as 310 kg m^?3 even on the most upper hillslope. Downslope, both C_ae and ESC (extreme large values of recorded sediment concentrations) increase; such a slope length effect attenuates with increasing slope length and event magnitude as a result of insufficient sediment availability associated with rill development. Active mass wastings ensure sufficient sediment supply and thus a spatially invariant C_ae (approximately 700 kg m^?3) and ESC (approximately 1000 kg m^?3) at the scale of the entire slope and subwatershed. Detailed examination shows that most small events experience a decrease in sediment concentrations when moving from the entire slope to the subwatershed, indicating that the spatially invariant sediment concentration is valid only for large run‐off events. This study highlights the control of the spatial scale, which determines the dominant erosional process, on erosional regime. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.