Spatio‐temporal controls of snowmelt and runoff generation during rain‐on‐snow events in a mid‐latitude mountain catchment

A network of 30 standalone snow monitoring stations was used to investigate the snow cover distribution, snowmelt dynamics, and runoff generation during two rain‐on‐snow (ROS) events in a 40 km² montane catchment in the Black Forest region of southwestern Germany. A multiple linear regression analysis using elevation, aspect, and land cover as predictors for the snow water equivalent (SWE) distribution within the catchment was applied on an hourly basis for two significant ROS flood events that occurred in December 2012. The available snowmelt water, liquid precipitation, as well as the total retention storage of the snow cover were considered in order to estimate the amount of water potentially available for the runoff generation. The study provides a spatially and temporally distributed picture of how the two observed ROS floods developed in the catchment. It became evident that the retention capacity of the snow cover is a crucial mechanism during ROS. It took several hours before water was released from the snowpack during the first ROS event, while retention storage was exceeded within 1 h from the start of the second event. Elevation was the most important terrain feature. South‐facing terrain contributed more water for runoff than north‐facing slopes, and only slightly more runoff was generated at open compared to forested areas. The results highlight the importance of snowmelt together with liquid precipitation for the generation of flood runoff during ROS and the large temporal and spatial variability of the relevant processes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying the role of the snowpack in generating water available for run‐off during rain‐on‐snow events from snow pillow records

Rain‐on‐snow events have generated major floods around the world, particularly in coastal, mountainous regions. Most previous studies focused on a limited number of major rain‐on‐snow events or were based primarily on model results, largely due to a lack of long‐term records from lysimeters or other instrumentation for quantifying event water balances. In this analysis, we used records from five automated snow pillow sites in south coastal British Columbia, Canada, to reconstruct event water balances for 286 rain‐on‐snow events over a 10‐year period. For large rain‐on‐snow events (event rainfall >40 mm), snowmelt enhanced the production of water available for run‐off (WAR) by approximately 25% over rainfall alone. For smaller events, a range of antecedent and meteorological factors influenced WAR generation, particularly the antecedent liquid water content of the snowpack. Most large events were associated with atmospheric rivers. Rainfall dominated WAR generation during autumn and winter events, whereas snowmelt dominated during spring and summer events. In the majority of events, the sensible heat of rain contributed less than 10% of the total energy consumed by snowmelt. This analysis illustrated the importance of understanding the amount of rainfall occurring at high elevations during rain‐on‐snow events in mountainous regions.     

Intra‐ and interannual export of nitrogen and phosphorus in the subtropical Richmond River catchment,Australia

Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were measured and exports were calculated in the subtropical Richmond River catchment between July 1994 and June 1996. A stratified sampling approach was adopted owing to the extreme and rapid changes in riverine discharge, which varied by up to 10 000 times over the study period. Nutrient concentrations were lowest during baseflow. During storm discharge, dissolve inorganic and organic and particulate nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations increased two‐ to five fold, and followed hysteresis patterns that were attributed to the integration and/or depletion of catchment nutrient sources during an event. Dissolved organic nitrogen and particulate phosphorus were the dominant nutrient forms. Land use and antecedent conditions had a large influence on nutrient concentrations and exports. During the 1995–96 year (slightly above the mean annual discharge) 96% of nitrogen and 98% of phosphorus loads were transported in less than 6% of the time. When averaged across the catchment, monthly riverine nutrient loads varied by up to 1061‐fold during the study and exports were approximately four‐fold greater during the second year relative to the first. The subtropical Richmond River catchment has greater intra‐ and potential interannual variability in nutrient loads and exports when compared with temperate catchments from other parts of the world. It is suggested that in tropical and subtropical Australian catchments with large intra‐ and interannual variation in discharge, the need for parameterizing the antecedent conditions, such as the degree of nutrient storage, may make it difficult to model spatial and temporal (short time‐scale) nutrient exports. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of climate change on runoff from a mid‐latitude mountainous catchment in central Japan

Hydrologic balance in high‐altitude, mid‐latitude mountain areas is important in terms of the water resources available to associated lowlands. This study examined how current and historical shifts in precipitation (P) patterns and concurrent increases in temperature (T) affected runoff (Q) and other hydrologic components in a mid‐latitude mountain catchment of central Japan, using a combination of long‐term data and a simplified hydrologic model, along with their stochastic treatment. The availability of intensive meteorological and hydrological data from the period 1997–2001 allowed the derivation of key relationships for the current climate that tie the forcing term to the parameters or state variables. By using the data recorded in the period 1965–2001, the force for driving the historical simulation was generated. Based on this model and historical shifts in P and T, the probability density functions of Q (pdf(Q)) was computed. A main novelty in this study is that such a stochastic representation, which is useful for considering the influence of projected shifts in environmental factors on the hydrologic budget, was provided. Despite the large increase in the rate of T in winter and spring, pdf(Q) in spring and summer varied appreciably during the time studied mainly because of an increase in snowmelt. An interannual change in whole‐year Q was robust to shifts in T because while Q in spring increased, in summer it decreased, implying a crucial effect of global warming on mountain hydrologic regimes is change in the timing of Q. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

TOPCAT‐NP: a minimum information requirement model for simulation of flow and nutrient transport from agricultural systems

Future catchment planning requires a good understanding of the impacts of land use and management, especially with regard to nutrient pollution. A range of readily usable tools, including models, can play a critical role in underpinning robust decision‐making. Modelling tools must articulate our process understanding, make links to a range of catchment characteristics and scales and have the capability to reflect future land‐use management changes. Hence, the model application can play an important part in giving confidence to policy makers that positive outcomes will arise from any proposed land‐use changes. Here, a minimum information requirement (MIR) modelling approach is presented that creates simple, parsimonious models based on more complex physically based models, which makes the model more appropriate to catchment‐scale applications. This paper shows three separate MIR models that represent flow, nitrate losses and phosphorus losses. These models are integrated into a single catchment model (TOPCAT‐NP), which has the advantage that certain model components (such as soil type and flow paths) are shared by all three MIR models. The integrated model can simulate a number of land‐use activities that relate to typical land‐use management practices. The modelling process also gives insight into the seasonal and event nature of nutrient losses exhibited at a range of catchment scales. Three case studies are presented to reflect the range of applicability of the model. The three studies show how different runoff and nutrient loss regimes in different soil/geological and global locations can be simulated using the same model. The first case study models intense agricultural land uses in Denmark (Gjern, 114 km²), the second is an intense agricultural area dominated by high superphosphate applications in Australia (Ellen Brook, 66 km²) and the third is a small research‐scale catchment in the UK (Bollington Hall, 2 km²). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal variability of groundwater dynamics in a sub‐Mediterranean mountain catchment

The temporal and spatial dynamics of groundwater was investigated in a small catchment in the Spanish Pyrenees, which was extensively used for agriculture in the past. Analysis of the water table fluctuations at five locations over a 6‐year period demonstrated that the groundwater dynamics had a marked seasonal cycle involving a wetting‐up period that commenced with the first autumn rainfall events, a saturation period during winter and spring and a drying‐down period from the end of spring until the end of the summer. The length of the saturation period showed great interannual variability, which was mainly influenced by the rainfall and evapotranspiration characteristics. There was marked spatial variability in the water table, especially during the wetting‐up period, which could be related to differences in slope and drainage area, geomorphology, soil properties and local topography. Areas contributing to runoff generation were identified within the catchment by field mapping of moisture conditions. Areas contributing to infiltration excess runoff were correlated with former cultivated fields affected by severe sheetwash erosion. Areas contributing to saturation excess runoff were characterized by a marked spatial dynamics associated with catchment wetness conditions. The saturation spatial pattern, which was partially related to the topographic index, was very patchy throughout the catchment, suggesting the influence of other factors associated with past agricultural activities, including changes in local topography and soil properties. The relationship between water table levels and stream flow was weak, especially during the wetting‐up period, suggesting little connection between ground water and the hydrological response, at least at some locations. The results suggest that in drier and human‐disturbed environments, such as sub‐Mediterranean mountains, saturation patterns cannot be represented only by the general topography of the catchment. They also suggest that groundwater storage and runoff is not a succession of steady‐state flow conditions, as assumed in most hydrological models. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The spatio‐temporal variability of annual precipitation and its local impact factors during 1724–2010 in Beijing,China

Rapid population growth and increased economic activity impose an urgent challenge on the sustainability of water resources in Beijing. Understanding the spatial and temporal variability of precipitation is of the upmost importance in order to sustain the region's water resources. Two time series, one long term (1724–2010) from a single meteorological station and a shorter time series (1980–2010) from 20 different meteorological stations within the Beijing area, were analysed using Linear Regression, Moving Average, Mann–Kendall, Rescaled Range and Spatial Interpolation methods. Results from both the long‐ and short‐term meteorological data show a mean annual precipitation rate of 600 mm and 540 mm respectively. Annual precipitation rates have decreased during the 21st century by an estimated 100 mm or 16% in comparison to the 1990s. The 1980–2010 data show an increase in precipitation during the early 1990s followed by a sharp decrease during the subsequent years. The change of annual precipitation with time is more random and diverse in comparison to space. The main local impact factors (terrain, urbanization and elevation) and how they work on the local precipitation especially the spatial diversity are identified qualitatively. Generally speaking, (1) the annual precipitation of the plain area is more than that of the mountainous area (terrain effect), (2) the annual precipitation of the urban area in the plain area is obviously more than that of the surrounding suburb area (urbanization effect) and (3) the annual precipitation of the lower location is approximately more than that of the higher location (elevation effect). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Phosphorus and dissolved silicon dynamics in the River Swale catchment,UK: a mass‐balance approach

The internal riverine processes acting upon phosphorus and dissolved silicon were investigated along a 55 km stretch of the River Swale during four monitoring campaigns. Samples of river water were taken at 3 h intervals at sites on the main river and the three major tributaries. Samples were analysed for soluble reactive phosphorus, total dissolved phosphorus, total phosphorus, dissolved silicon and suspended solid concentration. Mass‐balances for each determinand were calculated by comparing the total load entering the river with the total load measured at the downstream site. The difference, i.e. the residual load, showed that there was a large retention of phosphorus and silicon within the system during the March 1998 flood event, but the other three campaigns produced net‐exports. Cumulative residual loads were calculated for each determinand at 6 h intervals throughout each campaign. This incremental approach showed that the mass‐balance residuals followed relatively consistent patterns under various river discharges. During stable low‐flow, there was a retention of particulate phosphorus within the system and also a retention of total dissolved phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus, most likely caused by the sorption of soluble phosphorus by bed‐sediments. In times of high river‐discharge, there was a mobilization and export of stored bed‐sediment phosphorus. During overbank flooding, there was a large retention (58% of total input) of particulate phosphorus within the system, due to the mass deposition of phosphorus‐rich sediment onto the floodplain. Soluble phosphorus was also retained within the system by sequestration from the water column by the high concentration of suspended solids. The dissolved silicon mass‐balance residuals had a less consistent pattern in relation to river discharge. There was a large retention of dissolved silicon during overbank flooding, possibly due to sorption onto floodplain soil, and net‐exports during periods of both stable low‐flow and rising limbs of hydrographs, due to release of dissolved silicon from pore‐waters. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial variability of snowmelt timing from AMSR‐E and SSM/I passive microwave sensors,Pelly River,Yukon Territory,Canada

Spring snow melt run‐off in high latitude and snow‐dominated drainage basins is generally the most significant annual hydrological event. Melt timing, duration, and flow magnitude are highly variable and influence regional climate, geomorphology, and hydrology. Arctic and sub‐arctic regions have sparse long‐term ground observations and these snow‐dominated hydrologic regimes are sensitive to the rapidly warming climate trends that characterize much of the northern latitudes. Passive microwave brightness temperatures are sensitive to changes in the liquid water content of the snow pack and make it possible to detect incipient melt, diurnal melt‐refreeze cycles, and the approximate end of snow cover on the ground over large regions. Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR‐E) passive microwave brightness temperatures (T_b) and diurnal amplitude variations (DAV) are used to investigate the spatial variability of snowmelt onset timing (in two stages, ‘DAV onset’ and ‘melt onset’) and duration for a complex sub‐arctic landscape during 2005. The satellites are sensitive to small percentages of liquid water, and therefore represent ‘incipient melt’, a condition somewhat earlier than a traditional definition of a melting snowpack. Incipient melt dates and duration are compared to topography, land cover, and hydrology to investigate the strength and significance of melt timing in heterogeneous landscapes in the Pelly River, a major tributary to the Yukon River. Microwave‐derived melt onset in this region in 2005 occurred from late February to late April. Upland areas melt 1–2 weeks later than lowland areas and have shorter transition periods. Melt timing and duration appear to be influenced by pixel elevation, aspect, and uniformity as well as other factors such as weather and snow mass distribution. The end of the transition season is uniform across sensors and across the basin in spite of a wide variety of pixel characteristics. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal variability of pore‐water pressures in residual soil slopes in a tropical climate

It is critical to understand and quantify the temporal and spatial variability in hillslope hydrological data in order to advance hillslope hydrological studies, evaluate distributed parameter hydrological models, analyse variability in hydrological response of slopes and design efficient field data sampling networks. The spatial and temporal variability of field‐measured pore‐water pressures in three residual soil slopes in Singapore was investigated using geostatistical methods. Parameters of the semivariograms, namely the range, sill and nugget effect, revealed interesting insights into the spatial structure of the temporal situation of pore‐water pressures in the slopes. While informative, mean estimates have been shown to be inadequate for modelling purposes, indicator semivariograms together with mean prediction by kriging provide a better form of model input. Results also indicate that significant temporal and spatial variability in pore‐water pressures exists in the slope profile and thereby induces variability in hydrological response of the slope. Spatial and temporal variability in pore‐water pressure decreases with increasing soil depth. The variability decreases during wet conditions as the slope approaches near saturation and the variability increases with high matric suction development following rainfall periods. Variability in pore‐water pressures is greatest at shallow depths and near the slope crest and is strongly influenced by the combined action of microclimate, vegetation and soil properties. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inorganic nitrogen retention in acid‐sensitive lakes in southern Norway and southern Ontario,Canada—a comparison of mass balance data with an empirical N retention model

In‐lake retention of inorganic nitrogen species (nitrate and ammonium) was estimated from mass balances in five acid‐sensitive lakes in southern Norway and eight in southern Ontario, Canada, to evaluate an empirical in‐lake N retention (R_N) model. This model is included in the First‐order Acidity Balance (FAB) model, which currently is used for calculation of critical acid loads and exceedances in many countries. To estimate in‐lake R_N, the FAB model uses a recommended mass transfer coefficient (S_N) of 5 m year⁻¹, which mainly is derived from NO₃⁻ mass balances in Canadian lakes. To date, the in‐lake R_N model has not been evaluated for large parts of Europe. At the Norwegian study sites receiving the highest N deposition (>120 meq m⁻² year⁻¹) the net in‐lake retention of inorganic N (TIN) exceeded the corresponding terrestrial retention by a factor of 1·1–2·6. Despite differences in N loading and hydrology at the Norwegian and Canadian sites, both the mean mass transfer coefficients for NO₃⁻ (S_NO3; 6·5 versus 5·6 m year⁻¹) and TIN (S_TIN; 7·9 versus 7·0 m year⁻¹) were of comparable magnitude. Both mean values and ranges of S_NO3 suggest that the default S_N value presently recommended for FAB model applications seems valid over a large range in N inputs and areal water loads (q_s). However, owing to the relatively few data available for lakes with high q_s values (15–150 m year⁻¹), it is recommended that more lakes within this range be included in future studies to obtain a more precise prediction of in‐lake N retention over a wide q_s gradient. Also, when considering that the FAB model treats all inorganic N leaching from a catchment as NO₃⁻, it seems reasonable to use a default S_TIN value instead of just S_NO3 when estimating in‐lake R_N. In that case, the in‐lake R_N presently calculated by the FAB model might be slightly underestimated. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatio‐temporal variability of the isotopic input signal in a partly forested catchment: Implications for hydrograph separation

The isotopic composition of precipitation (D and ¹⁸O) has been widely used as an input signal in water tracer studies. Whereas much recent effort has been put into developing methodologies to improve our understanding and modelling of hydrological processes (e.g., transit‐time distributions or young water fractions), less attention has been paid to the spatio‐temporal variability of the isotopic composition of precipitation, used as input signal in these studies. Here, we investigated the uncertainty in isotope‐based hydrograph separation due to the spatio‐temporal variability of the isotopic composition of precipitation. The study was carried out in a Mediterranean headwater catchment (0.56 km²). Rainfall and throughfall samples were collected at three locations across this relatively small catchment, and stream water samples were collected at the outlet. Results showed that throughout an event, the spatial variability of the input signal had a higher impact on hydrograph separation results than its temporal variability. However, differences in isotope‐based hydrograph separation determined preevent water due to the spatio‐temporal variability were different between events and ranged between 1 and 14%. Based on catchment‐scale isoscapes, the most representative sampling location could also be identified. This study confirms that even in small headwater catchments, spatio‐temporal variability can be significant. Therefore, it is important to characterize this variability and identify the best sampling strategy to reduce the uncertainty in our understanding of catchment hydrological processes.     

Spatial–temporal variability and hydrologic connectivity of runoff generation areas in a North Alabama pasture—implications for phosphorus transport

This study delineated spatially and temporally variable runoff generation areas in the Sand Mountain region pasture of North Alabama under natural rainfall conditions, and demonstrated that hydrologic connectivity is important for generating hillslope response when infiltration‐excess (IE) runoff mechanism dominates. Data from six rainfall events (13·7–32·3 mm) on an intensively instrumented pasture hillslope (0·12 ha) were analysed. Analysis of data from surface runoff sensors, tipping bucket rain gauge and HS‐flume demonstrated spatial and temporal variability in runoff generation areas. Results showed that the maximum runoff generation area, which contributed to runoff at the outlet of the hillslope, varied between 67 and 100%. Furthermore, because IE was the main runoff generation mechanism on the hillslope, the data showed that as the rainfall intensity changed during a rainfall event, the runoff generation areas expanded or contracted. During rainfall events with high‐intensity short‐ to medium‐duration, 4–8% of total rainfall was converted to runoff at the outlet. Rainfall events with medium‐ to low‐intensity, medium‐duration were found less likely to generate runoff at the outlet. In situ soil hydraulic conductivity (k) was measured across the hillslope, which confirmed its effect on hydrologic connectivity of runoff generation areas. Combined surface runoff sensor and k‐interpolated data clearly showed that during a rainfall event, lower k areas generate runoff first, and then, depending on rainfall intensity, runoff at the outlet is generated by hydrologically connected areas. It was concluded that in IE‐runoff‐dominated areas, rainfall intensity and k can explain hydrologic response. The study demonstrated that only connected areas of low k values generate surface runoff during high‐intensity rainfall events. Identification of these areas would serve as an important foundation for controlling nonpoint source pollutant transport, especially phosphorus. The best management practices can be developed and implemented to reduce transport of phosphorus from these hydrologically connected areas. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inter‐annual variability in the effects of riparian woodland on micro‐climate,energy exchanges and water temperature of an upland Scottish stream

The influence of riparian woodland on stream temperature, micro‐climate and energy exchange was investigated over seven calendar years. Continuous data were collected from two reaches of the Girnock Burn (a tributary of the Aberdeenshire Dee, Scotland) with contrasting land use characteristics: (1) semi‐natural riparian forest and (2) open moorland. In the moorland reach, wind speed and energy fluxes (especially net radiation, latent heat and sensible heat) varied considerably between years because of variable riparian micro‐climate coupled strongly to prevailing meteorological conditions. In the forested reach, riparian vegetation sheltered the stream from meteorological conditions that produced a moderated micro‐climate and thus energy exchange conditions, which were relatively stable between years. Net energy gains (losses) in spring and summer (autumn and winter) were typically greater in the moorland than the forest. However, when particularly high latent heat loss or low net radiation gain occurred in the moorland, net energy gain (loss) was less than that in the forest during the spring and summer (autumn and winter) months. Spring and summer water temperature was typically cooler in the forest and characterised by less inter‐annual variability due to reduced, more inter‐annually stable energy gain in the forested reach. The effect of riparian vegetation on autumn and winter water temperature dynamics was less clear because of the confounding effects of reach‐scale inflows of thermally stable groundwater in the moorland reach, which strongly influenced the local heat budget. These findings provide new insights as to the hydrometeorological conditions under which semi‐natural riparian forest may be effective in mitigating river thermal variability, notably peaks, under present and future climates. © 2014 The Authors. Hydrological Processes published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Variations in dissolved CO2 and CH4 in a first‐order stream and catchment: an investigation of soil–stream linkages

Spatial and seasonal variations in CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations in streamwater and adjacent soils were studied at three sites on Brocky Burn, a headwater stream draining a peatland catchment in upland Britain. Concentrations of both gases in the soil atmosphere were significantly higher in peat and riparian soils than in mineral soils. Peat and riparian soil CO₂ concentrations varied seasonally, showing a positive correlation with air and soil temperature. Streamwater CO₂ concentrations at the upper sampling site, which mostly drained deep peats, varied from 2·8 to 9·8 mg l^?1 (2·5 to 11·9 times atmospheric saturation) and decreased markedly downstream. Temperature‐related seasonal variations in peat and riparian soil CO₂ were reflected in the stream at the upper site, where 77% of biweekly variation was explained by an autoregressive model based on: (i) a negative log‐linear relationship with stream flow; (ii) a positive linear relationship with soil CO₂ concentrations in the shallow riparian wells; and (iii) a negative linear relationship with soil CO₂ concentrations in the shallow peat wells, with a significant 2‐week lag term. These relationships changed markedly downstream, with an apparent decrease in the soil–stream linkage and a switch to a positive relationship between stream flow and stream CO₂. Streamwater CH₄ concentrations also declined sharply downstream, but were much lower (<0·01 to 0·12 mg l^?1) than those of CO₂ and showed no seasonal variation, nor any relationship with soil atmospheric CH₄ concentrations. However, stream CH₄ was significantly correlated with stream flow at the upper site, which explained 57% of biweekly variations in dissolved concentrations. We conclude that stream CO₂ can be a useful integrative measure of whole catchment respiration, but only at sites where the soil–stream linkage is strong. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatio‐temporal variability of water and energy fluxes – a case study for a mesoscale catchment in pre‐alpine environment

Water and energy fluxes at and between the land surface, the subsurface and the atmosphere are inextricably linked over all spatio‐temporal scales. Our research focuses on the joint analysis of both water and energy fluxes in a pre‐alpine catchment (55 km²) in southern Germany, which is part of the Terrestrial Environmental Observatories (TERENO). We use a novel three‐dimensional, physically based and distributed modelling approach to reproduce both observed streamflow as an integral measure for water fluxes and heat flux and soil temperature measurements at an observation location over a period of 2 years. While heat fluxes are often used for comparison of the simulations of one‐dimensional land surface models, they are rarely used for additional validation of physically based and distributed hydrological modelling approaches. The spatio‐temporal variability of the water and energy balance components and their partitioning for dominant land use types of the study region are investigated. The model shows good performance for simulating daily streamflow (Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency > 0.75). Albeit only streamflow measurements are used for calibration, the simulations of hourly heat fluxes and soil temperatures at the observation site also show a good performance, particularly during summer. A limitation of the model is the simulation of temperature‐driven heat fluxes during winter, when the soil is covered by snow. An analysis of the simulated spatial fields reveals heat flux patterns that reflect the distribution of the land use and soil types of the catchment. The water and energy partitioning is characterized by a strong seasonal cycle and shows clear differences between the selected land use types. Copyright © 2016 The Authors Hydrological Processes Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

The dynamics of sediment‐associated contaminants over a transition from drought to multiple flood events in a lowland UK catchment

Fine sediment in suspended form, recently deposited overbank and in temporary storage on or in channel beds, was collected in the Nene basin during a period of drought through to a period of four high flows. The sediment was analysed for arsenic, copper, lead, phosphorus and zinc concentrations with the aim of investigating their sources, movement, temporary storage and potential for environmental harm. Copper, lead and zinc probably originated from urban street dusts, phosphorus (originally in dissolved form) from sewage effluent and arsenic from natural soils developed over ironstone. There was little difference in the metal or arsenic concentrations in the sediment under different flow conditions; instead, proximity to pollutant sources appeared to control their concentrations. Phosphorus in tributary sub‐catchments probably adsorbed to sediment during periods of low flow but these sediments were flushed away during high flows and replaced by sediment with lower concentrations. However, concentrations of all pollutants in overbank sediments along the Nene's main channel were not reduced in successive flood events, suggesting no first flush effect. Only phosphorus accumulated on sediment at concentrations exceeding those of its catchment‐based sources (e.g. street dusts, channel banks and catchment soils). This scavenging of aqueous phosphate by sediment explained the difference in behaviour between phosphorus, arsenic and heavy metals. The surface area and organic matter content were shown to have a small effect on contaminant concentrations. Street dust contaminants only exceeded predicted effect levels in close proximity to urban areas, suggesting a small potential for harm to the aquatic environment. Arsenic concentrations exceeded predicted effect levels in most sediment samples. However, it has been shown to be largely non‐bioavailable in previously published research on the Nene, limiting its potential for significant environmental harm. Phosphorus concentrations in river sediments are high in comparison to the soils in the catchment and in comparison with sediment–P concentrations in other published lowland catchment studies, indicating a large potential for eutrophication should the Phosphorus be, or become, bioavailable. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrological footprints of urban developments in the Lake Simcoe watershed,Canada: a combined paired‐catchment and change detection modelling approach

Urban sprawl and regional climate variability are major stresses on surface water resources in many places. The Lake Simcoe watershed (LSW) Ontario, Canada, is no exception. The LSW is predominantly agricultural but is experiencing rapid population growth because of its proximity to the Greater Toronto area. This has led to extensive land use changes that have impacted its water resources and altered run‐off patterns in some rivers draining to the lake. Here, we use a paired‐catchment approach, hydrological change detection modelling and remote sensing analysis of satellite images to evaluate the impacts of land use change on the hydrology of the LSW (1994 to 2008). Results show that urbanization increased up to 16% in Lovers Creek, the most urban‐impacted catchment. Annual run‐off from Lovers Creek increased from 239 to 442 mm/year in contrast to the reference catchment (Black River at Washago) where run‐off was relatively stable with an annual mean of 474 mm/year. Increased annual run‐off from Lovers Creek was not accompanied by an increase in annual precipitation. Discriminant function analysis suggests that early (1992–1997; pre‐major development) and late (2004–2009; fully urbanized) periods for Lovers Creek separated mainly based on model parameter sets related to run‐off flashiness and evapotranspiration. As a result, parameterization in either period cannot be used interchangeably to produce credible run‐off simulations in Lovers Creek because of greater scatter between the parameters in canonical space. Separation of early and late‐period parameter sets for the reference catchment was based on climate and snowmelt‐related processes. This suggests that regional climatic variability could be influencing hydrologic change in the reference catchment, whereas urbanization amplified the regional natural hydrologic changes in urbanizing catchments of the LSW. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling plant canopy effects on annual variability of evapotranspiration and heat fluxes for a semi‐arid grassland on the southern periphery of the Eurasian cryosphere in Mongolia

The ability to predict vegetation cover effects on thermal/water regimes can enhance our understanding of canopy controls on evapotranspiration. The Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model is a detailed process model of heat and water movement in a snow–residue–soil system. This paper describes provisions added to the SHAW model for vegetation cover and simulation of heat and water transfer through the soil–plant–air continuum. The model was applied to four full years (May 2003–April 2007) of data collected on sparse grassland at Nalaikh in north‐eastern Mongolia. Simulated soil temperature and radiation components agreed reasonably well with measured values. The absolute differences between simulated and measured soil temperatures were larger at both the surface layer and deeper layer, but relatively smaller in the layer from 0·8 to 2·4 m. Radiation components were mimicked by the SHAW model with model efficiency (ME) reaching 0·93–0·72. Latent and sensible heat fluxes were simulated well with MEs of 0·93 and 0·87, respectively. The vegetation control on evapotranspiration was investigated by sensitivity experiments of model performance with changing leaf area index (LAI) values but constant of other variables. The results suggest that annual evapotranspiration ranged from 16 to ? 22% in response to extremes of doubled and zero LAI. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interannual variability in glacier contribution to runoff from a high‐elevation Andean catchment: understanding the role of debris cover in glacier hydrology

We present a field‐data rich modelling analysis to reconstruct the climatic forcing, glacier response, and runoff generation from a high‐elevation catchment in central Chile over the period 2000–2015 to provide insights into the differing contributions of debris‐covered and debris‐free glaciers under current and future changing climatic conditions. Model simulations with the physically based glacio‐hydrological model TOPKAPI‐ETH reveal a period of neutral or slightly positive mass balance between 2000 and 2010, followed by a transition to increasingly large annual mass losses, associated with a recent mega drought. Mass losses commence earlier, and are more severe, for a heavily debris‐covered glacier, most likely due to its strong dependence on snow avalanche accumulation, which has declined in recent years. Catchment runoff shows a marked decreasing trend over the study period, but with high interannual variability directly linked to winter snow accumulation, and high contribution from ice melt in dry periods and drought conditions. The study demonstrates the importance of incorporating local‐scale processes such as snow avalanche accumulation and spatially variable debris thickness, in understanding the responses of different glacier types to climate change. We highlight the increased dependency of runoff from high Andean catchments on the diminishing resource of glacier ice during dry years.