Application of snowmelt runoff model for water resource management

Snow‐covered areas (SCAs) are the fundamental source of water for the hydrological cycle for some region. Accurate measurements of river discharge from snowmelt can help manage much needed water required for hydropower generation and irrigation purposes. This study aims to apply the snowmelt runoff model (SRM) in the Upper Indus basin by the Astore River in northern Pakistan for the years 2000 to 2006. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) data are used to generate the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the region. Various variables (snow cover depletion curves (SCDCs), temperature and precipitation) and parameters (degree‐day factor, recession coefficient, runoff coefficients, time lag, critical temperature and temperature lapse rate) are used as input in the SRM. However, snow cover data are direct and an important input to the SRM. Satellite data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are used to estimate the SCA. Normalized difference snow index (NDSI) algorithm is applied for snow cover mapping and to differentiate snow from other land features. Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient of determination (R²) and volume difference (D_V) are used for quality assessment of the SRM. The results of the current research show that for the study years (2000–2006), the average value of R² is 0·87 and average volume difference D_V is 1·18%. The correlation coefficient between measured and computed runoff is 0·95. The results of the study further show that a high level of accuracy can be achieved during the snowmelt season. The simulation results endorse that the SRM in conjunction with MODIS snow cover product is very useful for water resource management in the Astore River and can be used for runoff forecasts in the Indus River basin in northern Pakistan. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distributed snow accumulation and ablation modeling in the American River basin

A spatially distributed snow model procedure for estimating snow melt, snow water equivalent and snow cover area is formulated and tested with data from the American River basin in California’s Sierra Nevada. An adaptation of the operational National Weather Service snow accumulation and ablation model is used for each model grid cell forced by spatially distributed precipitation and temperature data. The model was implemented with 6-hourly time steps on 1 km² grid cells for the snow season of 1999–2003. Temperature is spatially interpolated using the prevailing lapse rate and digital terrain elevation data. Precipitation is spatially interpolated using regional climatological analyses obtained from PRISM. Parameters that control snow melt are distributed using ground surface aspect. The model simulations are compared with data from 12 snow-sensors located in the basin and the daily 500-m snow cover extent product from the MODIS/Terra satellite mission. The results show that the distribution of snow pack over the area is generally captured. The snow pack quantity compared to snow gauges is well estimated in high elevations with increasing uncertainty in the snow pack at lower elevations. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses indicate that the significant input uncertainty for precipitation and temperature is primarily responsible for model errors in lower elevations and near the snow line. The model is suitable for producing spatially resolved realistic snow pack simulations when forced with operationally available observed or predicted data.     

Incorporating accumulated temperature and algorithm of snow cover calculation into the snowmelt runoff model

An accurate simulation of snowmelt runoff is of much importance in arid alpine regions. Data availability is usually an obstacle to use energy‐based snowmelt models for the snowmelt runoff simulation, and temperature‐based snowmelt models are more appealing in these regions. The snow runoff model is very popular nowadays, especially in the data sparse regions, because only temperature, precipitation and snow cover data are required for inputs to the model. However, this model uses average temperature as index, which cannot reflect the snowmelt simulation in the high altitude band. In this study, the snow runoff model is modified on the basis of accumulated active temperature. Snow cover calculation algorithm is added and is no longer needed as input but output. This makes the model able to simulate long‐time runoff and long‐time snow cover variation in every band. An examination of the improved model in the Manas River basin showed that the model is effective. It can reproduce the behaviour of the hydrology and can reflect the actual snow cover fluctuation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Snow cover variability and snowmelt in a high‐altitude ungauged catchment

Snow variability is an integrated indicator of climate change, and it has important impacts on runoff regimes and water availability in high‐altitude catchments. Remote sensing techniques can make it possible to quantitatively detect the snow cover changes and associated hydrological effects in those poorly gauged regions. In this study, the spatial–temporal variations of snow cover and snow melting time in the Tuotuo River basin, which is the headwater of the Yangtze River, were evaluated based on satellite information from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer snow cover product, and the snow melting equivalent and its contribution to the total runoff and baseflow were estimated by using degree–day model. The results showed that the snow cover percentage and the tendency of snow cover variability increased with rising altitude. From 2000 to 2012, warmer and wetter climate change resulted in an increase of the snow cover area. Since the 1960s, the start time for snow melt has become earlier by 0.9–3 days/10a and the end time of snow melt has become later by 0.6–2.3 days/10a. Under the control of snow cover and snow melting time, the equivalent of snow melting runoff in the Tuotuo River basin has been fluctuating. The average contributions of snowmelt to baseflow and total runoff were 19.6% and 6.8%, respectively. Findings from this study will serve as a reference for future research in areas where observational data are deficient and for planning of future water management strategies for the source region of the Yangtze River. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulation of snowmelt runoff in ungauged basins based on MODIS: a case study in the Lhasa River basin

It is theoretically and practically significant to conduct snowmelt runoff simulations and hydrological research for high-elevation regions. The Lhasa River basin, an ungauged basin, is a typical alpine headwater region where snowmelt runoff contributes significantly to its stream flow. In this study, the snowmelt period, defined by the snow cover curves obtained at different altitudinal zones based on Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Digital Elevation Model data, occurred from March 6 to July 12 in the basin. The snowmelt processes were simulated with the Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM) in 2002 and 2003 for calibration and validation, respectively. The coefficients of determination (R ² ) were 0.86 and 0.87 for calibration and validation, respectively, and the Nash–Sutcliffe coefficients were both 0.80, which indicate reasonable performances in simulating hydrological processes in the Lhasa River basin. The simulated snowmelt at altitudes below 5,000 m accounts for most of the snowmelt. And the simulated snowmelt runoff contributed 3–6 % to the total runoff. The sensitivity of individual parameters was analysed and ranked as follows: α and γ > C _S  > C _R  > T _crit . In short, the SRM based on MODIS remotely sensed data performed well for the ungauged Lhasa River basin.     

Research on runoff forecast approaches to the Aksu River basin

The Aksu River (the international river between China and Kirghiz) has become the main water source for the Tarim River. It significantly influences the Tarim River’s formation, development and evolution. Along with the western region development strategy and the Tarim River basin comprehensive development and implementation, the research is now focused on the Aksu River basin hydrologic characteristic and hydrologic forecast. Moreover, the Aksu River is representative of rivers supplied with glacier and snow melt in middle-high altitude arid district. As a result, the research on predicting the river flow of the Aksu River basin has theoretical and practical significance. In this paper, considering the limited hydrometeorological data for the Aksu River basin, we have constructed four hydrologic forecast approaches using the daily scale to simulate and forecast daily runoff of two big branches of the Aksu River basin. The four approaches are the upper air temperature and the daily runoff correlation method, AR(p) runoff forecast model, temperature and precipitation revised AR(p) model and the NAM rainfall-runoff model. After comparatively analyzing the simulation results of the four approaches, we discovered that the temperature and precipitation revised AR(p) model, which needs less hydrological and meteorological data and is more predictive, is suitable for the short-term runoff forecast of the Aksu River basin. This research not only offers a foundation for the Aksu River and Tarim Rivers’ hydrologic forecast, flood prevention, control and the entire basin water collocation, but also provides the hydrologic forecast reference approach for other arid ungauged basins.     

Spatially distributed hydrotope‐based modelling of evapotranspiration and runoff in mountainous basins

River basins in mountainous regions are characterized by strong variations in topography, vegetation, soils, climatic conditions and snow cover conditions, and all are strongly related to altitude. The high spatial variation needs to be considered when modelling hydrological processes in such catchments. A complex hydrological model, with a great potential to account for spatial variability, was developed and applied for the hourly simulation of evapotranspiration, soil moisture, water balance and the runoff components for the period 1993 and 1994 in 12 subcatchments of the alpine/pre‐alpine basin of the River Thur (area 1703 km²). The basin is located in the north‐east of the Swiss part of the Rhine Basin and has an elevation range from 350 to 2500 m a.s.l. A considerable part of the Thur Basin is high mountain area, some of it above the tree‐line and a great part of the basin is snow covered during the winter season. In the distributed hydrological model, the 12 sub‐basins of the Thur catchment were spatially subdivided into sub‐areas (hydrologically similar response units—HRUs or hydrotopes) using a GIS. Within the HRUs a hydrologically similar behaviour was assumed. Spatial interpolations of the meteorological input variables wereemployed for each altitudinal zone. The structure of the model components for snow accumulation and melt, interception, soil water storage and uptake by evapotranspiration, runoff generation and flow routing are briefly outlined. The results of the simulated potential evapotranspiration reflect the dominant role of altitudinal change in radiation and albedo of exposure, followed by the influence of slope. The actual evapotranspiration shows, in comparison with the potential evapotranspiration, a greater variability in the lower and medium altitudinal zones and a smaller variability in the upper elevation zones, which was associated with limitations of available moisture in soil and surface depression storages as well as with the evaporative demand of the local vegetation. The higher altitudinal dependency and variability of runoff results from the strong increase in precipitation and the decrease in evaporation with increased altitude. An increasing influence of snow cover on runoff as well as evapotranspiration with altitude is obvious. The computed actual evapotranspiration and runoff were evaluated against the observed values of a weighting lysimeter and against runoff hydrographs. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Research on runoff forecast approaches to the Aksu River basin

The Aksu River (the international river between China and Kirghiz) has become the main water source for the Tarim River. It significantly influences the Tarim River's formation, development and evolution. Along with the western region development strategy and the Tarim River basin comprehensive devel-opment and implementation, the research is now focused on the Aksu River basin hydrologic charac-teristic and hydrologic forecast. Moreover, the Aksu River is representative of rivers supplied with gla-cier and snow melt in middle-high altitude arid district. As a result, the research on predicting the river flow of the Aksu River basin has theoretical and practical significance. In this paper, considering the limited hydrometeorological data for the Aksu River basin, we have constructed four hydrologic forecast approaches using the daily scale to simulate and forecast daily runoff of two big branches of the Aksu River basin. The four approaches are the upper air temperature and the daily runoff correlation method, AR(p) runoff forecast model, temperature and precipitation revised AR(p) model and the NAM rainfall-runoff model. After comparatively analyzing the simulation results of the four approaches, we discovered that the temperature and precipitation revised AR(p) model, which needs less hydrological and meteorological data and is more predictive, is suitable for the short-term runoff forecast of the Aksu River basin. This research not only offers a foundation for the Aksu River and Tarim Rivers' hydrologic forecast, flood prevention, control and the entire basin water collocation, but also provides the hydrologic forecast reference approach for other arid ungauged basins.     

Modelling runoff using optical satellite remote sensing data in a high mountainous alpine catchment of Italy

Development of hydrological models for seasonal and real-time runoff forecast in rivers of high alpine catchments is useful for management of water resources. The conceptual models for this purpose are based on a temperature index and/or energy budget and can be either lumped or distributed over the catchment area. Remote sensing satellite data are most useful to acquire near real-time geophysical parameters in order to input to the distributed forecasting models. In the present study, integration of optical satellite remote sensing-derived information was made with ground meteorological and hydrological data, and predetermined catchment morphological parameters, to study the feasibility of application of a distributed temperature index snowmelt runoff model to one of the high mountainous catchments in the Italian Alps, known as Cordevole River Basin. Five sets of Landsat Multispectral Scanning System (MSS) and Thematic Mapper (TM) computer-compatible tapes (CCTs) were processed using digital image processing techniques in order to evaluate the snow cover variation quantitatively. Digital elevation model, slope and aspect parameters were developed and used during satellite data processing. The satellite scenes were classified as snow, snow under transition and snow free areas. A second-order polynomial fit has been attempted to approximate the snow depletion and to estimate daily snow cover areal extent for three elevation zones of the catchment separately. Model performance evaluation based on correlation coefficient, Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient and percentage volume deviation indicated very good simulation between measured and computed discharges for the entire snowmelt period. The use of average temperature values computed from the maximum and minimum temperatures into the model was studied and a suitable algorithm was proposed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of land cover change on streamflow in the interior Columbia River Basin (USA and Canada)

An analysis of the hydrological effects of vegetation changes in the Columbia River basin over the last century was performed using two land cover scenarios. The first was a reconstruction of historical land cover vegetation, c. 1900, as estimated by the federal Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project (ICBEMP). The second was current land cover as estimated from remote sensing data for 1990. Simulations were performed using the variable infiltration capacity (VIC) hydrological model, applied at one‐quarter degree spatial resolution (approximately 500 km² grid cell area) using hydrometeorological data for a 10 year period starting in 1979, and the 1900 and current vegetation scenarios. The model represents surface hydrological fluxes and state variables, including snow accumulation and ablation, evapotranspiration, soil moisture and runoff production. Simulated daily hydrographs of naturalized streamflow (reservoir effects removed) were aggregated to monthly totals and compared for nine selected sub‐basins. The results show that, hydrologically, the most important vegetation‐related change has been a general tendency towards decreased vegetation maturity in the forested areas of the basin. This general trend represents a balance between the effects of logging and fire suppression. In those areas where forest maturity has been reduced as a result of logging, wintertime maximum snow accumulations, and hence snow available for runoff during the spring melt season, have tended to increase, and evapotranspiration has decreased. The reverse has occurred in areas where fire suppression has tended to increase vegetation maturity, although the logging effect appears to dominate for most of the sub‐basins evaluated. Predicted streamflow changes were largest in the Mica and Corralin sub‐basins in the northern and eastern headwaters region; in the Priest Rapids sub‐basin, which drains the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains; and in the Ice Harbor sub‐basin, which receives flows primarily from the Salmon and Clearwater Rivers of Idaho and western Montana. For these sub‐basins, annual average increases in runoff ranged from 4·2 to 10·7% and decreases in evapotranspiration ranged from 3·1 to 12·1%. In comparison with previous studies of individual, smaller sized watersheds, the modelling approach used in this study provides predictions of hydrological fluxes that are spatially continuous throughout the interior Columbia River basin. It thus provides a broad‐scale framework for assessing the vulnerability of watersheds to altered streamflow regimes attributable to changes in land cover that occur over large geographical areas and long time‐frames. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Snow cover and runoff modelling in a high mountain catchment with scarce data: effects of temperature and precipitation parameters

Snowmelt is an important source of runoff in high mountain catchments. Snowmelt modelling for alpine regions remains challenging with scarce gauges. This study simulates the snowmelt in the Karuxung River catchment in the south Tibetan Plateau using an altitude zone based temperature‐index model, calibrates the snow cover area and runoff simulation during 2003–2005 and validates the model performance via snow cover area and runoff simulation in 2006. In the snowmelt and runoff modelling, temperature and precipitation are the two most important inputs. Relevant parameters, such as critical snow fall temperature, temperature lapse rate and precipitation gradient, determine the form and amount of precipitation and distribution of temperature and precipitation in hydrological modelling of the sparsely gauged catchment. Sensitivity analyses show that accurate estimation of these parameters would greatly help in improving the snowmelt simulation accuracy, better describing the snow‐hydrological behaviours and dealing with the data scarcity at higher elevations. Specifically, correlation between the critical snow fall temperature and relative humidity and seasonal patterns of both the temperature lapse rate and the precipitation gradient should be considered in the modelling studies when precipitation form is not logged and meteorological observations are only available at low elevation. More accurate simulation of runoff involving snowmelt, glacier melt and rainfall runoff will improve our understanding of hydrological processes and help assess runoff impacts from a changing climate in high mountain catchments. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An evaluation of approaches for modelling hydrological processes in high‐elevation,glacierized Andean watersheds

We use two hydrological models of varying complexity to study the Juncal River Basin in the Central Andes of Chile with the aim to understand the degree of conceptualization and the spatial structure that are needed to model present and future streamflows. We use a conceptual semi‐distributed model based on elevation bands [Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP)], frequently used for water management, and a physically oriented, fully distributed model [Topographic Kinematic Wave Approximation and Integration ETH Zurich (TOPKAPI‐ETH)] developed for research purposes mainly. We evaluate the ability of the two models to reproduce the key hydrological processes in the basin with emphasis on snow accumulation and melt, streamflow and the relationships between internal processes. Both models are capable of reproducing observed runoff and the evolution of Moderate‐resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer snow cover adequately. In spite of WEAP's simple and conceptual approach for modelling snowmelt and its lack of glacier representation and snow gravitational redistribution as well as a proper routing algorithm, this model can reproduce historical data with a similar goodness of fit as the more complex TOPKAPI‐ETH. We show that the performance of both models can be improved by using measured precipitation gradients of higher temporal resolution. In contrast to the good performance of the conceptual model for the present climate, however, we demonstrate that the simplifications in WEAP lead to error compensation, which results in different predictions in simulated melt and runoff for a potentially warmer future climate. TOPKAPI‐ETH, using a more physical representation of processes, depends less on calibration and thus is less subject to a compensation of errors through different model components. Our results show that data obtained locally in ad hoc short‐term field campaigns are needed to complement data extrapolated from long‐term records for simulating changes in the water cycle of high‐elevation catchments but that these data can only be efficiently used by a model applying a spatially distributed physical representation of hydrological processes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

雷达测雨误差及其对淮河流域径流模拟的影响

将雷达测雨数据与分布式水文模型相耦合进行径流过程模拟,分析雷达测雨误差及其径流过程模拟效果,研究雷达测雨误差对径流过程模拟的影响效应.在对淮河流域气象中心业务化的5种淮河流域雷达测雨数据进行误差分析的基础上,采用雷达测雨数据驱动HEC-HMS水文模型,模拟分析淮河息县水文站以上流域2007年7月1-10日强降雨集中期的径流过程.结果表明:利用雷达测雨数据的径流模拟结果与实测资料的模拟结果基本吻合,各种雷达测雨数据误差经过HEC-HMS水文模型传递后,误差明显减小.联合校准法对应的模拟效果最好,过程流量相对误差NBs'和洪峰流量相对误差Z'分别为-20.2%和-13.3%.     

Modelling hydrological response to different land‐use and climate change scenarios in the Zamu River basin of northwest China

Changes in climate and land use can significantly influence the hydrological cycle and hence affect water resources. Understanding the impacts of climate and land‐use changes on streamflow can facilitate development of sustainable water resources strategies. This study investigates the flow variation of the Zamu River, an inland river in the arid area of northwest China, using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool distributed hydrological model. Three different land‐use and climate‐change scenarios were considered on the basis of measured climate data and land‐use cover, and then these data were input into the hydrological model. Based on the sensitivity analysis, model calibration and verification, the hydrological response to different land‐use and climate‐change scenarios was simulated. The results indicate that the runoff varied with different land‐use type, and the runoff of the mountain reaches of the catchment increased when grassland area increased and forestland decreased. The simulated runoff increased with increased precipitation, but the mean temperature increase decreased the runoff under the same precipitation condition. Application of grey correlation analysis showed that precipitation and temperature play a critical role in the runoff of the Zamu River basin. Sensitivity analysis of runoff to precipitation and temperature by considering the 1990s land use and climate conditions was also undertaken. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

One‐year‐long runoff forecast by a single snowpack evaluation

A degree‐day‐based model is presented for a 1 year ahead runoff forecast, with 1 day time steps. The input information is a single snowpack evaluation collected at the beginning of the snowmelt season. The snow‐cover dynamics, the key information for long‐term snowmelt forecast, are described by the snow‐line dynamics, i.e. by the movements of the downhill snowpack limit. The snowmelt volume, estimated by the snow‐line dynamics, is the exogenous input of an autoregressive transformation model. The model is calibrated by a least‐squares procedure on the basis of observed daily runoff data and the corresponding measurements of the snowpack volume (one measurement per year). A real‐world case study on the Alto Tunuyan River basin (2380 km², Argentinean Andes) is presented. The 1 year ahead Alto Tunuyan River runoff patterns, computed for both calibration and validation periods, reveal high agreement with observed streamflows. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impacts of spatially and temporally varying snowmelt on subsurface flow in a mountainous watershed: 1. Snowmelt simulation

Abstract

The dominant source of streamflow in many mountainous watersheds is snowmelt recharge through shallow groundwater systems. The hydrological response of these watersheds is controlled by basin structure and spatially distributed snowmelt. The purpose of this series of two papers is to simulate spatially varying snowmelt and groundwater response in a small mountainous watershed. This paper examines the spatially and temporally variable snowmelt to be used as input to the groundwater flow modelling described in the second paper. Snowmelt simulation by the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model (a detailed process model of the interrelated heat, water and solute movement through vegetative cover, snow, residue and soil) was validated by applying the model to two years of data at three sites ranging from shallow transient snow cover on a west-facing slope to a deep snow drift on a north-facing slope. The simulated energy balances for several melt periods are presented. Snow depth, density, and the magnitude and timing of snow cover outflow were simulated well for all sites.     

Quantitative evaluation of different hydrological modelling approaches in a partly glacierized Swiss watershed

Mountain water resources management often requires hydrological models that need to handle both snow and ice melt. In this study, we compared two different model types for a partly glacierized watershed in central Switzerland: (1) an energy‐balance model primarily designed for snow simulations; and (2) a temperature‐index model developed for glacier simulations. The models were forced with data extrapolated from long‐term measurement records to mimic the typical input data situation for climate change assessments. By using different methods to distribute precipitation, we also assessed how various snow cover patterns influenced the modelled runoff. The energy‐balance model provided accurate discharge estimations during periods dominated by snow melt, but dropped in performance during the glacier ablation season. The glacier melt rates were sensitive to the modelled snow cover patterns and to the parameterization of turbulent heat fluxes. In contrast, the temperature‐index model poorly reproduced snow melt runoff, but provided accurate discharge estimations during the periods dominated by glacier ablation, almost independently of the method used to distribute precipitation. Apparently, the calibration of this model compensated for the inaccurate precipitation input with biased parameters. Our results show that accurate estimates of snow cover patterns are needed either to correctly constrain the melt parameters of the temperature‐index model or to ensure appropriate glacier surface albedos required by the energy‐balance model. Thus, particularly when only distant meteorological stations are available, carefully selected input data and efficient extrapolation methods of meteorological variables improve the reliability of runoff simulations in high alpine watersheds. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Periodic changes of stream flow in the last 40 years in Tarim River Basin,Xinjiang, China

Using the annual runoff series for the last 40 years from the Tarim River Basin, their periodic properties were analysed and their future trends predicted. Runoff data were collected at five hydrological gauging stations in the three main branches of the Tarim River. An extrapolation method and variance analysis were used to identify periods in annual runoff, and a trend superposition model to predict future changes. Results show that, there is a common period of 17 years in annual runoff changes for all three branches, with Hotan River showing an additional period of 10 years. Based on this trend, it is suggested that the annual runoff of the Tarim River should decrease in the period of 2006–2008, but increase in year 2009, and the flow may possibly begin to decrease significantly in year 2010. The long term trend of runoff in Tarim Basin has followed the global prediction of GCMs, i.e. began to increase in accordance with global increase of air temperature and precipitation in 1990. However, it has shown a local feature of uneven changes among the head streams in the same basin, which needs to be further investigated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inter-annual variability in snow cover depletion patterns and atmospheric circulation indices in the Upper Irtysh basin,Central Asia

The Irtysh River is the main water resource of Eastern Kazakhstan and its upper basin is severely affected by spring floods each year, primarily as a result of snowmelt. Knowledge of the large-scale processes that influence the timing of these snow-induced floods is currently lacking, but critical for the management of water resources in the area. In this study, we evaluated the variability in winter–spring snow cover in five major sub-basins of the Upper Irtysh basin between 2000 and 2017 as a possible explanatory factor of spring flood events, assessing the time of peak snow cover depletion rate and snow cover disappearance from the moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) MOD10A2 data set. We found that on average, peak snow cover retreat occurs between 22 March and 14 April depending on the basin, with large interannual variations but no clear trend over the MODIS period, while our comparative analysis of longer-term snow cover extent from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Data Record data set suggests a shift to earlier snow cover disappearance since the 1970s. In contrast, the annual peak snow cover depletion rate displays a weak increasing trend over the study period and exceeded 5,900 km²/day in 2017. The timing of snow disappearance in spring shows significant correlations of up to 0.82 for the largest basin with winter indices of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) over the region. The primary driver is the impact of the large-scale pressure anomalies upon the mean spring (MAM) air temperatures and resultant timing of snow cover disappearance, particularly at elevations 500–2,000 m above sea level. This suggests a lagged effect of this atmospheric circulation pattern in spring snow cover retreat. The winter AO index could therefore be incorporated into long-term runoff forecasts for the Irtysh. Our approach is easily transferable to other similar catchments and could support flood management strategies in Kazakhstan and other countries.     

Long‐term change of seasonal snow cover and its effects on river runoff in the Tarim River basin,northwestern China

Spatio‐temporal variation of snow depth in the Tarim River basin has been studied by the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) based on the data collected by special sensor microwave/imager (SSM/I) and scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) during the period from 1979 to 2005. The long‐term trend of snow depth and runoff was presented using the Mann‐Kendall non‐parametric test, and the effects of the variations of snow depth and climatic factors on runoff were analysed and discussed by means of the regression analysis. The results suggested that the snow depth variation on the entire basin was characterised by four patterns: all consistency, north–south contrast, north‐middle‐south contrast and complex. The first pattern accounting 39·13% of the total variance was dominant. The entire basin was mainly affected by one large‐scale weather system. However, the spatial and temporal differences also existed among the different regions in the basin. The significant snow depth changes occurred mainly in the Aksu River basin with the below‐normal snow depth anomalies in the 1980s and the above‐normal snow depth anomalies in the 1990s. The long‐term trend of snow depth was significant in the northwestern, western and southern parts of the basin, whereas the long‐term trend of runoff was significant in the northwestern and northeastern parts. The regression analysis revealed that the runoff of the rivers replenished by snow melt water and rainfall was related primarily to the summer precipitation, followed by the summer temperature or the maximum snow depth in the cold season. Our results suggest that snow is not the principal factor that contributes to the runoff increase in headstreams, although there was a slow increase in snow depth. It is the climatic factors that are responsible for the steady and continuous water increase in the headstreams. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.