Evapotranspiration and its main controlling mechanism over the desert riparian forests in the lower Tarim River Basin

Evapotranspiration(ET) and its controlling mechanism over the desert riparian forests in arid regions are the important scientific basis for the water resources managements of the lower reaches of the inland rivers of China. Nearly three years of continuous measurements of surface ET, soil water content at different depths and groundwater table over a typical Tamarix spp. stand and a typical Populus euphratica stand were conducted in the lower reach of the Tarim River. The ET seasonal trends in the growing season were controlled by plant phenology, and ET in non-growing season was weak. The diurnal variations of ET resulting from the comprehensive effects of all atmospheric factors were significantly related with reference ET. The spatial pattern of ET was determined by vegetation LAI, more vegetation coverage, more ET amount. Groundwater is the water source of surface ET, and the soil water in shallow layers hardly took part in the water exchange in the groundwatersoil-plant-air system. The temporal processes of ET over the Tamarix stand and the Populus stand were similar, but the water consumption of the well-grown Populus euphratica was higher than that of the well-grown Tamarix spp. Further analysis indicates that plant transpiration accounts for most of the surface ET, with soil evaporation weak and negligible; groundwater table is a crucial factor influencing ET over the desert riparian forests, groundwater influences the processes and amounts of ET by controlling the growth and spatial distribution of desert riparian forests; quantifying the water stress of desert riparian forests using groundwater table is more appropriate, rather than soil water content. Based on the understanding of ET and water movements in the groundwater-soil-plant-air system, a generalized framework expressing the water cycling and its key controlling mechanism in the lower reaches of the inland rivers of China is described, and a simple model to estimate water requirements of the desert riparian forests is presented.     

Groundwater recharge and discharge in a hyperarid alluvial plain (Akesu,Taklimakan Desert,China)

Groundwater recharge and discharge in the Akesu alluvial plain were estimated using a water balance method. The Akesu alluvial plain (4842 km²) is an oasis located in the hyperarid Tarim River basin of central Asia. The land along the Akesu River has a long history of agricultural development and the irrigation area is highly dependent on water withdrawals from the river. We present a water balance methodology to describe (a) surface water and groundwater interaction and (b) groundwater interaction between irrigated and non‐irrigated areas. Groundwater is recharged from the irrigation system and discharged in the non‐irrigated area. Uncultivated vegetation and wetlands are supplied from groundwater in the hyperarid environment. Results show that about 90% of groundwater recharge came from canal loss and field infiltration. The groundwater flow from irrigated to non‐irrigated areas was about 70% of non‐irrigated area recharge and acted as subsurface drainage for the irrigation area. This desalinated the irrigation area and supplied water to the non‐irrigated area. Salt moved to the non‐irrigation area following subsurface drainage. We conclude that the flooding of the Akesu River is a supplemental groundwater replenishment mechanism: the river desalinates the alluvial plain by recharging fresh water in summer and draining saline regeneration water in winter. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the relationship between historical land‐use change and water availability: the case of the lower Tarim River region in northwestern China

Natural ecosystems in the region of the lower Tarim River in northwestern China strongly deteriorated since the 1950s due to an expanding desertification. As a result, the downstream Tarim River reaches became permanently dry land. This historical evolution in land‐use change is typically the result of the anthropogenic impact on natural ecosystems. On the basis of a spatially distributed hydrological catchment model bidirectionally linked with a fully hydrodynamic MIKE11 river model, land‐use changes characterized by historical changes in leaf area index (LAI) of vegetation, as well as the evolution of irrigated surface areas, can be causally related to changes in water resources (groundwater storage and surface water resources). An increased surface area of irrigated (agricultural) land, together with a majority of inefficient irrigation methods, did lead to a strong increase of water resources consumption of the farmlands located in the upper Tarim River area. Evidently, this evolution influenced available water resources downstream in the Tarim basin. As a result, farmland has been gradually relocated to the upstream regions. This has led to reduced flows from the upper Tarim stream, which subsequently accelerated the dropping of the groundwater level downstream in the basin. This study moreover demonstrates that land surface biomass changes (cumulative LAI) along the lower Tarim River are strongly related to the changes in groundwater storage. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling the interaction of climate,forest ecosystem,and hydrology to estimate catchment dissolved organic carbon export

The potential for increased loads of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in streams and rivers is a concern for regulating the water quality in water supply watersheds. With increasing hydroclimatic variability related to global warming and shifts in forest ecosystem community and structure, understanding and predicting the magnitude and variability of watershed supply and transport of DOC over multiple time scales have become important research and management goals. In this study, we use a distributed process‐based ecohydrological model (Regional Hydro‐Ecological Simulation System [RHESSys]) to explore controls and predict streamflow DOC loads in Biscuit Brook. Biscuit Brook is a forested headwater catchment of the Neversink Reservoir, part of the New York City water supply system in the Catskill Mountains. Three different model structures of RHESSys were proposed to explore and evaluate hypotheses addressing how vegetation phenology and hydrologic connectivity between deep groundwater and riparian zones influence streamflow and DOC loads. Model results showed that incorporating dynamic phenology improved model agreement with measured streamflow in spring, summer, and fall and fall DOC concentration, compared with a static phenology. Additionally, the connectivity of deep groundwater flux through riparian zones with dynamic phenology improved streamflow and DOC flux in low flow conditions. Therefore, this study suggests the importance of inter‐annual vegetation phenology and the connectivity of deep groundwater drainage through riparian zones in the hydrology and stream DOC loading in this forested watershed and the ability of process‐based ecohydrological models to simulate these dynamics. The advantage of a process‐based modelling approach is specifically seen in the sensitivity to forest ecosystem dynamics and the interactions of hydroclimate variability with ecosystem processes controlling the supply and distribution of DOC. These models will be useful to evaluate different forest management approaches toward mitigating water quality concerns.     

Relationships between riparian evapotranspiration and groundwater depth along a semiarid irrigated river valley

Evapotranspiration (ET) from riparian vegetation can be difficult to estimate due to relatively abundant water supply, spatial vegetation heterogeneity, and interactions with anthropogenic influences such as shallower groundwater tables, increased salinity, and nonpoint source pollution induced by irrigation. In semiarid south-eastern Colorado, reliable ET estimates are scarce for the riparian corridor that borders the Arkansas River. This work investigates relationships between the riparian ecosystem along the Arkansas River and an underlying alluvial aquifer using ET estimates from remotely sensed data and modelled water table depths. Results from a calibrated, finite-difference groundwater model are used to estimate weekly water table fluctuations in the riparian ecosystem from 1999 to 2009, and estimates of ET are calculated using the Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) model with over 200 Landsat scenes covering over 30 km² of riparian ecosystem along a 70-km stretch of the river. Comparison of calculated monthly SSEBop ET to estimated alfalfa reference ET from local micrometeorological station data indicated statistically significant high linear correspondence (R² = .87). Daily calculated SSEBop ET showed statistically significant moderate linear correspondence with data from a local weighing lysimeter (R² = .59). Simulated monthly SSEBop ET values were larger in drier years compared with wetter years, and ET variability was also larger in drier years. Peak ET most commonly occurred during the month of June for all 11 years of analysis. Relationships between ET and water table depth showed that peak monthly ET was highest when groundwater depths were less than about 3 m, and ET values were significantly lower for groundwater depths greater than 3 m. Negative sample Spearman correlation highlighted riparian corridor locations where ET increased as a result of decreased groundwater depths across years with different hydroclimatic conditions. This study shows how a combination of remotely sensed riparian ET estimates and a regional groundwater model can improve our understanding of linkages between riparian consumptive use and near-river groundwater conditions influenced by irrigation return flow and different climatic drivers.     

Insights into plant water uptake from xylem‐water isotope measurements in two tropical catchments with contrasting moisture conditions

Water transpired by trees has long been assumed to be sourced from the same subsurface water stocks that contribute to groundwater recharge and streamflow. However, recent investigations using dual water stable isotopes have shown an apparent ecohydrological separation between tree‐transpired water and stream water. Here we present evidence for such ecohydrological separation in two tropical environments in Puerto Rico where precipitation seasonality is relatively low and where precipitation is positively correlated with primary productivity. We determined the stable isotope signature of xylem water of 30 mahogany (Swietenia spp.) trees sampled during two periods with contrasting moisture status. Our results suggest that the separation between transpiration water and groundwater recharge/streamflow water might be related less to the temporal phasing of hydrologic inputs and primary productivity, and more to the fundamental processes that drive evaporative isotopic enrichment of residual soil water within the soil matrix. The lack of an evaporative signature of both groundwater and streams in the study area suggests that these water balance components have a water source that is transported quickly to deeper subsurface storage compared to waters that trees use. A Bayesian mixing model used to partition source water proportions of xylem water showed that groundwater contribution was greater for valley‐bottom, riparian trees than for ridge‐top trees. Groundwater contribution was also greater at the xeric site than at the mesic–hydric site. These model results (1) underline the utility of a simple linear mixing model, implemented in a Bayesian inference framework, in quantifying source water contributions at sites with contrasting physiographic characteristics, and (2) highlight the informed judgement that should be made in interpreting mixing model results, of import particularly in surveying groundwater use patterns by vegetation from regional to global scales. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

RIPGIS-NET: a GIS tool for riparian groundwater evapotranspiration in MODFLOW

RIPGIS-NET, an Environmental System Research Institute (ESRI's) ArcGIS 9.2/9.3 custom application, was developed to derive parameters and visualize results of spatially explicit riparian groundwater evapotranspiration (ETg), evapotranspiration from saturated zone, in groundwater flow models for ecohydrology, riparian ecosystem management, and stream restoration. Specifically RIPGIS-NET works with riparian evapotranspiration (RIP-ET), a modeling package that works with the MODFLOW groundwater flow model. RIP-ET improves ETg simulations by using a set of eco-physiologically based ETg curves for plant functional subgroups (PFSGs), and separates ground evaporation and plant transpiration processes from the water table. The RIPGIS-NET program was developed in Visual Basic 2005, .NET framework 2.0, and runs in ArcMap 9.2 and 9.3 applications. RIPGIS-NET, a pre- and post-processor for RIP-ET, incorporates spatial variability of riparian vegetation and land surface elevation into ETg estimation in MODFLOW groundwater models. RIPGIS-NET derives RIP-ET input parameters including PFSG evapotranspiration curve parameters, fractional coverage areas of each PFSG in a MODFLOW cell, and average surface elevation per riparian vegetation polygon using a digital elevation model. RIPGIS-NET also provides visualization tools for modelers to create head maps, depth to water table (DTWT) maps, and plot DTWT for a PFSG in a polygon in the Geographic Information System based on MODFLOW simulation results.     

Hydraulic traits that buffer deep-rooted plants from changes in hydrology and climate

Groundwater-dependent ecosystems are often defined by the presence of deeply rooted phreatophytic plants. When connected to groundwater, phreatophytes in arid regions decouple ecosystem net primary productivity from precipitation, underscoring a disproportionately high biodiversity and exchange of resources relative to surrounding areas. However, groundwater-dependent ecosystems are widely threatened due to the effects of water diversions, groundwater abstraction, and higher frequencies of episodic drought and heat waves. The resilience of these ecosystems to shifting ecohydrological–climatological conditions will depend largely on the capacity of dominant, phreatophytic plants to cope with dramatic reductions in water availability and increases in atmospheric water demand. This paper disentangles the broad range of hydraulic traits expressed by phreatophytic vegetation to better understand their capacity to survive or even thrive under shifting ecohydrological conditions. We focus on three elements of plant water relations: (a) hydraulic architecture (including root area to leaf area ratios and rooting depth), (b) xylem structure and function, and (c) stomatal regulation. We place the expression of these traits across a continuum of phreatophytic habits from obligate to semi-obligate to semi-facultative to facultative. Although many species occupy multiple phreatophytic niches depending on access to groundwater, we anticipate that populations are largely locally adapted to a narrow range of ecohydrological conditions regardless of gene flow across ecohydrological gradients. Consequently, we hypothesize that reductions in available groundwater and increases in atmospheric water demand will result in either (a) stand replacement of obligate phreatophytic species with more facultative species as a function of widespread mortality in highly groundwater-dependent populations or (b) directional selection in semi-obligate and semi-facultative phreatophytes towards the expression of traits associated with highly facultative phreatophytes in the absence of species replacement. Anticipated shifts in the expression of hydraulic traits may have profound impacts on water cycling processes, species assemblages, and habitat structure of groundwater-dependent woodlands and riparian forests.     

Groundwater–surface water interactions in a large semi‐arid floodplain: implications for salinity management

Flow regulation and water diversion for irrigation have considerably impacted the exchange of surface water between the Murray River and its floodplains. However, the way in which river regulation has impacted groundwater–surface water interactions is not completely understood, especially in regards to the salinization and accompanying vegetation dieback currently occurring in many of the floodplains. Groundwater–surface water interactions were studied over a 2 year period in the riparian area of a large floodplain (Hattah–Kulkyne, Victoria) using a combination of piezometric surface monitoring and environmental tracers (Cl⁻, δ²H, and δ¹⁸O). Despite being located in a local and regional groundwater discharge zone, the Murray River is a losing stream under low flow conditions at Hattah–Kulkyne. The discharge zone for local groundwater, regional groundwater and bank recharge is in the floodplain within ∼1 km of the river and is probably driven by high rates of transpiration by the riparian Eucalyptus camaldulensis woodland. Environmental tracers data suggest that the origin of groundwater is principally bank recharge in the riparian zone and a combination of diffuse rainfall recharge and localized floodwater recharge elsewhere in the floodplain. Although the Murray River was losing under low flows, bank discharge occurred during some flood recession periods. The way in which the water table responded to changes in river level was a function of the type of stream bank present, with point bars providing a better connection to the alluvial aquifer than the more common clay‐lined banks. Understanding the spatial variability in the hydraulic connection with the river channel and in vertical recharge following inundations will be critical to design effective salinity remediation strategies for large semi‐arid floodplains. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Studies of a regulated dryland river: surface–groundwater interactions

Unlike rivers in humid regions, dryland rivers typically exhibit reduced flow in the downstream direction as a result of transmission losses, which include seepage of streamflow into the aquifer, evaporation, and transpiration. However, much remains to be learned about the nature of the exchange between surface water and groundwater in these landscapes, especially in terms of spatial and temporal variability. Our study focused on streambank seepage and groundwater flow in the alluvial aquifer, specifically on answering questions such as: Is there seasonal variability in seepage losses? Is seepage permanently lost? Can losses be reduced by killing riparian vegetation? To better understand the magnitude, variability, and fate of streambank seepage, we assessed river stages, groundwater hydraulic gradients, and groundwater flow paths at two sites along a reach of the Pecos River, a dryland perennial river in West Texas. We found that along this reach the river was losing water to the aquifer even under low‐flow conditions; but seepage was controlled by a number of different mechanisms. Seepage increased not only during high‐flow events but also when the groundwater level was declining owing to long periods of no irrigation release. Tamarix (saltcedar) control did not affect hydraulic gradients nor reduce streambank seepage and given that this reach of the Pecos River is a losing one, streamflow will not be enhanced by controlling saltcedar. These findings can be used to improve basic conceptual models of dryland river systems and to predict hydrologic responses to changes in the timing and magnitude of streamflows and to riparian vegetation management. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shallow groundwater dynamics and its driving forces in extremely arid areas: a case study of the lower Heihe River in northwestern China

Shallow groundwater is an important source of water for the maintenance and restoration of ecosystems in arid environments, which necessitates a deeper understanding of its complex spatial and temporal dynamics driven by hydrological processes. This study explores the dominant hydrological processes that control the shallow groundwater dynamics in the Gobi Desert‐riparian‐oasis system of the lower Heihe River, a typical arid inland river basin located in northwestern China. The groundwater level and temperature were monitored in 14 shallow wells at 30‐min intervals during the 2010–2012 period. After combining this information with meteorological and hydrological data, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to understand the dynamic behaviour of the shallow groundwater system and to determine the dominant factors that control the groundwater flow processes. The results of the study indicate notably large temporal and spatial variations in both the groundwater level and temperature. Noticeable fluctuations in the groundwater level (0.5–1 m) and temperature (4–8 °C) were observed in the riparian zone, evidencing a clear river influence. In comparison, the groundwater fluctuations in the Gobi Desert were more stable (the annual variations of the water table were less than 0.5 m, and the water temperature varied by no more than 2 °C). Strong variations in the groundwater table (1.5–5.0 m/year) and temperature (1.5–6.5 °C), mainly caused by surface flood irrigation and groundwater pumping, were observed in the oasis area. The investigated sites were categorized into three types that reflect the dominant hydrological processes: (1) the riparian zone, dominated by riverbank filtration and groundwater evapotranspiration; (2) the Gobi Desert area, controlled by groundwater evaporation and lateral recharge; and (3) the oasis area, dominated by groundwater evapotranspiration as well as surface–groundwater interactions caused by human activities. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water uptake by saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) in a desert riparian forest: responses to intra‐annual water table fluctuation

There is considerable interest in naturalizing flow regime on managed rivers to slow the spread of saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) invasion in southwestern USA or to preserve riparian forests dominated by saltcedar and other species in northwestern China. However, little is known about the responses of established saltcedar in water sources to frequent intra‐annual fluctuation of water table resulting from this new, more dynamic flow regime. This study investigates how saltcedar at a riparian site in the middle reaches of the Heihe River, northwest China, responds in water sources use to intra‐annual water table fluctuations. Stable oxygen isotope was employed to determine accurate depth at which saltcedar obtains its water supply, and soil moisture monitoring was used to determine sources of plant‐available soil water. We found that the primary zone of water uptake by saltcedar were stable at 25–60 cm depth, but the water sources used by saltcedar switched between groundwater and soil moisture with the water table fluctuations. Saltcedar derived its water from groundwater when water table was at depth less than 60 cm but switched to soil moisture at 25–60 cm depth when water table declined. It is supposed that the well‐developed clay layer at 60–80 cm depth constrained lateral roots of saltcedar to the soil layers above 60 cm, while the fine‐textured soils at this site, which were periodically resaturated by rising groundwater before the stored soil moisture had become depleted, provided an important water reservoir for saltcedar when groundwater dropped below the primary zone of fine roots. The root distribution of saltcedar may also be related to local groundwater history. The quick decline in water table in the early 1980s when the riparian saltcedar had established may strand its roots in the shallow unsaturated zone. We suggested that raising the water table periodically instead of maintaining it invariably above the rooting depth could sustain desired facultative phreatophytes while maximizing water deliveries. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Ebro River in the 20th century or the ecomorphological transformation of a large and dynamic Mediterranean channel

In the first decades of the 20th century, the Ebro River was the Iberian channel with the most active fluvial dynamics and the most remarkable spatial‐temporal evolution. Its meandering typology, the dimensions of its floodplain, and the singularities of its flow regime produced an especially interesting set of river functions. The largest dynamics of the Ebro River are concentrated along the meandering profile of the central sector. During the 20th century, this sector experienced a large alteration of its geomorphological structure. We present here an analysis of this evolution through the cartographic study of a long segment of the river (~250 km) in 1927, 1956 and 2003. The results show a large reduction in bank sinuosity, a progressive loss of fluvial territory, and a large decrease in channel width. These changes are especially clear in the areas previously most ecologically connected with the active channel. The fluvial territory of the river in 2003 was approximately half that found during the first decades of the 20th century. Forest plantations, which were non‐existent in 1927, occupied more than 1500 ha of the study area in the last decade. This intense geomorphological transformation becomes ecologically visible in (i) a 35% reduction of the area occupied by riparian vegetation; (ii) a loss of the heterogeneity of riparian forest spots, which were formerly structured in an irregular mosaic far from the river thalweg; and (iii) a modification of the riparian forest structure, which is currently linear, uniform, thin and very close to the river axis. The ecomorphological alteration was intensified by the remarkable reduction in bank length (13%) and the reduced dynamism of the present river system, indicated by an increase in the percentage of fluvial territory occupied by riparian forests and a reduction in the area occupied by the active channel. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling feedbacks between geomorphological and riparian vegetation responses under climate change in a Mediterranean context

Climate change is expected to alter temperatures and precipitation patterns, affecting river flows and hence riparian corridors. In this context we have explored the potential evolution of riparian corridors under a dryness gradient of flow regimes associated with climate change in a Mediterranean river. We have applied an advanced bio‐hydromorphodynamic model incorporating interactions between hydro‐morphodynamics and vegetation. Five scenarios, representing drier conditions and more extreme events, and an additional reference scenario without climate change, have been designed and extended until the year 2100. The vegetation model assesses colonization, growth and mortality of Salicaceae species. We analysed the lower course of the Curueño River, a free flowing gravel bed river (NW Spain), as a representative case study of the Mediterranean region. Modelling results reveal that climate change will affect both channel morphology and riparian vegetation in terms of cover, age distribution and mortality. Reciprocal interactions between flow conditions and riparian species as bio‐engineers are predicted to promote channel narrowing, which becomes more pronounced as dryness increases. Reductions in seedling cover and increases in sapling and mature forest cover are predicted for all climate change scenarios compared with the reference scenario, and the suitable area for vegetation development declines and shifts towards lower floodplain elevations. Climate change also leads to younger vegetation becoming more subject to uprooting and flooding. The predicted reduction in suitable establishment areas and the narrowing of vegetated belts threatens the persistence of the current riparian community. This study highlights the usefulness of advanced bio‐hydromorphodynamic modelling for assessing climate change effects on fluvial landscapes. It also illustrates the need to consider climate change in river management to identify appropriate adaptation measures for riparian ecosystems. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short‐ and long‐term evapotranspiration rates at ecological restoration sites along a large river receiving rare flow events

Many large rivers around the world no longer flow to their deltas, due to ever greater water withdrawals and diversions for human needs. However, the importance of riparian ecosystems is drawing increasing recognition, leading to the allocation of environmental flows to restore river processes. Accurate estimates of riparian plant evapotranspiration (ET) are needed to understand how the riverine system responds to these rare events and achieve the goals of environmental flows. In 2014, historic environmental flows were released into the Lower Colorado River at Morelos Dam (Mexico); this once perennial but now dry reach is the final stretch to the mighty Colorado River Delta. One of the primary goals was to supply native vegetation restoration sites along the reach with water to help seedlings establish and boost groundwater levels to foster the planted saplings. Patterns in ET before, during, and after the flows are useful for evaluating whether this goal was met and understanding the role that ET plays in this now ephemeral river system. Here, diurnal fluctuations in groundwater levels and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data were used to compare estimates of ET specifically at 3 native vegetation restoration sites during 2014 planned flow events, and MODIS data were used to evaluate long‐term (2002–2016) ET responses to restoration efforts at these sites. Overall, ET was generally 0–10 mm d^?1 across sites, and although daily ET values from groundwater data were highly variable, weekly averaged estimates were highly correlated with MODIS‐derived estimates at most sites. The influence of the 2014 flow events was not immediately apparent in the results, although the process of clearing vegetation and planting native vegetation at the restoration sites was clearly visible in the results.     

Conceptual and numerical models for groundwater flow in an arid inland river basin

The Heihe River Basin (HRB) is an inland watershed in northwest China with a total area of approximately 130,000 km², stretching from the Qilian Mountains in the south to the oases and agricultural fields in the middle and further to the Gobi desert in the north bordering Mongolia. As part of a major ecohydrological research initiative to provide a stronger scientific underpinning for sustainable water management in arid ecosystems, a regional‐scale integrated ecological and hydrological model is being developed, incorporating the knowledge based on the results of environmental isotope tracer analysis and the multiscale observation datasets. The first step in the model development effort is to construct and calibrate a groundwater flow model for the middle and lower HRB where the oases and vegetation along the Heihe river corridor are highly dependent on groundwater. In this study, the software tool ‘Arc Hydro Groundwater’ is used to build and visualize a hydrogeological data model for the HRB that links all relevant spatiotemporal hydrogeological data in a unified geodatabase within the ArcGIS environment. From the conceptual model, a regional‐scale groundwater flow model has been developed using MODFLOW‐2005. Critical considerations in developing the flow model include the representation of mountainous terrains and fluvial valleys by individual model layers, treatment of aquifer heterogeneities across multiple scales and selection of proper observation data and boundary conditions for model calibration. This paper discusses these issues in the context of the Heihe River Basin, but the results and insights from this study will have important implications for other large, regional groundwater modelling studies, especially in arid and semiarid inland river basins. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Groundwater use by vegetation in a tropical savanna riparian zone (Daly River, Australia)

Soil water matric potentials (Ψ_m) and the deuterium (δ²H) composition at natural abundance levels of xylem water, soil water, river water and groundwater were used to evaluate whether trees use groundwater during the dry season in the riparian zone of the Daly River (Northern Territory, Australia). Groundwater was a significant source of water for plant transpiration, probably accounting for more than 50% of the water transpired during the dry season. Groundwater use occurred either when trees used water from the capillary fringe or when low Ψ_m induced by soil water uptake lifted groundwater in the vadose zone. Several water use strategies were inferred within the riparian plant community. Melaleuca argentea W. Fitzg and Barringtonia acutangula (L.) Gaertn. appeared to be obligate phreatophytes as they used groundwater almost exclusively and were associated with riverbanks and lower terraces with shallow (<5 m) water tables. Several species appeared to be facultative phreatophytes (including Cathorium umbellatum (Vahl.) Kosterm. and Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth.) and tended to rely more heavily on soil water with increased elevation in the riparian zone. The levee-bound Corymbia bella K.D. Hill and L.A.S. Johnson mostly used soil water and is either a facultative phreatophyte or a non-phreatophyte. The temporal variability in groundwater utilisation by the trees is unclear because the study focused on the end of the dry season only. A decline in the regional water table as a result of groundwater pumping may affect the health of riparian zone vegetation in the Daly River because groundwater use is significant during the dry season.     

Gypsies in the palace: experimentalist's view on the use of 3‐D physics‐based simulation of hillslope hydrological response

As a fundamental unit of the landscape, hillslopes are studied for their retention and release of water and nutrients across a wide range of ecosystems. The understanding of these near‐surface processes is relevant to issues of runoff generation, groundwater–surface water interactions, catchment export of nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, contaminants (e.g. mercury) and ultimately surface water health. We develop a 3‐D physics‐based representation of the Panola Mountain Research Watershed experimental hillslope using the TOUGH2 sub‐surface flow and transport simulator. A recent investigation of sub‐surface flow within this experimental hillslope has generated important knowledge of threshold rainfall‐runoff response and its relation to patterns of transient water table development. This work has identified components of the 3‐D sub‐surface, such as bedrock topography, that contribute to changing connectivity in saturated zones and the generation of sub‐surface stormflow. Here, we test the ability of a 3‐D hillslope model (both calibrated and uncalibrated) to simulate forested hillslope rainfall‐runoff response and internal transient sub‐surface stormflow dynamics. We also provide a transparent illustration of physics‐based model development, issues of parameterization, examples of model rejection and usefulness of data types (e.g. runoff, mean soil moisture and transient water table depth) to the model enterprise. Our simulations show the inability of an uncalibrated model based on laboratory and field characterization of soil properties and topography to successfully simulate the integrated hydrological response or the distributed water table within the soil profile. Although not an uncommon result, the failure of the field‐based characterized model to represent system behaviour is an important challenge that continues to vex scientists at many scales. We focus our attention particularly on examining the influence of bedrock permeability, soil anisotropy and drainable porosity on the development of patterns of transient groundwater and sub‐surface flow. Internal dynamics of transient water table development prove to be essential in determining appropriate model parameterization. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

塔河下游间歇性输水河道附近地下水位动态响应

塔里木河(塔河)是中国最长的内陆河,沿塔克拉玛干沙漠控制着新疆大部分地区.塔河自大西子水库以下已经断流30多年,引发许多严重的生态环境问题.为缓解下游的生态压力,向下游进行了几次紧急生态输水,以检验输水对塔河下游地区环境问题的影响.本文依据塔河下游的水文地质特征和极端干旱的气候条件,建立了不存在源汇项条件下的一维非稳定流模型并引入了傅里叶变换求解方法.通过对河流水位的阶梯状概化,简化了非稳定流模型的边界条件.为了查明区内含水层的结构,考虑到高密度电法兼具电测深和电剖面的特点,在研究区实施了一条高密度电法剖面.电法剖面揭示,区内潜水含水层呈水平层状分布,平均厚度约为35 m.根据电法剖面的结果,经过实测资料验证,模型反演得到的潜水水位的最大平均绝对误差为0.3 m,远远小于区内潜水水位波动的幅度.相关性分析表明,模型计算值和实测值之间具有显著的相关性.因此,模型很好的刻画了塔河下游河道附近地下水对上游输水的响应,为评价塔河下游生态输水的环境效应提供了一个有力的理论工具.     

Groundwater recharge estimation in arid hardrock‐alluvium aquifers using combined water‐table fluctuation and groundwater balance approaches

This paper proposes an approach to estimate groundwater recharge using an optimization‐based water‐table fluctuation method combined with a groundwater balance model in an arid hardrock‐alluvium region, located at the Oman–United Arab Emirates border. We introduce an “effective hardrock thickness” term to identify the percentage of the considered hardrock thickness in which effective groundwater flow takes place. The proposed method is based upon a Thiessen polygon zoning approach. The method includes subpolygons to represent specific geologic units and to enhance the confidence of the estimated groundwater recharge. Two linear and 1 nonlinear submodels were developed to evaluate the model components for the calibration (October 1996 to September 2008) and validation (October 2008 to September 2013) periods. Long‐term annual groundwater recharge from rainfall and return flow over the model domain are estimated as 24.62 and 5.71 Mm³, respectively, while the effective groundwater flow circulation is found to occur in the upper 7% of the known hardrock thickness (42 m), confirming conclusions of previous field studies. Considering a total difference in groundwater levels between eastern and western points of the study area of the order of 220 m and a 12‐year monthly calibration period, a weighted root mean squared error in predicted groundwater elevation of 2.75 m is considered quite reasonable for the study area characterized by remarkable geological and hydrogeological diversity. The proposed approach provides an efficient and robust method to estimate groundwater recharge in regions with a complex geological setting in which interaction between fractured and porous media cannot be easily assessed.