Sampling strategy to describe the temporal hydrochemical characteristics of an alpine proglacial stream

A hierarchical sampling programme (including continuous monitoring, twice-daily sampling and sampling at hourly intervals over selected 24 hour periods) was devised to support hydrochemical and hydrological research programmes on an alpine proglacial stream. The rationale for the research and for the sampling programme are explained and the hydrochemical time series generated over an ablation season are analysed to assess the degree to which they support the study aims. It appears that there is no satisfactory substitute for the chemical analysis of at least two water samples taken at approximately maximum and minimum discharge every day, if seasonal variations in meltwater chemistry are to be effectively characterized. Such time series data can be used to estimate Box-Jenkins transfer function-noise models between particular solutes (SO²⁻₄, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺ and possibly K⁺) and either discharge or electrical conductivity, which can then be used to fill any short gaps in the data. This approach is not satisfactory even for filling short gaps in the twice-daily determinations of pH, HCO⁻₃ and NO⁻₃. At the diurnal time-scale (based on hourly determinations over 24 hour periods) electrical conductivity seems to provide a good surrogate for most of the solutes studied. HCO⁻₃, SO²⁻₄, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were found to be particularly strongly related to electrical conductivity and there was little if any significant serial autocorrelation in the residuals from all of the simple linear regression relationships that were estimated between individual species and conductivity. It is concluded that the hierarchical sampling design was suitable for the purposes of the study, and that the continuous monitoring of electrical conductivity provides excellent supporting information to the chemical analysis of water samples if it is used carefully as a means of short term calibration and interpolation of the solute record.     

Generalized flux law,with an application

A generalized flux law, which can specialize into power‐ and diffusive‐type flux laws, is proposed. When coupled with the continuity equation, a generalized flow equation is the result. The generalized equation specializes into several cases, one of which is the kinematic wave equation. By applying the generalized flow equation and its variants to flow routing in two rivers, the usefulness of the generalized flux law is evaluated. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subglacial drainage system changes of the Gulkana Glacier,Alaska: discharge and sediment load observations and modelling

Hydrological characteristics of englacial and subglacial drainage systems in Gulkana Glacier, Alaska, were examined by analysing temporal variations of discharge and sediment load in the proglacial Phelan Creek in 2001. From data plots on semi‐log paper, it appeared appropriate to separate both discharge and sediment load into fast and slow components. The two components were possibly produced by two different drainage systems: an englacial and subglacial, ‘channellized’ system in the ablation zone, and a subglacial, ‘distributed’ system in the accumulation zone. The data indicate the occurrence of an event during which part of the ‘distributed’ drainage system changed into the ‘channellized’ drainage system. The daily time‐series of discharge and sediment load were represented using a tank model. In the model, the drainage from an additional tank was added, supposing that a subglacial reservoir full of water and sediment collapsed slowly when the subglacial drainage system changed from distributed to channellized. The simulation with the collapsed tank gave much more reasonable results than those with no collapsed tank. The contribution of the collapsed tank to total sediment load is 24%, which is much larger than 9% to total discharge. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic,discontinuous stream networks: hydrologically driven variations in active drainage density,flowing channels and stream order

Despite decades of research on the ecological consequences of stream network expansion, contraction and fragmentation, surprisingly little is known about the hydrological mechanisms that shape these processes. Here, we present field surveys of the active drainage networks of four California headwater streams (4–27 km²) spanning diverse topographic, geologic and climatic settings. We show that these stream networks dynamically expand, contract, disconnect and reconnect across all the sites we studied. Stream networks at all four sites contract and disconnect during seasonal flow recessions, with their total active network length, and thus their active drainage densities, decreasing by factors of two to three across the range of flows captured in our field surveys. The total flowing lengths of the active stream networks are approximate power‐law functions of unit discharge, with scaling exponents averaging 0.27 ± 0.04 (range: 0.18–0.40). The number of points where surface flow originates obey similar power‐law relationships, as do the lengths and origination points of flowing networks that are continuously connected to the outlet, with scaling exponents averaging 0.36–0.48. Even stream order shifts seasonally by up to two Strahler orders in our study catchments. Broadly, similar stream length scaling has been observed in catchments spanning widely varying geologic, topographic and climatic settings and spanning more than two orders of magnitude in size, suggesting that network extension/contraction is a general phenomenon that may have a general explanation. Points of emergence or disappearance of surface flow represent the balance between subsurface transmissivity in the hyporheic zone and the delivery of water from upstream. Thus the dynamics of stream network expansion and contraction, and connection and disconnection, may offer important clues to the spatial structure of the hyporheic zone, and to patterns and processes of runoff generation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coast formation in an Arctic area due to glacier surge and retreat: The Hornbreen–Hambergbreen case from Spistbergen

Glacierised coasts undergo faster geomorphic processes than unglaciated ones. We have studied changes of the coastal area in southern Svalbard with the glacier bridge between Torell Land and Sørkapp Land since the beginning of the 20th century. The existence of a continuous subglacial depression beneath the Hornbreen–Hambergbreen glacier system has been debated since the 1960s, with inconclusive results. In this study we assess both the subglacial topography and the bathymetry of Hornsund Fjord and Hambergbukta bay. This included ~40 km of radar surveys over the glacial system and sea depth sounding. The extent of the glaciers from maps and satellite images together with digital terrain models and surface elevation data based on GPS profiling were used to analyse geometry changes of the glacier surfaces. The results confirm the existence of a continuous subglacial depression below sea level (c. 40 m deep) between Hornsund and the Barents Sea. The Hornbreen‐Hambergbreen system has changed in shape over the past century, reflecting its dynamic origin and activity, also exemplified by the sequential surges identified since 1899. There was a pre‐surge build‐up event of Flatbreen causing a surge and subsequent lowering of the Hornbreen‐Hambergbreen frontal parts by the 1960s. After, the entire surface lowered, albeit with a delay in the Hornbreen terminal zone. Since the year 2000, Hornbreen terminus has retreated at an average rate of 106 m a^?1; ~50% faster than that of Hambergbreen. If the retreat continues at the 2000–2015 average rate, the ice bridge between Hornsund and Hambergbukta will be broken sometime between 2055 and 2065 and the Hornsund strait will separate Sørkapp Land from the Spitsbergen island. The processes and events described in this study, particularly the effects of the glacier surge, may provide a model for changes likely to occur in other coastal glaciated regions experiencing rapid change. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mixing at the interface between fresh and salt waters in 3D steady flow with application to a pumping well in a coastal aquifer

We consider 3D steady flow of fresh water over a salt water body in a confined aquifer of constant thickness D, with application to a pumping well in a coastal aquifer. With neglect of mixing, a sharp interface separates the two fluid bodies and an existing analytical solution, based on the Dupuit assumption, is adopted. The aim is to solve for the mixing between the fresh and salt waters for α_T/D  1 (α_T transverse dispersivity), as field studies indicate that α_T = O(10⁻³ − 10⁻² m). The mixing zone around the interface is narrow and solutions by existing codes experience numerical difficulties. The problem is solved by the boundary layer (BL) approximation, extending a method, applied previously to two-dimensional flows. The BL equations of variable-density flow are solved by using the Von Karman integral method, to determine the BL thickness and the rate of entrainment of salt water along the interface. Application to the pumping well problem yields the salinity of the pumped water, as function of the parameters of the problem (well discharge, seaward discharge, well distance from the coast and density difference).     

Nutrient dynamics in an alpine headwater stream: use of continuous water quality sensors to examine responses to wildfire and precipitation events

Stream water quality can change substantively during diurnal cycles, discrete flow events, and seasonal time scales. In this study, we assessed event responses in surface water nutrient concentrations and biogeochemical parameters through the deployment of continuous water quality sensors from March to October 2011 in the East Fork Jemez River, located in northern New Mexico, USA. Events included two pre‐fire non‐monsoonal precipitation events in April, four post‐fire precipitation events in August and September (associated with monsoonal thunderstorms), and two post‐fire non‐monsoonal precipitation events in October. The six post‐fire events occurred after the Las Conchas wildfire burned a significant portion of the contributing watershed (36%) beginning in June 2011. Surface water nitrate (NO₃? N) concentrations increased by an average of 50% after pre‐fire and post‐fire non‐monsoonal precipitation events and were associated with small increases in turbidity (up to 15 NTU). Beginning 1 month after the start of the large regional wildfire, monsoonal precipitation events resulted in large multi‐day increases in dissolved NO₃? N (6 × background levels), dissolved phosphate (100 × background levels), specific conductance (5 × background levels), and turbidity (>100 × background levels). These periods also corresponded with substantial sags in dissolved oxygen (<4 mg l^?1) and pH (<6.5). The short duration and rapid rates of change during many of these flow events, particularly following wildfire, highlight the importance of continuous water quality monitoring to quantify the timing and magnitude of event responses in streams and to examine large water quality excursions linked to catchment disturbance. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of catchment and network delineation approaches in complex suburban environments: application to the Chaudanne catchment,France

Suburban areas are subject to strong anthropogenic modifications, which can influence hydrological processes. Sewer systems, ditches, sewer overflow devices and retention basins are introduced and large surface areas are sealed off. The knowledge of accurate flow paths and watershed boundaries in these suburban areas is important for storm water management, hydrological modelling and hydrological data analysis. This study proposes a new method for the determination of the drainage network based on time efficient field investigations and integration of sewer system maps into the drainage network for small catchments of up to 10 km². A new method is also proposed for the delineation of subcatchments and thus the catchment area. The subcatchments are delineated using a combination of an object‐oriented approach in the urban zone and geographical information system–based terrain analysis with flow direction forcing in the rural zone. The method is applied to the Chaudanne catchment, which belongs to the Yzeron river network and is located in the suburban area of Lyon, France. The resulting subcatchment map gives information about subcatchment response and contribution. The method is compared with six other automatic catchment delineation methods based on stream burning, flow direction forcing and calculation of subcatchments for inlet points. None of the automatic methods could correctly represent the catchment area and flow paths observed in the field. The watershed area calculated with these methods differs by as much as 25% from the area computed with the new method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of the magnitude and frequency of debris‐flow events on the evolution of an alpine alluvial fan during the last two centuries: responses to natural and anthropogenic controls

The dynamics and the surface evolution of a post‐LGM debris‐flow‐dominated alluvial fan (Tartano alluvial fan), which lies on the floor of an alpine valley (Valtellina, Northern Italy), have been investigated by means of an integrated study comprising geomorphological field work, a sedimentological study, photointerpretation, quantitative geomorphology, analysis of ancient to modern cartography and consultation of historical documents and records. The fan catchment meteoclimatic, geological and geomorphological characteristics result in fast rates of geomorphic reorganization of the fan surface (2 km²). The dynamics of the fan are determined by the alternation of low‐return period catastrophic alluvial events dominated by non‐cohesive debris flows triggered by extreme rainstorms which caused aggradation and steepening of the fan and avulsion of its main channel, with periods of low to moderate streamflow discharge punctuated by low‐ to intermediate‐magnitude flood events, causing slower but steady topographic reworking. The most ancient parts of the fan surface date back at least to the first half of the 19th century, but most of the fan surface has been restructured after 1911, mainly during the debris‐flow‐dominated events of 1911 and 1987. Phases of rapid fan toe incision and fan degradation have been recognized; since the 1930s or 1940s, the Tartano fan has been subjected to a state of deep entrenchment and narrowing of the main trunk channel and distributary area. Post‐Little Ice Age climate change and present‐day surface uplift rates have been considered as possible explanations for the observed geomorphic evolution, but tectonic or climatic controls cannot account for the order of magnitude of the erosional pace. Anthropogenic controls plausibly override the natural ones: in particular, the building of a dam in the late 1920s, about 2 km upstream of the fan, seems to have triggered fan dissection, having altered the sediment discharge through sediment retention. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.