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.     

SWAT‐simulated hydrological impact of land‐use change in the Zanjanrood basin,Northwest Iran

Understanding the impacts of land‐use changes on hydrology at the watershed scale can facilitate development of sustainable water resource strategies. This paper investigates the hydrological effects of land‐use change in Zanjanrood basin, Iran. The water balance was simulated using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (AVSWAT2000). Model calibration and uncertainty analysis were performed with sequential uncertainty fitting (SUFI‐2). Simulation results from January 1998 to December 2002 were used for parameter calibration, and then the model was validated for the period of January 2003 to December 2004. The predicted monthly streamflow matched the observed values: during calibration the correlation coefficient was 0·86 and the Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient 0·79, compared with 0·80 and 0·79, respectively, during validation. The model was used to simulate the main components of the hydrological cycle, in order to study the effects of land‐use changes in 1967, 1994 and 2007. The study reveals that during 1967 a 34·5% decrease of grassland with concurrent increases of shrubland (13·9%), rain‐fed agriculture (12·1%), bare ground (5·5%) irrigated agriculture (2·2%), and urban area (0·7%) led to a 33% increase in the amount of surface runoff and a 22% decrease in the groundwater recharge. Furthermore, the area of sub‐basins that was influenced by high runoff (14–28 mm) increased. The results indicate that the hydrological response to overgrazing and the replacing of rangelands (grassland and shrubland) with rain‐fed agriculture and bare ground (badlands) is nonlinear and exhibits a threshold effect. The runoff rises dramatically when more than 60% of the rangeland is removed. For groundwater this threshold lies at an 80% decrease in rangeland. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Manganese in runoff from upland catchments: temporal patterns and controls on mobilization / Teneur en manganèse de l'écoulement en bassins versants d'altitude: variations temporelles et contrôles de la mobilisation

Abstract

Knowledge of the hydrochemical dynamics of the trace metal manganese (Mn) in upland catchments is required for water quality management. Stream water Mn and other solutes and flow were monitored in two upland catchments in northern England with different soils: one dominated by peat (HS7), the other by mineral soils (HS4). Maximum Mn concentrations occurred at different times in the two catchments: in summer baseflow at HS4 and during late summer storm events at HS7. A two-component chemical mixing model was used to identify the hydrological processes controlling Mn concentrations in stream water. This approach was more successful for HS4 than HS7, probably because of different processes of Mn release in the two catchments and also difficulties in selecting conservative solutes. Factor analysis of the stream water chemistry data set for each catchment was more useful in identifying the controls on Mn release into runoff. The factors indicate that the main source of Mn at HS4 is the hydrological pathway supplying summer baseflow, whereas at HS7 Mn is released during the rewetting of dried peat soils. Manganese concentrations in stream water in upland catchments appear to depend on soil type and antecedent moisture conditions. This has implications for the design of sampling strategies in upland catchments and also for managing the quality of water supplies from such areas.     

Pulse generation models for daily intermittent streamflows / Modèles de génération d’impulsions pour des débits journaliers intermittents

Abstract

Abstract Generating pulses and then converting them into flow are two main steps of daily streamflow generation. Three pulse generation models have been proposed on the basis of Markov chains for the purpose of generating daily intermittent streamflow time series in this study. The first one is based on two two-state Markov chains, whereas the second uses a three-state Markov chain. The third model uses harmonic analysis and fits Fourier series to the three-state Markov chain. Results for a daily intermittent streamflow data series show a good performance of the proposed models.     

Above‐stream microclimate and stream surface energy exchanges in a wildfire‐disturbed riparian zone

Stream temperature and riparian microclimate were characterized for a 1·5 km wildfire‐disturbed reach of Fishtrap Creek, located north of Kamloops, British Columbia. A deterministic net radiation model was developed using hemispherical canopy images coupled with on‐site microclimate measurements. Modelled net radiation agreed reasonably with measured net radiation. Air temperature and humidity measured at two locations above the stream, separated by 900 m, were generally similar, whereas wind speed was poorly correlated between the two sites. Modelled net radiation varied considerably along the reach, and measurements at a single location did not provide a reliable estimate of the modelled reach average. During summer, net radiation dominated the surface heat exchanges, particularly because the sensible and latent heat fluxes were normally of opposite sign and thus tended to cancel each other. All surface heat fluxes shifted to negative values in autumn and were of similar magnitude through winter. In March, net radiation became positive, but heat gains were cancelled by sensible and latent heat fluxes, which remained negative. A modelling exercise using three canopy cover scenarios (current, simulated pre‐wildfire and simulated complete vegetation removal) showed that net radiation under the standing dead trees was double that modelled for the pre‐fire canopy cover. However, post‐disturbance standing dead trees reduce daytime net radiation reaching the stream surface by one‐third compared with complete vegetation removal. The results of this study have highlighted the need to account for reach‐scale spatial variability of energy exchange processes, especially net radiation, when modelling stream energy budgets. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An inexpensive and portable drill rig for bedrock groundwater studies in headwater catchments

Bedrock groundwater dynamics in headwater catchments are poorly understood and poorly characterized. Here, we present an inexpensive and portable bedrock drilling system designed for use in remote locations. Our system is capable of drilling bedrock wells up to 11 m deep and 38 mm in diameter in a wide range of bedrock types. The drill consists of a lawn mower engine adapted to rotate a diamond tipped coring bit, a small water pump to cool and flush the drill bit and a scaffolding platform for stable footing on steep slopes. The complete drilling assembly costs under $ 2000 USD. Here, we show proof‐of‐concept of our approach with 40 successful wells drilled in different geological substrates, including a conglomerate at the Maimai experimental catchment in New Zealand, volcanic breccias at the HJ Andrews experimental watershed in Oregon, USA, sandstone and siltstone at the Alsea watershed in Oregon, USA, and basalt at the Los Gavilanes experimental watershed in Veracruz, Mexico. We also present a transparent comparison between our design and other portable bedrock drilling systems and outline the strengths and weaknesses of each system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Understanding and modeling basin hydrology: interpreting the hydrogeological signature

Basin landscapes possess an identifiable spatial structure, fashioned by climate, geology and land use, that affects their hydrologic response. This structure defines a basin's hydrogeological signature and corresponding patterns of runoff and stream chemistry. Interpreting this signature expresses a fundamental understanding of basin hydrology in terms of the dominant hydrologic components: surface, interflow and groundwater runoff. Using spatial analysis techniques, spatially distributed watershed characteristics and measurements of rainfall and runoff, we present an approach for modelling basin hydrology that integrates hydrogeological interpretation and hydrologic response unit concepts, applicable to both new and existing rainfall‐runoff models. The benefits of our modelling approach are a clearly defined distribution of dominant runoff form and behaviour, which is useful for interpreting functions of runoff in the recruitment and transport of sediment and other contaminants, and limited over‐parameterization. Our methods are illustrated in a case study focused on four watersheds (24 to 50 km²) draining the southern coast of California for the period October 1988 though to September 2002. Based on our hydrogeological interpretation, we present a new rainfall‐runoff model developed to simulate both surface and subsurface runoff, where surface runoff is from either urban or rural surfaces and subsurface runoff is either interflow from steep shallow soils or groundwater from bedrock and coarse‐textured fan deposits. Our assertions and model results are supported using streamflow data from seven US Geological Survey stream gauges and measured stream silica concentrations from two Santa Barbara Channel–Long Term Ecological Research Project sampling sites. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国冰冻圈水文过程变化研究新进展

冰冻圈显著的变化已经对冰冻圈水文过程产生了一系列影响。本文重点梳理和分析了近20年，尤其是近10年以冰川融水、融雪径流、冻土水文等为主体的中国冰冻圈水文过程变化研究方面取得的新进展：①在冰川融水变化研究方面，对不同尺度的冰川融水开展了全面研究，发现冰川融水呈现全面增加之势；对冰川融水"拐点"是否出现进行了科学辨识，有了基本认识；对冰川融水过程进行了模型模拟，取得显著进展。②在融雪径流变化研究方面，通过对不同流域融雪径流估算，可基本掌握各河流的融雪贡献率；中国融雪径流变化差异较大，增减不一；融雪期变化具有普遍性，突出特点是峰值提前。③在冻土水文研究方面，通过对地表水-活动层壤中流-多年冻土层上水之间关系的研究，揭示了冻土区径流形成的重力和热力耦合机制；多年冻土变化对地表径流的影响已经显现，主要表现在冬季（枯水季）径流增加；已经发现多年冻土退化对径流有直接补给作用，在一些流域补给量可能达到一定量级。     

Rill erosion along the thalweg of a hillslope hollow: A case study from the cotswold hills,Central England

Rill erosion is an important erosional form on agricultural soils in England, causing large losses of soil, particularly on cultivated slopes. This paper describes a rill system that developed in a small agricultural catchment in north Oxfordshire during the winter of 1992–93. The rill system comprised two components: a system of ‘feeder rills’ along the valley-side slopes, which were the result of flow concentration and erosion along wheelings, and a thalweg rill, which formed along a dry valley bottom as a result of surface runoff concentration from the feeder rills. Total volumetric soil loss from the rill system was 32·28 m³, equivalent to 3·01 m³, ha^?1 for the rill catchment area, or 3·91 t ha^?1. Mean discharge for the thalweg rill and feeder rills, calculated during a storm event, was 31·101s^?1 and 1·171s^?1, respectively. All flows were fully turbulent and supercritical. We emphasize the need for a spatially distributed approach to the study of runoff and erosion at the catchment scale.     

济阳坳陷上第三系馆陶组上段沉积相研究

利用地质资料、测井资料、地震资料及分析化验资料对济阳坳陷上第三系馆陶组上段岩相古地理特征进行了全面系统地研究。首先从岩性、沉积结构和构造、砂体形态、电性特征、地震反射等方面论证馆陶组上段为山麓洪积相和河流相沉积，其中它们又可进一步细分为10种亚相或微相。其次，详细论述了沉积相的平面展布，同时还指出了油气分布与沉积相带的关系。此外，本文还指出馆陶组上段沉积期的物源方向、河流流向、最终汇水区及当时的古气候条件等。