Articles | Volume 19, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4201-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4201-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 Oct 2015
Research article |
| 20 Oct 2015
Multidecadal change in streamflow associated with anthropogenic disturbances in the tropical Andes
A. Molina
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Programa para el Manejo del Agua y del Suelo (PROMAS), Universidad de Cuenca, Av. 12 de abril s/n, Cuenca, Ecuador
Department of Geology, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ladrón de Guevara, 11-253, Quito, Ecuador
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
V. Vanacker
Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaitre Centre for Earth and Climate Research, University of Louvain, Place Louis Pasteur 3, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Secretaria de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Whymper E7-37 y Alpallana, Quito, Ecuador
E. Brisson
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
D. Mora
Programa para el Manejo del Agua y del Suelo (PROMAS), Universidad de Cuenca, Av. 12 de abril s/n, Cuenca, Ecuador
V. Balthazar
Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaitre Centre for Earth and Climate Research, University of Louvain, Place Louis Pasteur 3, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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Ulrike Falk and Adrián Silva-Busso
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This paper focuses on the groundwater flow aspects of a small hydrological catchment at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. This region has experienced drastic climatological changes in the recent past. The basin is representative for the rugged coastline of the peninsula. It is discussed as a case study for possible future evolution of similar basins further south. Results include a quantitative analysis of glacial and groundwater contribution to total discharge into coastal waters.
Rui Tong, Juraj Parajka, Andreas Salentinig, Isabella Pfeil, Jürgen Komma, Borbála Széles, Martin Kubáň, Peter Valent, Mariette Vreugdenhil, Wolfgang Wagner, and Günter Blöschl
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We used a new and experimental version of the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) soil water index data set and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) C6 snow cover products for multiple objective calibrations of the TUWmodel in 213 catchments of Austria. Combined calibration to runoff, satellite soil moisture, and snow cover improves runoff (40 % catchments), soil moisture (80 % catchments), and snow (~ 100 % catchments) simulation compared to traditional calibration to runoff only.
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Cecile M. M. Kittel, Karina Nielsen, Christian Tøttrup, and Peter Bauer-Gottwein
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In this study, we integrate free, global Earth observations in a user-friendly and flexible model to reliably characterize an otherwise unmonitored river basin. The proposed model is the best baseline characterization of the Ogooué basin in light of available observations. Furthermore, the study shows the potential of using new, publicly available Earth observations and a suitable model structure to obtain new information in poorly monitored or remote areas and to support user requirements.
Gopal Penny, Veena Srinivasan, Iryna Dronova, Sharachchandra Lele, and Sally Thompson
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 595–610, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-595-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-595-2018, 2018
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Water resources in the Arkavathy watershed in southern India are changing due to human modification of the landscape, including changing agricultural practices and urbanization. We analyze surface water resources in man-made lakes in satellite imagery over a period of 4 decades and find drying in the northern part of the watershed (characterized by heavy agriculture) and wetting downstream of urban areas. Drying in the watershed is associated with groundwater-irrigated agriculture.
Gorka Mendiguren, Julian Koch, and Simon Stisen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 5987–6005, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5987-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5987-2017, 2017
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The present study is focused on the spatial pattern evaluation of two models and describes the similarities and dissimilarities. It also discusses the factors that generate these patterns and proposes similar new approaches to minimize the differences. The study points towards a new approach in which the spatial component of the hydrological model is also calibrated and taken into account.
Henning Oppel and Andreas Schumann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 4259–4282, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4259-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4259-2017, 2017
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How can we evaluate the heterogeneity of natural watersheds and how can we assess its spatial organization? How can we make use of this information for hydrological models and is it beneficial to our models? We propose a method display and assess the interaction of catchment characteristics with the flow path which we defined as the ordering scheme within a basin. A newly implemented algorithm brings this information to the set-up of a model and our results show an increase in model performance.
Lu Zhuo and Dawei Han
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 3267–3285, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3267-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3267-2017, 2017
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Reliable estimation of hydrological soil moisture state is of critical importance in operational hydrology to improve the flood prediction and hydrological cycle description. This paper attempts for the first time to build a soil moisture product directly applicable to hydrology using multiple data sources retrieved from remote sensing and land surface modelling. The result shows a significant improvement of the soil moisture state accuracy; the method can be easily applied in other catchments.
Mauricio Zambrano-Bigiarini, Alexandra Nauditt, Christian Birkel, Koen Verbist, and Lars Ribbe
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1295–1320, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1295-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1295-2017, 2017
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This work exhaustively evaluates – for the first time – the suitability of seven state-of-the-art satellite-based rainfall estimates (SREs) over the complex topography and diverse climatic gradients of Chile.
Several indices of performance are used for different timescales and elevation zones. Our analysis reveals what SREs are in closer agreement to ground-based observations and what indices allow for understanding mismatches in shape, magnitude, variability and intensity of precipitation.
Yun Yang, Martha C. Anderson, Feng Gao, Christopher R. Hain, Kathryn A. Semmens, William P. Kustas, Asko Noormets, Randolph H. Wynne, Valerie A. Thomas, and Ge Sun
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1017–1037, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1017-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1017-2017, 2017
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This work explores the utility of a thermal remote sensing based MODIS/Landsat ET data fusion procedure over a mixed forested/agricultural landscape in North Carolina, USA. The daily ET retrieved at 30 m resolution agreed well with measured fluxes in a clear-cut and a mature pine stand. An accounting of consumptive water use by land cover classes is presented, as well as relative partitioning of ET between evaporation (E) and transpiration (T) components.
Domenico Guida, Albina Cuomo, and Vincenzo Palmieri
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3493–3509, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3493-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3493-2016, 2016
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The authors apply an object-based geomorphometric procedure to define the runoff contribution areas. The results enabled us to identify the contribution area related to the different runoff components activated during the storm events through an advanced hydro-chemical analysis. This kind of approach could be useful applied to similar, rainfall-dominated, forested and no-karst Mediterranean catchments.
Nutchanart Sriwongsitanon, Hongkai Gao, Hubert H. G. Savenije, Ekkarin Maekan, Sirikanya Saengsawang, and Sansarith Thianpopirug
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3361–3377, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3361-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3361-2016, 2016
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We demonstrated that the readily available NDII remote sensing product is a very useful proxy for moisture storage in the root zone of vegetation. We compared the temporal variation of the NDII with the root zone storage in a hydrological model of eight catchments in the Upper Ping River in Thailand, yielding very good results. Having a reliable NDII product that can help us to estimate the actual moisture storage in catchments is a major contribution to prediction in ungauged basins.
Cheng-Zhi Qin, Xue-Wei Wu, Jing-Chao Jiang, and A-Xing Zhu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3379–3392, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3379-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3379-2016, 2016
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Application of digital terrain analysis (DTA), which is typically a modeling process involving workflow building, relies heavily on DTA domain knowledge. However, the DTA knowledge has not been formalized well to be available for inference in automatic tools. We propose a case-based methodology to solve this problem. This methodology can also be applied to other domains of geographical modeling with a similar situation.
Patricia López López, Niko Wanders, Jaap Schellekens, Luigi J. Renzullo, Edwin H. Sutanudjaja, and Marc F. P. Bierkens
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3059–3076, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3059-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3059-2016, 2016
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We perform a joint assimilation experiment of high-resolution satellite soil moisture and discharge observations in the Murrumbidgee River basin with a large-scale hydrological model. Additionally, we study the impact of high- and low-resolution meteorological forcing on the model performance. We show that the assimilation of high-resolution satellite soil moisture and discharge observations has a significant impact on discharge simulations and can bring them closer to locally calibrated models.
Zhi Wei Li, Guo An Yu, Gary Brierley, and Zhao Yin Wang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3013–3025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3013-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3013-2016, 2016
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Influence of vegetation upon bedload transport and channel morphodynamics is examined along a channel stability gradient ranging from meandering to anabranching to anabranching–braided to fully braided planform conditions along trunk and tributary reaches of the Yellow River source zone in western China. This innovative work reveals complex interactions between channel planform, bedload transport capacity, sediment supply in the flood season, and the hydraulic role of vegetation.
W. Qi, C. Zhang, G. Fu, C. Sweetapple, and H. Zhou
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 903–920, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-903-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-903-2016, 2016
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Six precipitation products, including TRMM3B42, TRMM3B42RT, GLDAS/Noah, APHRODITE, PERSIANN, and GSMAP-MVK+, are investigated in the usually neglected area of NE China, and a framework is developed to quantify the contributions of uncertainties from precipitation products, hydrological models, and their interactions to uncertainty in simulated discharges. It is found that interactions between hydrological models and precipitation products contribute significantly to uncertainty in discharge.
D. Shen, J. Wang, X. Cheng, Y. Rui, and S. Ye
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3605–3616, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3605-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3605-2015, 2015
M. A. Matin and C. P.-A. Bourque
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3387–3403, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3387-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3387-2015, 2015
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This paper describes a methodology in analysing the interdependencies between components of the hydrological cycle and vegetation characteristics at different elevation zones of two endorheic river basins in an arid-mountainous region of NW China. The analysis shows that oasis vegetation has an important function in sustaining the water cycle in the river basins and oasis vegetation is dependent on surface and shallow subsurface water flow from mountain sources.
L. Hao, G. Sun, Y. Liu, J. Wan, M. Qin, H. Qian, C. Liu, J. Zheng, R. John, P. Fan, and J. Chen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3319–3331, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3319-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3319-2015, 2015
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The role of land cover in affecting hydrologic and environmental changes in the humid region in southern China is not well studied. We found that high flows and low flows increased and evapotranspiration decreased due to urbanization in the Qinhuai River basin. Urbanization masked climate warming effects in a rice-paddy-dominated watershed in altering long-term hydrology. Flooding risks and heat island effects are expected to rise due to urbanization.
E. A. Sproles, S. G. Leibowitz, J. T. Reager, P. J. Wigington Jr, J. S. Famiglietti, and S. D. Patil
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3253–3272, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3253-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3253-2015, 2015
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The paper demonstrates how data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) can be used to describe the relationship between water stored at the regional scale and stream flow. Additionally, we employ GRACE as a regional-scale indicator to successfully predict stream flow later in the water year. Our work focuses on the Columbia River Basin (North America), but is widely applicable across the globe, and could prove to be particularly useful in regions with limited hydrological data.
A. Rouillard, G. Skrzypek, S. Dogramaci, C. Turney, and P. F. Grierson
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2057–2078, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2057-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2057-2015, 2015
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We reconstructed a 100-year monthly history of flooding and drought of a large wetland in arid northwest Australia, using hydroclimatic data calibrated against 25 years of satellite images. Severe and intense regional rainfall, as well as the sequence of events, determined surface water expression on the floodplain. While inter-annual variability was high, changes to the flood regime over the last 20 years suggest the wetland may become more persistent in response to the observed rainfall trend.
B. Müller, M. Bernhardt, and K. Schulz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 5345–5359, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5345-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5345-2014, 2014
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We present a method to define hydrological landscape units by a time series of thermal infrared satellite data. Land surface temperature is calculated for 28 images in 12 years for a catchment in Luxembourg. Pattern measures show spatio-temporal persistency; principle component analysis extracts relevant patterns. Functional units represent similar behaving entities based on a representative set of images. Resulting classification and patterns are discussed regarding potential applications.
F. F. Worku, M. Werner, N. Wright, P. van der Zaag, and S. S. Demissie
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 3837–3853, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-3837-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-3837-2014, 2014
A. M. Ågren, W. Lidberg, M. Strömgren, J. Ogilvie, and P. A. Arp
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 3623–3634, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-3623-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-3623-2014, 2014
N. Wanders, D. Karssenberg, A. de Roo, S. M. de Jong, and M. F. P. Bierkens
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 2343–2357, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2343-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2343-2014, 2014
J. K. Kiptala, M. L. Mul, Y. A. Mohamed, and P. van der Zaag
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 2287–2303, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2287-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2287-2014, 2014
C. I. Michailovsky and P. Bauer-Gottwein
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 997–1007, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-997-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-997-2014, 2014
T. Conradt, F. Wechsung, and A. Bronstert
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 2947–2966, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-2947-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-2947-2013, 2013
M. El Bastawesy, R. Ramadan Ali, A. Faid, and M. El Osta
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1493–1501, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1493-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1493-2013, 2013
A. C. V. Getirana and C. Peters-Lidard
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 923–933, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-923-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-923-2013, 2013
Y. Tramblay, R. Bouaicha, L. Brocca, W. Dorigo, C. Bouvier, S. Camici, and E. Servat
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 4375–4386, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-4375-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-4375-2012, 2012
J. Parajka, L. Holko, Z. Kostka, and G. Blöschl
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 2365–2377, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-2365-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-2365-2012, 2012
S. Peischl, J. P. Walker, C. Rüdiger, N. Ye, Y. H. Kerr, E. Kim, R. Bandara, and M. Allahmoradi
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 1697–1708, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-1697-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-1697-2012, 2012
S. Bircher, N. Skou, K. H. Jensen, J. P. Walker, and L. Rasmussen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 1445–1463, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-1445-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-1445-2012, 2012
J.-M. Kileshye Onema, A. E. Taigbenu, and J. Ndiritu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 1435–1443, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-1435-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-1435-2012, 2012
S. Manfreda, T. Lacava, B. Onorati, N. Pergola, M. Di Leo, M. R. Margiotta, and V. Tramutoli
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 2839–2852, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-2839-2011, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-2839-2011, 2011
M. Salvia, F. Grings, P. Ferrazzoli, V. Barraza, V. Douna, P. Perna, C. Bruscantini, and H. Karszenbaum
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 2679–2692, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-2679-2011, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-2679-2011, 2011
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Short summary
Andean catchments play a key role in the provision of freshwater resources. The development of megacities in the inter-Andean valleys raises severe concerns about growing water scarcity. This study is one of the first long-term (1970s-now) analyses of the role of land cover and climate change on provision and regulation of streamflow in the tropical Andes. Forest conversion had the largest impact on streamflow, leading to a 10 % net decrease in streamflow over the last 40 years.
Andean catchments play a key role in the provision of freshwater resources. The development of...
