The paper investigates the role of drainage and soil storage properties on modulating climate-evapotranspiration relations for three mountainous catchments in western U.S. As mentioned by the reviewers, the study results are of interest for both field researchers and modellers. The paper is clearly written though the conclusions section will benefit from changes suggested by the reviewers.

The reviewers have raised a number of additional interesting questions that have been carefully responded by the authors, who have also clearly identified the strategy to address these issues in the revised paper. The number of revisions is minor but I would like to see a revised version. I am therefore recommending minor revisions in line the reviewer’s suggestions and with my own assessment of the manuscript.

I am very happy to see that the authors have carefully and positively responded to the comments by the reviewers and have used the reviewer’s feedback to produce an improved revised manuscript.

After a careful review of the revised manuscript, I believe that the manuscript is ready for publication.