Articles | Volume 20, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3581-2016
© Author(s) 2016. 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-20-3581-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
06 Sep 2016
Research article |
| 06 Sep 2016
Using radon to understand parafluvial flows and the changing locations of groundwater inflows in the Avon River, southeast Australia
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton, Vic. 3800, Australia
National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, GPO Box 2100, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Harald Hofmann
National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, GPO Box 2100, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
School of Earth Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Related authors
Olaleye Babatunde, Meenakshi Arora, Siva Naga Venkat Nara, Danlu Guo, Ian Cartwright, and Andrew W. Western
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2456, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2456, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
Short summary
Short summary
Nitrogen inputs can pollute streams and degrade water quality. We estimated fertiliser nitrogen inputs across different land uses and assessed their relationship with stream nitrogen concentrations. Only a small fraction of the applied nitrogen was exported, with most retained within the landscape. Land use, rainfall, and flow patterns strongly influenced nitrogen dynamics and export. These findings support strategies to reduce stream pollution and protect water quality in agricultural areas.
Stephen Lee, Dylan J. Irvine, Clément Duvert, Gabriel C. Rau, and Ian Cartwright
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 1771–1790, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1771-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1771-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Global groundwater recharge studies collate recharge values estimated using different methods that apply to different timescales. We develop a recharge prediction model, based solely on chloride, to produce a recharge map for Australia. We reveal that climate and vegetation have the most significant influence on recharge variability in Australia. Our recharge rates were lower than other models due to the long timescale of chloride in groundwater. Our method can similarly be applied globally.
Keirnan Fowler, Murray Peel, Margarita Saft, Tim J. Peterson, Andrew Western, Lawrence Band, Cuan Petheram, Sandra Dharmadi, Kim Seong Tan, Lu Zhang, Patrick Lane, Anthony Kiem, Lucy Marshall, Anne Griebel, Belinda E. Medlyn, Dongryeol Ryu, Giancarlo Bonotto, Conrad Wasko, Anna Ukkola, Clare Stephens, Andrew Frost, Hansini Gardiya Weligamage, Patricia Saco, Hongxing Zheng, Francis Chiew, Edoardo Daly, Glen Walker, R. Willem Vervoort, Justin Hughes, Luca Trotter, Brad Neal, Ian Cartwright, and Rory Nathan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 6073–6120, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-6073-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-6073-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Recently, we have seen multi-year droughts tending to cause shifts in the relationship between rainfall and streamflow. In shifted catchments that have not recovered, an average rainfall year produces less streamflow today than it did pre-drought. We take a multi-disciplinary approach to understand why these shifts occur, focusing on Australia's over-10-year Millennium Drought. We evaluate multiple hypotheses against evidence, with particular focus on the key role of groundwater processes.
Zibo Zhou, Ian Cartwright, and Uwe Morgenstern
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 4497–4513, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4497-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4497-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Streams may receive water from different sources in their catchment. There is limited understanding of which water stores intermittent streams are connected to. Using geochemistry we show that the intermittent streams in southeast Australia are connected to younger smaller near-river water stores rather than regional groundwater. This makes these streams more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and requires management of the riparian zone for their protection.
Ian Cartwright
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 183–195, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-183-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-183-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Using specific conductivity (SC) to estimate groundwater inflow to rivers is complicated by bank return waters, interflow, and flows off floodplains contributing to baseflow in all but the driest years. Using the maximum SC of the river in dry years to estimate the SC of groundwater produces the best baseflow vs. streamflow trends. The variable composition of baseflow hinders calibration of hydrograph-based techniques to estimate groundwater inflows.
Michael Kilgour Stewart, Uwe Morgenstern, and Ian Cartwright
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 6333–6338, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6333-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6333-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The combined use of deuterium and tritium to determine travel time distributions in streams is an important development in catchment hydrology (Rodriguez et al., 2021). This comment, however, argues that their results do not generally invalidate the truncation hypothesis of Stewart et al. (2010) (i.e. that stable isotopes underestimate travel times through catchments), as they imply, but asserts instead that the hypothesis still applies to many other catchments.
Dylan J. Irvine, Cameron Wood, Ian Cartwright, and Tanya Oliver
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5415–5424, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5415-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5415-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
It is widely assumed that 14C is in contact with the atmosphere until recharging water reaches the water table. Unsaturated zone (UZ) studies have shown that 14C decreases with depth below the land surface. We produce a relationship between UZ 14C and depth to the water table to estimate input 14C activities for groundwater age estimation. Application of the new relationship shows that it is important for UZ processes to be considered in groundwater mean residence time estimation.
Shovon Barua, Ian Cartwright, P. Evan Dresel, and Edoardo Daly
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 89–104, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-89-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-89-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluate groundwater recharge rates in a semi-arid area that has undergone land-use changes. The widespread presence of old saline groundwater indicates that pre-land-clearing recharge rates were low and present-day recharge rates are still modest. The fluctuations of the water table and tritium activities reflect present-day recharge rates; however, the water table fluctuation estimates are unrealistically high, and this technique may not be suited for estimating recharge in semi-arid areas.
Harald Hofmann, Dean Newborn, Ian Cartwright, Dioni I. Cendón, and Matthias Raiber
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1293–1318, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1293-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1293-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Fresh groundwater (GW) on barrier islands is affected by GW use and precipitation variability. Mean residence times (MRTs) of GW on a sand barrier island were determined. They ranged from 37 years to more than 150 years for tritium and had a much larger range (modern to 5000 years) for carbon-14. Perched aquifer systems in the unsaturated zone and peat formations around wetlands are the most likely cause of longer MRTs, as they have a significant impact on regional recharge and flow diversion.
William Howcroft, Ian Cartwright, and Uwe Morgenstern
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 635–653, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-635-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-635-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Documenting mean transit times is critical for understanding and managing catchments. Mean transit times in six headwater catchments of the Otway Ranges, Australia, determined using tritium, range from 7 to 230 years. Tritium activities correlate well with streamflow but are difficult to predict from catchment attributes or major ion geochemistry. The long mean transit times suggest that the catchments are buffered from short-term rainfall variations.
Ian Cartwright and Uwe Morgenstern
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 4757–4773, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4757-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4757-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
This research used tritium to determine the timescales that water is stored in peatlands and eucalyptus forest catchments in upland river systems in southeast Australia. The mean transit times in the peatland catchments of less than a few years contrast with much longer transit times (years to decades) in adjacent eucalyptus catchments. The peat is susceptible to drying which renders it vulnerable to degradation and bushfire and does not represent a long-term water store to upland streams.
I. Cartwright and U. Morgenstern
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3771–3785, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3771-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3771-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
This study documents the age of water that contributes to rivers in upper catchments using the radioactive tracer tritium. River water in the upper Ovens Valley (Australia) is several years to decades old and water from different parts of the catchment (e.g., soil, regolith, and groundwater) is mobilised at different flow conditions. The results indicate that these rivers are buffered against short term climate variability but are susceptible to longer-term climate and land use changes
N. P. Unland, I. Cartwright, D. I. Cendón, and R. Chisari
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 5109–5124, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5109-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5109-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
Periodic flooding of rivers should result in increased groundwater recharge near rivers and thus - younger and fresher groundwater near rivers. This study found the age and salinity of shallow groundwater to increase with proximity to the Tambo River in South East Australia. This appears to be due to the upwelling of older, regional groundwater closer the river. Other chemical parameters are consistent with this. This is a process that may be occurring in other similar river systems.
A. P. Atkinson, I. Cartwright, B. S. Gilfedder, D. I. Cendón, N. P. Unland, and H. Hofmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 4951–4964, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4951-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4951-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
This research article uses of radiogenic isotopes, stable isotopes and groundwater geochemistry to study groundwater age and recharge processes in the Gellibrand Valley, a relatively unstudied catchment and potential groundwater resource. The valley is found to contain both "old", regionally recharged groundwater (300-10,000 years) in the near-river environment, and modern groundwater (0-100 years old) further back on the floodplain. There is no recharge of the groundwater by high river flows.
I. Cartwright, B. Gilfedder, and H. Hofmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 15–30, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-15-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-15-2014, 2014
M. C. L. Yu, I. Cartwright, J. L. Braden, and S. T. de Bree
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4907–4924, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4907-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4907-2013, 2013
N. P. Unland, I. Cartwright, M. S. Andersen, G. C. Rau, J. Reed, B. S. Gilfedder, A. P. Atkinson, and H. Hofmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 3437–3453, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-3437-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-3437-2013, 2013
Olaleye Babatunde, Meenakshi Arora, Siva Naga Venkat Nara, Danlu Guo, Ian Cartwright, and Andrew W. Western
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2456, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2456, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
Short summary
Short summary
Nitrogen inputs can pollute streams and degrade water quality. We estimated fertiliser nitrogen inputs across different land uses and assessed their relationship with stream nitrogen concentrations. Only a small fraction of the applied nitrogen was exported, with most retained within the landscape. Land use, rainfall, and flow patterns strongly influenced nitrogen dynamics and export. These findings support strategies to reduce stream pollution and protect water quality in agricultural areas.
Stephen Lee, Dylan J. Irvine, Clément Duvert, Gabriel C. Rau, and Ian Cartwright
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 1771–1790, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1771-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1771-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Global groundwater recharge studies collate recharge values estimated using different methods that apply to different timescales. We develop a recharge prediction model, based solely on chloride, to produce a recharge map for Australia. We reveal that climate and vegetation have the most significant influence on recharge variability in Australia. Our recharge rates were lower than other models due to the long timescale of chloride in groundwater. Our method can similarly be applied globally.
Keirnan Fowler, Murray Peel, Margarita Saft, Tim J. Peterson, Andrew Western, Lawrence Band, Cuan Petheram, Sandra Dharmadi, Kim Seong Tan, Lu Zhang, Patrick Lane, Anthony Kiem, Lucy Marshall, Anne Griebel, Belinda E. Medlyn, Dongryeol Ryu, Giancarlo Bonotto, Conrad Wasko, Anna Ukkola, Clare Stephens, Andrew Frost, Hansini Gardiya Weligamage, Patricia Saco, Hongxing Zheng, Francis Chiew, Edoardo Daly, Glen Walker, R. Willem Vervoort, Justin Hughes, Luca Trotter, Brad Neal, Ian Cartwright, and Rory Nathan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 6073–6120, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-6073-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-6073-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Recently, we have seen multi-year droughts tending to cause shifts in the relationship between rainfall and streamflow. In shifted catchments that have not recovered, an average rainfall year produces less streamflow today than it did pre-drought. We take a multi-disciplinary approach to understand why these shifts occur, focusing on Australia's over-10-year Millennium Drought. We evaluate multiple hypotheses against evidence, with particular focus on the key role of groundwater processes.
Zibo Zhou, Ian Cartwright, and Uwe Morgenstern
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 4497–4513, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4497-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4497-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Streams may receive water from different sources in their catchment. There is limited understanding of which water stores intermittent streams are connected to. Using geochemistry we show that the intermittent streams in southeast Australia are connected to younger smaller near-river water stores rather than regional groundwater. This makes these streams more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and requires management of the riparian zone for their protection.
Ian Cartwright
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 183–195, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-183-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-183-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Using specific conductivity (SC) to estimate groundwater inflow to rivers is complicated by bank return waters, interflow, and flows off floodplains contributing to baseflow in all but the driest years. Using the maximum SC of the river in dry years to estimate the SC of groundwater produces the best baseflow vs. streamflow trends. The variable composition of baseflow hinders calibration of hydrograph-based techniques to estimate groundwater inflows.
Michael Kilgour Stewart, Uwe Morgenstern, and Ian Cartwright
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 6333–6338, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6333-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6333-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The combined use of deuterium and tritium to determine travel time distributions in streams is an important development in catchment hydrology (Rodriguez et al., 2021). This comment, however, argues that their results do not generally invalidate the truncation hypothesis of Stewart et al. (2010) (i.e. that stable isotopes underestimate travel times through catchments), as they imply, but asserts instead that the hypothesis still applies to many other catchments.
Dylan J. Irvine, Cameron Wood, Ian Cartwright, and Tanya Oliver
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5415–5424, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5415-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5415-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
It is widely assumed that 14C is in contact with the atmosphere until recharging water reaches the water table. Unsaturated zone (UZ) studies have shown that 14C decreases with depth below the land surface. We produce a relationship between UZ 14C and depth to the water table to estimate input 14C activities for groundwater age estimation. Application of the new relationship shows that it is important for UZ processes to be considered in groundwater mean residence time estimation.
Shovon Barua, Ian Cartwright, P. Evan Dresel, and Edoardo Daly
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 89–104, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-89-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-89-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluate groundwater recharge rates in a semi-arid area that has undergone land-use changes. The widespread presence of old saline groundwater indicates that pre-land-clearing recharge rates were low and present-day recharge rates are still modest. The fluctuations of the water table and tritium activities reflect present-day recharge rates; however, the water table fluctuation estimates are unrealistically high, and this technique may not be suited for estimating recharge in semi-arid areas.
Harald Hofmann, Dean Newborn, Ian Cartwright, Dioni I. Cendón, and Matthias Raiber
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1293–1318, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1293-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1293-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Fresh groundwater (GW) on barrier islands is affected by GW use and precipitation variability. Mean residence times (MRTs) of GW on a sand barrier island were determined. They ranged from 37 years to more than 150 years for tritium and had a much larger range (modern to 5000 years) for carbon-14. Perched aquifer systems in the unsaturated zone and peat formations around wetlands are the most likely cause of longer MRTs, as they have a significant impact on regional recharge and flow diversion.
William Howcroft, Ian Cartwright, and Uwe Morgenstern
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 635–653, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-635-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-635-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Documenting mean transit times is critical for understanding and managing catchments. Mean transit times in six headwater catchments of the Otway Ranges, Australia, determined using tritium, range from 7 to 230 years. Tritium activities correlate well with streamflow but are difficult to predict from catchment attributes or major ion geochemistry. The long mean transit times suggest that the catchments are buffered from short-term rainfall variations.
Ian Cartwright and Uwe Morgenstern
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 4757–4773, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4757-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4757-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
This research used tritium to determine the timescales that water is stored in peatlands and eucalyptus forest catchments in upland river systems in southeast Australia. The mean transit times in the peatland catchments of less than a few years contrast with much longer transit times (years to decades) in adjacent eucalyptus catchments. The peat is susceptible to drying which renders it vulnerable to degradation and bushfire and does not represent a long-term water store to upland streams.
I. Cartwright and U. Morgenstern
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3771–3785, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3771-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3771-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
This study documents the age of water that contributes to rivers in upper catchments using the radioactive tracer tritium. River water in the upper Ovens Valley (Australia) is several years to decades old and water from different parts of the catchment (e.g., soil, regolith, and groundwater) is mobilised at different flow conditions. The results indicate that these rivers are buffered against short term climate variability but are susceptible to longer-term climate and land use changes
N. P. Unland, I. Cartwright, D. I. Cendón, and R. Chisari
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 5109–5124, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5109-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5109-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
Periodic flooding of rivers should result in increased groundwater recharge near rivers and thus - younger and fresher groundwater near rivers. This study found the age and salinity of shallow groundwater to increase with proximity to the Tambo River in South East Australia. This appears to be due to the upwelling of older, regional groundwater closer the river. Other chemical parameters are consistent with this. This is a process that may be occurring in other similar river systems.
A. P. Atkinson, I. Cartwright, B. S. Gilfedder, D. I. Cendón, N. P. Unland, and H. Hofmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 4951–4964, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4951-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4951-2014, 2014
Short summary
Short summary
This research article uses of radiogenic isotopes, stable isotopes and groundwater geochemistry to study groundwater age and recharge processes in the Gellibrand Valley, a relatively unstudied catchment and potential groundwater resource. The valley is found to contain both "old", regionally recharged groundwater (300-10,000 years) in the near-river environment, and modern groundwater (0-100 years old) further back on the floodplain. There is no recharge of the groundwater by high river flows.
I. Cartwright, B. Gilfedder, and H. Hofmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 15–30, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-15-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-15-2014, 2014
M. C. L. Yu, I. Cartwright, J. L. Braden, and S. T. de Bree
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4907–4924, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4907-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4907-2013, 2013
N. P. Unland, I. Cartwright, M. S. Andersen, G. C. Rau, J. Reed, B. S. Gilfedder, A. P. Atkinson, and H. Hofmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 3437–3453, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-3437-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-3437-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Rivers and Lakes | Techniques and Approaches: Instruments and observation techniques
Assessment of source regions of the Zambezi River: implications for regional water security
Consequences of the Aral Sea restoration for its present physical state: temperature, mixing, and oxygen regime
Unsupervised image velocimetry for automated computation of river flow velocities
Technical note: Image processing for continuous river turbidity monitoring – full scale tests and potential applications
Hydrological, meteorological, and watershed controls on the water balance of thermokarst lakes between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada
Influence of vegetation maintenance on flow and mixing: case study comparing fully cut with high-coverage conditions
Assessing the influence of lake and watershed attributes on snowmelt bypass at thermokarst lakes
Technical note: Analyzing river network dynamics and the active length–discharge relationship using water presence sensors
Technical note: Efficient imaging of hydrological units below lakes and fjords with a floating, transient electromagnetic (FloaTEM) system
Drastic decline of flood pulse in the Cambodian floodplains (Mekong River and Tonle Sap system)
Seasonality of density currents induced by differential cooling
Implications of variations in stream specific conductivity for estimating baseflow using chemical mass balance and calibrated hydrograph techniques
Enhanced flood hazard assessment beyond decadal climate cycles based on centennial historical data (Duero basin, Spain)
Contrasting hydrological and thermal intensities determine seasonal lake-level variations – a case study at Paiku Co on the southern Tibetan Plateau
Technical note: Mobile open dynamic chamber measurement of methane macroseeps in lakes
A Fast-Response Automated Gas Equilibrator (FaRAGE) for continuous in situ measurement of CH4 and CO2 dissolved in water
Technical note: Greenhouse gas flux studies: an automated online system for gas emission measurements in aquatic environments
Evolution and dynamics of the vertical temperature profile in an oligotrophic lake
Long-term changes in central European river discharge for 1869–2016: impact of changing snow covers, reservoir constructions and an intensified hydrological cycle
Reliable reference for the methane concentrations in Lake Kivu at the beginning of industrial exploitation
Small dams alter thermal regimes of downstream water
Oxycline oscillations induced by internal waves in deep Lake Iseo
Turbulent mixing and heat fluxes under lake ice: the role of seiche oscillations
New profiling and mooring records help to assess variability of Lake Issyk-Kul and reveal unknown features of its thermohaline structure
Evaluation of lacustrine groundwater discharge, hydrologic partitioning, and nutrient budgets in a proglacial lake in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: using 222Rn and stable isotopes
Long-term temporal trajectories to enhance restoration efficiency and sustainability on large rivers: an interdisciplinary study
Active heat pulse sensing of 3-D-flow fields in streambeds
Technical note: False low turbidity readings from optical probes during high suspended-sediment concentrations
Effectiveness of distributed temperature measurements for early detection of piping in river embankments
Citizen observations contributing to flood modelling: opportunities and challenges
Dead Sea evaporation by eddy covariance measurements vs. aerodynamic, energy budget, Priestley–Taylor, and Penman estimates
Technical note: Stage and water width measurement of a mountain stream using a simple time-lapse camera
Identifying, characterizing and predicting spatial patterns of lacustrine groundwater discharge
Information content of stream level class data for hydrological model calibration
Hydrology of inland tropical lowlands: the Kapuas and Mahakam wetlands
Technical Note: Monitoring of unsteady open channel flows using the continuous slope-area method
Application of CryoSat-2 altimetry data for river analysis and modelling
Technical Note: Advances in flash flood monitoring using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
Influence of environmental factors on spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Inner Mongolia Plateau, China
DAHITI – an innovative approach for estimating water level time series over inland waters using multi-mission satellite altimetry
The Global Network of Isotopes in Rivers (GNIR): integration of water isotopes in watershed observation and riverine research
A 2600-year history of floods in the Bernese Alps, Switzerland: frequencies, mechanisms and climate forcing
Technical Note: Semi-automated effective width extraction from time-lapse RGB imagery of a remote, braided Greenlandic river
Characterization of sediment layer composition in a shallow lake: from open water zones to reed belt areas
Morphological, hydrological, biogeochemical and ecological changes and challenges in river restoration – the Thur River case study
Dynamics of auto- and heterotrophic picoplankton and associated viruses in Lake Geneva
Historic maps as a data source for socio-hydrology: a case study of the Lake Balaton wetland system, Hungary
Spatio-temporal heterogeneity of riparian soil morphology in a restored floodplain
Flood discharge measurement of a mountain river – Nanshih River in Taiwan
Hydrochemical variability at the Upper Paraguay Basin and Pantanal wetland
Mauro Lourenco, Rutledge S. Boyes, Fenton P. D. Cotterill, Tyrel Flügel, Frank C. Nyoni, Goabaone J. Ramatlapeng, and Rainer von Brandis
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-837, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-837, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study focused on the sources of the Zambezi River, revealing new insights into its longest tributary and Angola’s key role in its flow. River expeditions and earth observation data show that Angola contributes over 70 % of the river's flow upstream of a major floodplain. We highlight Angola’s wetlands, which support river health and help mitigate pollution. These findings stress the need for improved monitoring and regional cooperation to protect the Zambezi River Basin and its ecosystems.
Georgiy B. Kirillin, Tom Shatwell, and Alexander S. Izhitskiy
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-113, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-113, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The restoration of the North Aral Sea caused remarkable shifts in its temperature, ice cover, and oxygen levels, which have not yet been fully understood so far. We demonstrate that the North Aral Sea has regained conditions similar to its state before drying out, but its seasonal mixing pattern remains unstable. Small changes in water levels or clarity could push the lake toward stable dimictic or polymictic conditions, highlighting its sensitivity to environmental and management factors.
Matthew Perks, Borbála Hortobágyi, Nick Everard, Susan Manson, Juliet Rowland, Andrew Large, and Andrew Russell
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-213, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-213, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for HESS
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate river flow measurements are essential for understanding river processes. This study evaluates the freely-available software, KLT-IV, for automatic river surface velocity measurement. Analysing over 11,000 videos and comparing them with 303 traditional flow measurements, we find strong correlations (r² = 0.95–0.97) between KLT-IV and traditional methods. KLT-IV effectively estimates river flow with high accuracy, making it a valuable tool for autonomous water resource management.
Domenico Miglino, Khim Cathleen Saddi, Francesco Isgrò, Seifeddine Jomaa, Michael Rode, and Salvatore Manfreda
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2172, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2172, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Turbidity is a key factor for water quality monitoring. We tested an image-based procedure in a full-scale river monitoring experiment using digital cameras. This procedure can increase our knowledge of the real status of water bodies, solving the spatial and temporal data resolution problems of the existing techniques, promoting also the development of early warning networks, moving water research forward thanks to a large increase of information and the reduction of operating expenses.
Evan J. Wilcox, Brent B. Wolfe, and Philip Marsh
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 2173–2188, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2173-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2173-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Arctic is warming quickly and influencing lake water balances. We used water isotope concentrations taken from samples of 25 lakes in the Canadian Arctic and estimated the average ratio of evaporation to inflow (E / I) for each lake. The ratio of watershed area (the area that flows into the lake) to lake area (WA / LA) strongly predicted E / I, as lakes with relatively smaller watersheds received less inflow. The WA / LA could be used to predict the vulnerability of Arctic lakes to future change.
Monika Barbara Kalinowska, Kaisa Västilä, Michael Nones, Adam Kiczko, Emilia Karamuz, Andrzej Brandyk, Adam Kozioł, and Marcin Krukowski
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 953–968, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-953-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-953-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Vegetation is commonly found in rivers and channels. Using field investigations, we evaluated the influence of different vegetation coverages on the flow and mixing in the small naturally vegetated channel. The obtained results are expected to be helpful for practitioners, enlarge our still limited knowledge, and show the further required scientific directions for a better understanding of the influence of vegetation on the flow and mixing of dissolved substances in real natural conditions.
Evan J. Wilcox, Brent B. Wolfe, and Philip Marsh
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 6185–6205, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-6185-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-6185-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We estimated how much of the water flowing into lakes during snowmelt replaced the pre-snowmelt lake water. Our data show that, as lake depth increases, the amount of water mixed into lakes decreased, because vertical mixing is reduced as lake depth increases. Our data also show that the water mixing into lakes is not solely snow-sourced but is a mixture of snowmelt and soil water. These results are relevant for lake biogeochemistry given the unique properties of snowmelt runoff.
Francesca Zanetti, Nicola Durighetto, Filippo Vingiani, and Gianluca Botter
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 3497–3516, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-3497-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-3497-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
River networks are highly dynamical. Characterizing expansion and retraction of flowing streams is a significant scientific challenge. Electrical resistance sensors were used to monitor stream network patterns in an alpine catchment. Our data show the presence of spatial heterogeneity in network dynamics and that the active length is more sensitive than discharge to small rain events. The study unravels potentials and limitations of the sensors for the characterization of temporary streams.
Pradip Kumar Maurya, Frederik Ersted Christensen, Masson Andy Kass, Jesper B. Pedersen, Rasmus R. Frederiksen, Nikolaj Foged, Anders Vest Christiansen, and Esben Auken
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2813–2827, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2813-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2813-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we present an application of the electromagnetic method to image the subsurface below rivers, lakes, or any surface water body. The scanning of the subsurface is carried out by sailing an electromagnetic sensor called FloaTEM. Imaging results show a 3D distribution of different sediment types below the freshwater lakes. In the case of saline water, the system is capable of identifying the probable location of groundwater discharge into seawater.
Samuel De Xun Chua, Xi Xi Lu, Chantha Oeurng, Ty Sok, and Carl Grundy-Warr
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 609–625, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-609-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-609-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We found that the annual flood at the Cambodian floodplains decreased from 1960 to 2019. Consequently, the Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Southeast Asia, is shrinking. The results are worrying because the local fisheries and planting calendar might be disrupted. This drastic decline of flooding extent is caused mostly by local factors, namely water withdrawal for irrigation and channel incision from sand mining activities.
Tomy Doda, Cintia L. Ramón, Hugo N. Ulloa, Alfred Wüest, and Damien Bouffard
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 331–353, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-331-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-331-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
At night or during cold periods, the shallow littoral region of lakes cools faster than their deeper interior. This induces a cold downslope current that carries littoral waters offshore. From a 1-year-long database collected in a small temperate lake, we resolve the seasonality of this current and report its frequent occurrence from summer to winter. This study contributes to a better quantification of lateral exchange in lakes, with implications for the transport of dissolved compounds.
Ian Cartwright
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 183–195, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-183-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-183-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Using specific conductivity (SC) to estimate groundwater inflow to rivers is complicated by bank return waters, interflow, and flows off floodplains contributing to baseflow in all but the driest years. Using the maximum SC of the river in dry years to estimate the SC of groundwater produces the best baseflow vs. streamflow trends. The variable composition of baseflow hinders calibration of hydrograph-based techniques to estimate groundwater inflows.
Gerardo Benito, Olegario Castillo, Juan A. Ballesteros-Cánovas, Maria Machado, and Mariano Barriendos
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 6107–6132, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6107-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6107-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Climate change is expected to increase the intensity of floods, but changes are difficult to project. We compiled historical and modern flood data of the Rio Duero (Spain) to evaluate flood hazards beyond decadal climate cycles. Historical floods were obtained from documentary sources, identifying 69 floods over 1250–1871 CE. Discharges were calculated from reported flood heights. Flood frequency using historical datasets showed the most robust results, guiding climate change adaptation.
Yanbin Lei, Tandong Yao, Kun Yang, Lazhu, Yaoming Ma, and Broxton W. Bird
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 3163–3177, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3163-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3163-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Lake evaporation from Paiku Co on the TP is low in spring and summer and high in autumn and early winter. There is a ~ 5-month lag between net radiation and evaporation due to large lake heat storage. High evaporation and low inflow cause significant lake-level decrease in autumn and early winter, while low evaporation and high inflow cause considerable lake-level increase in summer. This study implies that evaporation can affect the different amplitudes of lake-level variations on the TP.
Frederic Thalasso, Katey Walter Anthony, Olya Irzak, Ethan Chaleff, Laughlin Barker, Peter Anthony, Philip Hanke, and Rodrigo Gonzalez-Valencia
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 6047–6058, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-6047-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-6047-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Methane (CH4) seepage is the steady or episodic flow of gaseous hydrocarbons from subsurface reservoirs that has been identified as a significant source of atmospheric CH4. The monitoring of these emissions is important and despite several available methods, large macroseeps are still difficult to measure due to a lack of a lightweight and inexpensive method deployable in remote environments. Here, we report the development of a mobile chamber for measuring intense CH4 macroseepage in lakes.
Shangbin Xiao, Liu Liu, Wei Wang, Andreas Lorke, Jason Woodhouse, and Hans-Peter Grossart
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 3871–3880, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3871-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3871-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
To better understand the fate of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in freshwaters, dissolved CH4 and CO2 need to be measured with a high temporal resolution. We developed the Fast-Response Automated Gas Equilibrator (FaRAGE) for real-time in situ measurement of dissolved gases in water. FaRAGE can achieve a short response time (CH4:
t95 % = 12 s; CO2:
t95 % = 10 s) while retaining a high equilibration ratio and accuracy.
Nguyen Thanh Duc, Samuel Silverstein, Martin Wik, Patrick Crill, David Bastviken, and Ruth K. Varner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 3417–3430, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3417-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3417-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Under rapid ongoing climate change, accurate quantification of natural greenhouse gas emissions in aquatic environments such as lakes and ponds is needed to understand regulation and feedbacks. Building on the rapid development in wireless communication, sensors, and computation technology, we present a low-cost, open-source, automated and remotely accessed and controlled device for carbon dioxide and methane fluxes from open-water environments along with tests showing their potential.
Zvjezdana B. Klaić, Karmen Babić, and Mirko Orlić
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 3399–3416, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3399-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3399-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Fine-resolution lake temperature measurements (2 min, 15 depths) show different lake responses to atmospheric forcings: (1) continuous diurnal oscillations in the temperature in the first 5 m of the lake, (2) occasional diurnal oscillations in the temperature at depths from 7 to 20 m, and (3) occasional surface and internal seiches. Due to the sloped lake bottom, surface seiches produced the high-frequency oscillations in the lake temperatures with periods of 9 min at depths from 9 to 17 m.
Erwin Rottler, Till Francke, Gerd Bürger, and Axel Bronstert
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1721–1740, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1721-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1721-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In the attempt to identify and disentangle long-term impacts of changes in snow cover and precipitation along with reservoir constructions, we employ a set of analytical tools on hydro-climatic time series. We identify storage reservoirs as an important factor redistributing runoff from summer to winter. Furthermore, our results hint at more (intense) rainfall in recent decades. Detected increases in high discharge can be traced back to corresponding changes in precipitation.
Bertram Boehrer, Wolf von Tümpling, Ange Mugisha, Christophe Rogemont, and Augusta Umutoni
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 4707–4716, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4707-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4707-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Dissolved methane in Lake Kivu (East Africa) represents a precious energy deposit, but the high gas loads have also been perceived as a threat by the local population. Our measurements confirm the huge amount of methane and carbon dioxide present, but do not support the current theory of a significant recharge. Direct measurements of gas pressure indicate no imminent danger due to limnic eruptions. A continuous survey is mandatory to support responsible action during industrial exploitation.
André Chandesris, Kris Van Looy, Jacob S. Diamond, and Yves Souchon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 4509–4525, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4509-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4509-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We found that small dams in rivers alter the thermal regimes of downstream waters in two distinct ways: either only the downstream daily minimum temperatures increase, or both the downstream daily minimum and maximum temperatures increase. We further show that only two physical dam characteristics can explain this difference in temperature response: (1) residence time, and (2) surface area. These results may help managers prioritize efforts to restore the fragmented thermalscapes of rivers.
Giulia Valerio, Marco Pilotti, Maximilian Peter Lau, and Michael Hupfer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 1763–1777, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1763-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1763-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
This paper provides experimental evidence of the occurrence of large and periodic movements induced by the wind at 95 m in depth in Lake Iseo, where a permanent chemocline is located. These movements determine vertical oscillations of the oxycline up to 20 m. Accordingly, in 3 % of the sediment area alternating redox conditions occur, which might force unsteady sediment–water fluxes. This finding has major implications for the internal matter cycle in Lake Iseo.
Georgiy Kirillin, Ilya Aslamov, Matti Leppäranta, and Elisa Lindgren
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 6493–6504, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6493-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6493-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We have discovered transient appearances of strong turbulent mixing beneath the ice of an Arctic lake. Such mixing events increase heating of the ice base up to an order of magnitude and can significantly accelerate ice melting. The source of mixing was identified as oscillations of the entire lake water body triggered by strong winds over the lake surface. This previously unknown mechanism of ice melt may help understand the link between the climate conditions and the seasonal ice formation.
Peter O. Zavialov, Alexander S. Izhitskiy, Georgiy B. Kirillin, Valentina M. Khan, Boris V. Konovalov, Peter N. Makkaveev, Vadim V. Pelevin, Nikolay A. Rimskiy-Korsakov, Salmor A. Alymkulov, and Kubanychbek M. Zhumaliev
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 6279–6295, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6279-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6279-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This paper reports the results of field surveys conducted in Lake Issyk-Kul in 2015–2017 and compares the present-day data with the available historical records. Our data do not confirm the reports of progressive warming of the deep Issyk-Kul waters as suggested in some previous publications. However, they do indicate a positive trend of salinity in the lake’s interior over the last 3 decades. An important newly found feature is a persistent salinity maximum at depths of 70–120 m.
Xin Luo, Xingxing Kuang, Jiu Jimmy Jiao, Sihai Liang, Rong Mao, Xiaolang Zhang, and Hailong Li
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 5579–5598, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-5579-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-5579-2018, 2018
David Eschbach, Laurent Schmitt, Gwenaël Imfeld, Jan-Hendrik May, Sylvain Payraudeau, Frank Preusser, Mareike Trauerstein, and Grzegorz Skupinski
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 2717–2737, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-2717-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-2717-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we show the relevance of an interdisciplinary study for improving restoration within the framework of a European LIFE+ project on the French side of the Upper Rhine (Rohrschollen Island). Our results underscore the advantage of combining functional restoration with detailed knowledge of past trajectories in complex hydrosystems. We anticipate our approach will expand the toolbox of decision-makers and help orientate functional restoration actions in the future.
Eddie W. Banks, Margaret A. Shanafield, Saskia Noorduijn, James McCallum, Jörg Lewandowski, and Okke Batelaan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1917–1929, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1917-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1917-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This study used a portable 56-sensor, 3-D temperature array with three heat pulse sources to measure the flow direction and magnitude below the water–sediment interface. Breakthrough curves from each of the sensors were analyzed using a heat transport equation. The use of short-duration heat pulses provided a rapid, accurate assessment technique for determining dynamic and multi-directional flow patterns in the hyporheic zone and is a basis for improved understanding of biogeochemical processes.
Nicholas Voichick, David J. Topping, and Ronald E. Griffiths
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1767–1773, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1767-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1767-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This paper describes instances in the Grand Canyon study area and a laboratory experiment in which very high suspended-sediment concentrations result in incorrectly low turbidity recorded with a commonly used field instrument. If associated with the monitoring of a construction or dredging project, false low turbidity could result in regulators being unaware of environmental damage caused by the actually much higher turbidity.
Silvia Bersan, André R. Koelewijn, and Paolo Simonini
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1491–1508, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1491-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1491-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Backward erosion piping is the cause of a significant percentage of failures and incidents involving dams and river embankments. In the past 20 years fibre-optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) has proved to be effective for the detection of leakages and internal erosion in dams. This work investigates the effectiveness of DTS for monitoring backward erosion piping in river embankments. Data from a large-scale piping test performed on an instrumented dike are presented and discussed.
Thaine H. Assumpção, Ioana Popescu, Andreja Jonoski, and Dimitri P. Solomatine
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1473–1489, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1473-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1473-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Citizens can contribute to science by providing data, analysing them and as such contributing to decision-making processes. For example, citizens have collected water levels from gauges, which are important when simulating/forecasting floods, where data are usually scarce. This study reviewed such contributions and concluded that integration of citizen data may not be easy due to their spatio-temporal characteristics but that citizen data still proved valuable and can be used in flood modelling.
Jutta Metzger, Manuela Nied, Ulrich Corsmeier, Jörg Kleffmann, and Christoph Kottmeier
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1135–1155, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1135-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1135-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
This paper is motivated by the need for more precise evaporation rates from the Dead Sea (DS) and methods to estimate and forecast evaporation. A new approach to measure lake evaporation with a station located at the shoreline, also transferable to other lakes, is introduced. The first directly measured DS evaporation rates are presented as well as applicable methods for evaporation calculation. These results enable us to further close the DS water budget and to facilitate the water management.
Pauline Leduc, Peter Ashmore, and Darren Sjogren
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We show the utility of ground-based time-lapse cameras for automated monitoring of stream stage and flow characteristics. High-frequency flow stage, water surface width and other information on the state of flow can be acquired for extended time periods with simple local calibration using a low-cost time-lapse camera and a few simple field measurements for calibration and for automated image selection and sorting. The approach is a useful substitute or complement to the conventional stage data.
Christina Tecklenburg and Theresa Blume
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 5043–5063, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5043-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5043-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We characterized groundwater–lake exchange patterns and identified their controls based on extensive field measurements. Our measurement design bridges the gap between the detailed local characterisation and low resolution regional investigations. Results indicated strong spatial variability in groundwater inflow rates: large scale inflow patterns correlated with topography and the groundwater flow field and small scale patterns correlated with grainsize distributions of the lake sediment.
H. J. Ilja van Meerveld, Marc J. P. Vis, and Jan Seibert
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 4895–4905, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4895-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4895-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We tested the usefulness of stream level class data for hydrological model calibration. Only two stream level classes, e.g. above or below a rock in the stream, were already informative, particularly when the boundary was chosen at a high stream level. There was hardly any improvement in model performance when using more than five stream level classes. These results suggest that model based streamflow time series can be obtained from citizen science based water level class data.
Hidayat Hidayat, Adriaan J. Teuling, Bart Vermeulen, Muh Taufik, Karl Kastner, Tjitske J. Geertsema, Dinja C. C. Bol, Dirk H. Hoekman, Gadis Sri Haryani, Henny A. J. Van Lanen, Robert M. Delinom, Roel Dijksma, Gusti Z. Anshari, Nining S. Ningsih, Remko Uijlenhoet, and Antonius J. F. Hoitink
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 2579–2594, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-2579-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-2579-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Hydrological prediction is crucial but in tropical lowland it is difficult, considering data scarcity and river system complexity. This study offers a view of the hydrology of two tropical lowlands in Indonesia. Both lowlands exhibit the important role of upstream wetlands in regulating the flow downstream. We expect that this work facilitates a better prediction of fire-prone conditions in these regions.
Kyutae Lee, Ali R. Firoozfar, and Marian Muste
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1863–1874, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1863-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1863-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate estimation of stream/river flows is important in many aspects, including public safety during floods, effective uses of water resources for hydropower generation and irrigation, and environments. In this paper, we investigated a feasibility of the continuous slope area (CSA) method which measures dynamic changes in instantaneous water surface elevations, and the results showed promising capabilities of the suggested method for the accurate estimation of flows in natural streams/rivers.
Raphael Schneider, Peter Nygaard Godiksen, Heidi Villadsen, Henrik Madsen, and Peter Bauer-Gottwein
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 751–764, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-751-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-751-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We use water level observations from the CryoSat-2 satellite in combination with a river model of the Brahmaputra River, extracting satellite data over a dynamic river mask derived from Landsat imagery. The novelty of this work is the use of the CryoSat-2 water level observations, collected using a complex spatio-temporal sampling scheme, to calibrate a hydrodynamic river model. The resulting model accurately reproduces water levels, without precise knowledge of river bathymetry.
Matthew T. Perks, Andrew J. Russell, and Andrew R. G. Large
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 4005–4015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4005-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-4005-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to capture information about the earth’s surface in dangerous and previously inaccessible locations. Here we present a method whereby image acquisition and subsequent analysis have enabled the highly dynamic and oft-immeasurable hydraulic phenomenon present during high-energy flash floods to be quantified at previously unattainable spatial and temporal resolutions.
Z. D. Wen, K. S. Song, Y. Zhao, J. Du, and J. H. Ma
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 787–801, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-787-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-787-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The study indicated that CDOM in rivers had higher aromaticity, molecular weight, and vascular plant contribution than in terminal lakes in the Hulun Buir plateau, Northeast China. The autochthonous sources of CDOM in plateau waters were higher than in other freshwater rivers reported in the literature. Study of the optical–physicochemical correlations is helpful in the evaluation of the potential influence of water quality factors on non-water light absorption in plateau water environments.
C. Schwatke, D. Dettmering, W. Bosch, and F. Seitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 4345–4364, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4345-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4345-2015, 2015
J. Halder, S. Terzer, L. I. Wassenaar, L. J. Araguás-Araguás, and P. K. Aggarwal
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3419–3431, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3419-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3419-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce a new online global database of riverine water stable isotopes (Global Network of Isotopes in Rivers) and evaluate its longer-term data holdings. A regionalized, cluster-based precipitation isotope model was used to compare measured to predicted isotope compositions of riverine catchments. The study demonstrated that the seasonal isotopic composition and variation of river water can be predicted, which will improve the application of water stable isotopes in rivers.
L. Schulte, J. C. Peña, F. Carvalho, T. Schmidt, R. Julià, J. Llorca, and H. Veit
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3047–3072, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3047-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3047-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
A 2600-year long composite palaeoflood record is reconstructed from high-resolution delta plain sediments of the Hasli-Aare floodplain on the northern slope of the Swiss Alps. Natural proxies compiled from sedimentary, geochemical and geomorphological data were calibrated by textual and factual sources and instrumental data. Geomorphological, historical and instrumental data provide evidence for flood damage intensities and discharge estimations of severe and catastrophic historical floods.
C. J. Gleason, L. C. Smith, D. C. Finnegan, A. L. LeWinter, L. H Pitcher, and V. W. Chu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2963–2969, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2963-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2963-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Here, we give a semi-automated processing workflow to extract hydraulic parameters from over 10,000 time-lapse images of the remote Isortoq River in Greenland. This workflow allows efficient and accurate (mean accuracy 79.6%) classification of images following an automated similarity filtering process. We also give an effective width hydrograph (a proxy for discharge) for the Isortoq using this workflow, showing the potential of this workflow for enhancing understanding of remote rivers.
I. Kogelbauer and W. Loiskandl
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 1427–1438, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-1427-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-1427-2015, 2015
M. Schirmer, J. Luster, N. Linde, P. Perona, E. A. D. Mitchell, D. A. Barry, J. Hollender, O. A. Cirpka, P. Schneider, T. Vogt, D. Radny, and E. Durisch-Kaiser
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 2449–2462, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2449-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-2449-2014, 2014
A. Parvathi, X. Zhong, A. S. Pradeep Ram, and S. Jacquet
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 1073–1087, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-1073-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-1073-2014, 2014
A. Zlinszky and G. Timár
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4589–4606, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4589-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4589-2013, 2013
B. Fournier, C. Guenat, G. Bullinger-Weber, and E. A. D. Mitchell
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4031–4042, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4031-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4031-2013, 2013
Y.-C. Chen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1951–1962, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1951-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1951-2013, 2013
A. T. Rezende Filho, S. Furian, R. L. Victoria, C. Mascré, V. Valles, and L. Barbiero
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 2723–2737, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-2723-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-2723-2012, 2012
Cited articles
Atkinson, A., Cartwright, I., Gilfedder, B., Hofmann, H., Unland, N., Cendón, D., and Chisari, R.: A multi-tracer approach to quantifying groundwater inflows to an upland river; assessing the influence of variable groundwater chemistry, Hydrol. Process., 29, 1–12, 2015.
Barron, O., Silberstein, R., Ali, R., Donohue, R., McFarlane, D. J., Davies, P., Hodgson, G., Smart, N., and Donn, M.: Climate change effects on water-dependent ecosystems in south-western Australia, J. Hydrol., 434–435, 95–109, 2012.
Boulton, A. J., Findlay, S., Marmonier, P., Stanley, E. H., and Maurice Valett, H.: The functional significance of the hyporheic zone in streams and rivers, Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst., 29, 59–81, 1998.
Bourke, S. A., Cook, P. G., Shanafield, M., Dogramaci, S., and Clark, J. F.: Characterisation of hyporheic exchange in a losing stream using radon-222, J. Hydrol., 519, 94–105, 2014a.
Bourke, S. A., Harrington, G. A., Cook, P. G., Post, V. E., and Dogramaci, S.: Carbon-14 in streams as a tracer of discharging groundwater, J. Hydrol., 519, 117–130, 2014b.
Briody, A. C., Cardenas, M. B., Shuai, P., Knapper, P. S., and Bennett, P. C.: Groundwater flow, nutrient, and stable isotope dynamics in the parafluvial-hyporheic zone of the regulated Lower Colorado River (Texas, USA) over the course of a small flood, Hydrgeol. J., 24, 923–935, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1365-3, 2016.
Brodie, R., Sundaram, B., Tottenham, R., Hostetler, S., and Ransley, T.: An overview of tools for assessing groundwater-surface water connectivity, Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra, Australia, 133 pp., 2007.
Brumley, J.: An investigation of the groundwater resources of the Latrobe Valley, Victoria, in: Symposium on coal resources: origin, exploration and utilization in Australia, edited by: Mallett, C. W., Proceedings, Melbourne, November 1982, Geological Society of Australia, Coal Group, 562–581, 1982.
Bureau of Meteorology: Commonwealth of Australia Bureau of Meteorology, available at: http://www.bom.gov.au, 2015, last accessed 30 June 2015.
Burnett, W. C. and Dulaiova, H.: Radon as a tracer of submarine groundwater discharge into a boat basin in Donnalucata, Sicily, Cont. Shelf Res., 26, 862–873, 2006.
Cartwright, I. and Gilfedder, B.: Mapping and quantifying groundwater inflows to Deep Creek (Maribyrnong catchment, SE Australia) using 222Rn, implications for protecting groundwater-dependant ecosystems, Appl. Geochem., 52, 118–129, 2015.
Cartwright, I., Hofmann, H., Sirianos, M. A., Weaver, T. R., and Simmons, C. T.: Geochemical and 222Rn constraints on baseflow to the Murray River, Australia, and timescales for the decay of low-salinity groundwater lenses, J. Hydrol., 405, 333–343, 2011.
Cartwright, I., Hofmann, H., Gilfedder, B., and Smyth, B.: Understanding parafluvial exchange and degassing to better quantify groundwater inflows using 222Rn: The King River, southeast Australia, Chem. Geol., 380, 48–60, 2014.
Cecil, L. D. and Green, J. R.: Radon-222, in: Environmental tracers in subsurface hydrology, edited by: Cook, P. G. and Herczeg, A. L., Kluwer, Boston, USA, 175–194, 2000.
Cochrane, G. W., Quick, G. W., and Spencer-Jones, D: Introducing Victorian Geology. Geological Society of Australia, Victorian Division, Melbourne, Australia, 304 pp., 1991.
Cook, P. G.: Estimating groundwater discharge to rivers from river chemistry surveys, Hydrol. Process., 27, 3694–3707, 2013.
Cook, P. G., Favreau, G., Dighton, J. C., and Tickell, S.: Determining natural groundwater influx to a tropical river using radon, chlorofluorocarbons and ionic environmental tracers, J. Hydrol., 277, 74–88, 2003.
Cook, P. G., Lamontagne, S., Berhane, D., and Clarke, J. F.: Quantifying groundwater discharge to Cockburn River, southeastern Australia, using dissolved gas tracers Rn-222 and SF6, Water Resour. Res., 42, W10411, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006WR004921, 2006.
Department of Environment and Primary Industries: Streamflow data, available at: http://data.water.vic.gov.au/monitoring.htm (last access: 10 July 2015), 2015.
Edwardson, K. J., Bowden, W. B., Dahm, C., and Morrice, J.: The hydraulic characteristics and geochemistry of hyporheic and parafluvial zones in Arctic tundra streams, north slope, Alaska, Adv. Water Resour., 26, 907–923, 2003.
Ellins, K. K., Roman-Mas, A., and Lee, R.: Using 222Rn to examine groundwater/surface discharge interaction in the Rio Grande de Manati, Puerto Rico, J. Hydrol., 115, 319–341, 1990.
Freeze, R. A. and Cherry, J. A.: Groundwater, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, USA, 604 pp., 1979.
Genereux, D. P. and Hemond, H. F.: Determination of gas exchange rate constants for a small stream on Walker Branch watershed, Tennessee, Water Resour. Res., 28, 2365–2374, 1992.
Gippsland Water: Water Supply Demand Strategy, available at: https://www.gippswater.com.au/application/files/5314/3831/1802/Gippsland_Water_Final_2012_WSDS.pdf, last access: 30 May 2015, 2012.
Hester, E. T. and Doyle, M. W.: In-stream geomorphic structures as drivers of hyporheic exchange, Water Resour. Res., 44, W03417, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006WR005810, 2008.
Hoehn, E. and Cirpka, O. A.: Assessing residence times of hyporheic ground water in two alluvial flood plains of the Southern Alps using water temperature and tracers, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 10, 553–563, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-10-553-2006, 2006.
Hoehn, E. and Von Gunten, H. R.: Radon in groundwater: a tool to assess infiltration from surface waters to aquifers, Water Resour. Res., 25, 1795–1803, 1989.
Hoehn, E., Von Gunten, H. R., Stauffer, F., and Dracos, T.: Radon-222 as a groundwater tracer. A laboratory study, Environ. Sci. Technol., 26, 734–738, 1992.
Hofmann, H. and Cartwright, I.: Using hydrogeochemistry to understand inter-aquifer mixing in the on-shore part of the Gippsland Basin, southeast Australia, Appl. Geochem., 33, 84–103, 2013.
Holmes, R. M., Fisher, S. G., and Grimm, N. B.: Parafluvial nitrogen dynamics in a desert stream ecosystem, J. N. Am. Benthol. Soc., 13, 468–478, 1994.
Kløve, B., Ala-aho, P., Bertrand, G., Boukalova, Z., Ertürk, A., Goldscheider, N., Ilmonen, J., Karakaya, N., Kupfersberger, H., Kvœrner, J., Lundberg, A., Mileusnić, M., Moszczynska, A., Muotka, T., Preda, E., Rossi, P., Siergieiev, D., Šimek, J., Wachniew, P., Angheluta, V., and Widerlund, A.: Groundwater dependent ecosystems. Part I: Hydroecological status and trends, Environ. Sci. Pol., 14, 770–781, 2011.
Lamontagne, S. and Cook, P. G.: Estimation of hyporheic water residence time in situ using 222Rn disequilibrium, Limnol. Oceanogr.-Meth., 5, 407–416, 2007.
McCallum, J. L., Cook, P. G., Berhane, D., Rumpf, C., and McMahon, G. A.: Quantifying groundwater flows to streams using differential flow gaugings and water chemistry, J. Hydrol., 416–417, 118–132, 2012.
Mullinger, N. J., Binley, A. M., Pates, J. M., and Crook, N. P.: Radon in Chalk streams: Spatial and temporal variation of groundwater sources in the Pang and Lambourn catchments, UK, J. Hydrol., 339, 172–182, 2007.
Mullinger, N. J., Pates, J. M., Binley, A. M., and Crook, N. P.: Controls on the spatial and temporal variability of 222Rn in riparian groundwater in a lowland Chalk catchment, J. Hydrol., 376, 58–69, 2009.
Négrel, P., Casanova, J., and Aranyossy, J.-F.: Strontium isotope systematics used to decipher the origin of groundwaters sampled from granitoids: the Vienne Case (France), Chem. Geol., 177, 287–308, 2001.
Negulescu, M. and Rojanski, V.: Recent research to determine reaeration coefficients, Water Res., 3, 189–202, 1969.
O'Connor, D. J. and Dobbins, W. E.: Mechanisms of reaeration in natural streams, T. Am. Soc. Civ. Eng., 123, 641–684, 1958.
Sophocleous, M.: Interactions between groundwater and surface water: the state of the science, Hydrogeol. J., 10, 52–67, 2002.
Stellato, L., Petrella, E., Terrasi, F., Belloni, P., Belli, M., Sansone, U., and Celico, F.: Some limitations in using 222Rn to assess river–groundwater interactions: the case of Castel di Sangro alluvial plain (central Italy), Hydrogeol. J., 16, 701–712, 2008.
Tonina, D. and Buffington, J. M.: Effects of stream discharge, alluvial depth and bar amplitude on hyporheic flow in pool-riffle channels, Water Resour. Res., 47, W08508, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009140, 2011.
Unland, N. P., Cartwright, I., Andersen, M. S., Rau, G. C., Reed, J., Gilfedder, B. S., Atkinson, A. P., and Hofmann, H.: Investigating the spatio-temporal variability in groundwater and surface water interactions: a multi-technique approach, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 3437–3453, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-3437-2013, 2013.
Walker, G. and Mollica, F.: Review of the Groundwater Resources in the Southeast Region, Department of Water Resources Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, Report 54, 68 pp., 1990.
Winter, T. C.: Relation of streams, lakes, and wetlands to groundwater flow systems, Hydrogeol. J., 7, 28–45, 1999.
Yu, M. C. L., Cartwright, I., Braden, J. L., and de Bree, S. T.: Examining the spatial and temporal variation of groundwater inflows to a valley-to-floodplain river using 222Rn, geochemistry and river discharge: the Ovens River, southeast Australia, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4907–4924, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4907-2013, 2013.
Zarnetske, J. P., Haggerty, R., Wondzell, S. M., and Baker, M. A.: Dynamics of nitrate production and removal as a function of residence time in the hyporheic zone, J. Geophys. Res., 116, G01025, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JG001356, 2011.
Short summary
This paper uses the natural geochemical tracer Rn together with streamflow measurements to differentiate between actual groundwater inflows and water that exits the river, flows through the near-river sediments, and subsequently re-enters the river downstream (parafluvial flow). Distinguishing between these two components is important to understanding the water balance in gaining streams and in managing and protecting surface water resources.
This paper uses the natural geochemical tracer Rn together with streamflow measurements to...
