Articles | Volume 21, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3727-2017
© Author(s) 2017. 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-21-3727-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
21 Jul 2017
Research article |
| 21 Jul 2017
Form and function in hillslope hydrology: characterization of subsurface flow based on response observations
Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Hydrology, Potsdam, Germany
University of Potsdam, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, Potsdam, Germany
Conrad Jackisch
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Water and River Basin Management, Chair of Hydrology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Niklas Allroggen
University of Potsdam, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, Potsdam, Germany
Matthias Sprenger
University of Freiburg, Institute of Geo- and Environmental Natural Sciences, Chair of Hydrology, Freiburg, Germany
University of Aberdeen, School of Geosciences, Geography & Environment, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
Erwin Zehe
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Water and River Basin Management, Chair of Hydrology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Jens Tronicke
University of Potsdam, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, Potsdam, Germany
Markus Weiler
University of Freiburg, Institute of Geo- and Environmental Natural Sciences, Chair of Hydrology, Freiburg, Germany
Theresa Blume
Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section Hydrology, Potsdam, Germany
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Cited
54 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Most Global Gauging Stations Present Biased Estimations of Total Catchment Discharge P. Huang et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104253
- Detecting the occurrence of preferential flow in soils with stable water isotopes J. Pyschik & M. Weiler https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-485-2026
- Event controls on intermittent streamflow in a temperate climate N. Kaplan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2671-2022
- Characterization of soil moisture response patterns and hillslope hydrological processes through a self-organizing map E. Lee & S. Kim https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5733-2021
- The impact of micro-topography on the interplay of critical zone architecture and hydrological processes at the hillslope scale: Integrated geophysical and hydrological experiments on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau G. Hu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.124618
- Reviews and Syntheses: Promoting the Advancement of Hillslope Hydrology and Stability in Taiwan from the Perspective of Critical Zone Science Y. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15061234
- From rainfall to runoff: The role of soil moisture in a mountainous catchment S. Ye et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130060
- Identifying the dominant controls on macropore flow velocity in soils: A meta-analysis M. Gao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.044
- Enhancing Image Alignment in Time-Lapse-Ground-Penetrating Radar through Dynamic Time Warping J. Wen et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16061040
- Quantifying controls on rapid and delayed runoff response in double-peak hydrographs using ensemble rainfall-runoff analysis (ERRA) H. Gao et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-6529-2025
- Bedrock geology controls on new water fractions and catchment functioning in contrasted nested catchments G. Türk et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-343-2026
- Pairing geophysical techniques improves understanding of the near-surface Critical Zone: Visualization of preferential routing of stemflow along coarse roots L. Guo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.113953
- On the role of hydrologic processes in soil and landscape evolution modeling: concepts, complications and partial solutions W. van der Meij et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2018.09.001
- Characterization of runoff generation in a mountainous hillslope according to multiple threshold behavior and hysteretic loop features E. Lee & S. Kim https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125534
- How can we model subsurface stormflow at the catchment scale if we cannot measure it? P. Chifflard et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13407
- Store and pour: Evolution of flow systems in landscapes J. Phillips https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106357
- Exploring the interplay between infiltration dynamics and Critical Zone structures with multiscale geophysical imaging: A review B. Fan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114431
- Preferential flow through shallow fractured bedrock and a 3D fill-and-spill model of hillslope subsurface hydrology L. Guo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.06.070
- Hillslope subsurface flow is driven by vegetation more than soil properties in colonized valley moraines along a humid mountain elevation F. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-5267-2025
- A Generalized Analytical Solution for Preferential Infiltration and Wetting R. Stewart https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2018.08.0148
- Field‐Scale Subsurface Flow Processes Inferred From Continuous Gravity Monitoring During a Sprinkling Experiment M. Reich et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR030044
- Influence of vegetation type and topographic position on volumetric soil water content dynamics and similarity among surface and deep soil layers M. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2022.07.002
- Processes of preferential flow in a eurasian steppe under different scenarios J. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128166
- Energy states of soil water – a thermodynamic perspective on soil water dynamics and storage-controlled streamflow generation in different landscapes E. Zehe et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-971-2019
- The processes of preferential flow in the unsaturated zone J. Nimmo https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20143
- Characterizing hydrological processes in a semiarid rangeland watershed: A hydrogeophysical approach A. Carey et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13361
- The Forms of Linear Structure of Overland Flow in Medium-Height Mountain Regions: Case Study of the Sikhote Alin B. Gartsman et al. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0097807820020049
- A comparison of catchment travel times and storage deduced from deuterium and tritium tracers using StorAge Selection functions N. Rodriguez et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-401-2021
- Dissolved Organic Matter Chemistry and Transport Along an Arctic Tundra Hillslope L. Lynch et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GB006030
- The moisture migration patterns and reconstruction improvement of colluvial-deluvial soil under different gradation conditions W. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-025-04341-9
- Technical note: Evaluation of a low-cost evaporation protection method for portable water samplers J. von Freyberg et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5821-2020
- The Evolution of Hillslope Hydrology: Links Between Form, Function and the Underlying Control of Geology A. Hartmann & T. Blume https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035937
- Wavelet analysis of soil moisture measurements for hillslope hydrological processes E. Lee & S. Kim https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.05.023
- The Weierbach experimental catchment in Luxembourg: A decade of critical zone monitoring in a temperate forest ‐ from hydrological investigations to ecohydrological perspectives C. Hissler et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14140
- Sustenance of Himalayan springs in an emerging water crisis R. Verma & P. Jamwal https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09731-6
- Characterising hillslope–stream connectivity with a joint event analysis of stream and groundwater levels D. Beiter et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5713-2020
- Impact of the hydrological regime and forestry operations on the fluxes of suspended sediment and bedload of a small middle-mountain catchment S. Cotel et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140228
- Reduction of vegetation-accessible water storage capacity after deforestation affects catchment travel time distributions and increases young water fractions in a headwater catchment M. Hrachowitz et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4887-2021
- Comparison of precipitation collectors used in isotope hydrology N. Michelsen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.04.032
- Preferential flow reduces overland flow on slopes: insights from a field experiment on the Chinese Loess Plateau Y. Wen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135241
- Of macropores and tillage: influence of biomass incorporation on cover crop decomposition and soil respiration M. McCourty et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12403
- Spatio-temporal relevance and controls of preferential flow at the landscape scale D. Demand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4869-2019
- Magnetic resonance sounding measurements as posterior information to condition hydrological model parameters: Application to a hard-rock headwater catchment N. Lesparre et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.124941
- Palaeochannels as hidden pathways of water flow in agricultural alluvial landscapes: A review of concepts and suggested future directions for modelling H. Lim et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135522
- Pairing dual‐frequency GPR in summer and winter enhances the detection and mapping of coarse roots in the semi‐arid shrubland in China X. Cui et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.12858
- Ground-penetrating radar monitoring of fast subsurface processes N. Allroggen et al. https://doi.org/10.1190/geo2019-0737.1
- Soil Moisture Responses to Rainfall: Implications for Runoff Generation N. Singh et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR028827
- Form and function in hillslope hydrology: in situ imaging and characterization of flow-relevant structures C. Jackisch et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3749-2017
- Hillslope Hydrology in Global Change Research and Earth System Modeling Y. Fan et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018WR023903
- Soil surface connectivity of tilled soil with wheel tracks and its development under simulated rainfall J. Jeřábek et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128322
- Catchment transit time variability with different SAS function parameterizations for the unsaturated zone and groundwater H. Türk et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-1053-2026
- How Meaningful are Plot‐Scale Observations and Simulations of Preferential Flow for Catchment Models? B. Glaser et al. https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2018.08.0146
- Hillslope Hydrology in a Deeply Weathered Saprolite and Associated Nitrate Transport to a Valley Bottom Wetland in Central Uganda C. Schepp et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9120229
- Governing Landscape in Way Khilau Micro-Catchment, Lampung Province Y. Widyaningsih et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1039/1/012052
54 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Most Global Gauging Stations Present Biased Estimations of Total Catchment Discharge P. Huang et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104253
- Detecting the occurrence of preferential flow in soils with stable water isotopes J. Pyschik & M. Weiler https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-485-2026
- Event controls on intermittent streamflow in a temperate climate N. Kaplan et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2671-2022
- Characterization of soil moisture response patterns and hillslope hydrological processes through a self-organizing map E. Lee & S. Kim https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5733-2021
- The impact of micro-topography on the interplay of critical zone architecture and hydrological processes at the hillslope scale: Integrated geophysical and hydrological experiments on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau G. Hu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.124618
- Reviews and Syntheses: Promoting the Advancement of Hillslope Hydrology and Stability in Taiwan from the Perspective of Critical Zone Science Y. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15061234
- From rainfall to runoff: The role of soil moisture in a mountainous catchment S. Ye et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130060
- Identifying the dominant controls on macropore flow velocity in soils: A meta-analysis M. Gao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.10.044
- Enhancing Image Alignment in Time-Lapse-Ground-Penetrating Radar through Dynamic Time Warping J. Wen et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16061040
- Quantifying controls on rapid and delayed runoff response in double-peak hydrographs using ensemble rainfall-runoff analysis (ERRA) H. Gao et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-6529-2025
- Bedrock geology controls on new water fractions and catchment functioning in contrasted nested catchments G. Türk et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-343-2026
- Pairing geophysical techniques improves understanding of the near-surface Critical Zone: Visualization of preferential routing of stemflow along coarse roots L. Guo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.113953
- On the role of hydrologic processes in soil and landscape evolution modeling: concepts, complications and partial solutions W. van der Meij et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2018.09.001
- Characterization of runoff generation in a mountainous hillslope according to multiple threshold behavior and hysteretic loop features E. Lee & S. Kim https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125534
- How can we model subsurface stormflow at the catchment scale if we cannot measure it? P. Chifflard et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13407
- Store and pour: Evolution of flow systems in landscapes J. Phillips https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106357
- Exploring the interplay between infiltration dynamics and Critical Zone structures with multiscale geophysical imaging: A review B. Fan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114431
- Preferential flow through shallow fractured bedrock and a 3D fill-and-spill model of hillslope subsurface hydrology L. Guo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.06.070
- Hillslope subsurface flow is driven by vegetation more than soil properties in colonized valley moraines along a humid mountain elevation F. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-5267-2025
- A Generalized Analytical Solution for Preferential Infiltration and Wetting R. Stewart https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2018.08.0148
- Field‐Scale Subsurface Flow Processes Inferred From Continuous Gravity Monitoring During a Sprinkling Experiment M. Reich et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR030044
- Influence of vegetation type and topographic position on volumetric soil water content dynamics and similarity among surface and deep soil layers M. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2022.07.002
- Processes of preferential flow in a eurasian steppe under different scenarios J. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128166
- Energy states of soil water – a thermodynamic perspective on soil water dynamics and storage-controlled streamflow generation in different landscapes E. Zehe et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-971-2019
- The processes of preferential flow in the unsaturated zone J. Nimmo https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20143
- Characterizing hydrological processes in a semiarid rangeland watershed: A hydrogeophysical approach A. Carey et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13361
- The Forms of Linear Structure of Overland Flow in Medium-Height Mountain Regions: Case Study of the Sikhote Alin B. Gartsman et al. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0097807820020049
- A comparison of catchment travel times and storage deduced from deuterium and tritium tracers using StorAge Selection functions N. Rodriguez et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-401-2021
- Dissolved Organic Matter Chemistry and Transport Along an Arctic Tundra Hillslope L. Lynch et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GB006030
- The moisture migration patterns and reconstruction improvement of colluvial-deluvial soil under different gradation conditions W. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-025-04341-9
- Technical note: Evaluation of a low-cost evaporation protection method for portable water samplers J. von Freyberg et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5821-2020
- The Evolution of Hillslope Hydrology: Links Between Form, Function and the Underlying Control of Geology A. Hartmann & T. Blume https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035937
- Wavelet analysis of soil moisture measurements for hillslope hydrological processes E. Lee & S. Kim https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.05.023
- The Weierbach experimental catchment in Luxembourg: A decade of critical zone monitoring in a temperate forest ‐ from hydrological investigations to ecohydrological perspectives C. Hissler et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14140
- Sustenance of Himalayan springs in an emerging water crisis R. Verma & P. Jamwal https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09731-6
- Characterising hillslope–stream connectivity with a joint event analysis of stream and groundwater levels D. Beiter et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5713-2020
- Impact of the hydrological regime and forestry operations on the fluxes of suspended sediment and bedload of a small middle-mountain catchment S. Cotel et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140228
- Reduction of vegetation-accessible water storage capacity after deforestation affects catchment travel time distributions and increases young water fractions in a headwater catchment M. Hrachowitz et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4887-2021
- Comparison of precipitation collectors used in isotope hydrology N. Michelsen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.04.032
- Preferential flow reduces overland flow on slopes: insights from a field experiment on the Chinese Loess Plateau Y. Wen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135241
- Of macropores and tillage: influence of biomass incorporation on cover crop decomposition and soil respiration M. McCourty et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12403
- Spatio-temporal relevance and controls of preferential flow at the landscape scale D. Demand et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4869-2019
- Magnetic resonance sounding measurements as posterior information to condition hydrological model parameters: Application to a hard-rock headwater catchment N. Lesparre et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.124941
- Palaeochannels as hidden pathways of water flow in agricultural alluvial landscapes: A review of concepts and suggested future directions for modelling H. Lim et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135522
- Pairing dual‐frequency GPR in summer and winter enhances the detection and mapping of coarse roots in the semi‐arid shrubland in China X. Cui et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.12858
- Ground-penetrating radar monitoring of fast subsurface processes N. Allroggen et al. https://doi.org/10.1190/geo2019-0737.1
- Soil Moisture Responses to Rainfall: Implications for Runoff Generation N. Singh et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR028827
- Form and function in hillslope hydrology: in situ imaging and characterization of flow-relevant structures C. Jackisch et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3749-2017
- Hillslope Hydrology in Global Change Research and Earth System Modeling Y. Fan et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018WR023903
- Soil surface connectivity of tilled soil with wheel tracks and its development under simulated rainfall J. Jeřábek et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128322
- Catchment transit time variability with different SAS function parameterizations for the unsaturated zone and groundwater H. Türk et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-1053-2026
- How Meaningful are Plot‐Scale Observations and Simulations of Preferential Flow for Catchment Models? B. Glaser et al. https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2018.08.0146
- Hillslope Hydrology in a Deeply Weathered Saprolite and Associated Nitrate Transport to a Valley Bottom Wetland in Central Uganda C. Schepp et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9120229
- Governing Landscape in Way Khilau Micro-Catchment, Lampung Province Y. Widyaningsih et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1039/1/012052
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 12 Jun 2026
Short summary
This study investigates the temporal dynamics and response velocities of lateral preferential flow at the hillslope. The results are compared to catchment response behavior to infer the large-scale implications of the observed processes. A large portion of mobile water flows through preferential flow paths in the structured soils, causing an immediate discharge response. The study presents a methodological approach to cover the spatial and temporal domain of these highly heterogeneous processes.
This study investigates the temporal dynamics and response velocities of lateral preferential...
