Simulating the influence of snow surface processes on soil moisture dynamics and streamflow generation in an alpine catchment

Wever, Nander; Comola, Francesco; Bavay, Mathias; Lehning, Michael

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4053-2017

Articles | Volume 21, issue 8

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4053-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4053-2017

© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 21, issue 8

Research article

|

14 Aug 2017

Research article |

| 14 Aug 2017

Simulating the influence of snow surface processes on soil moisture dynamics and streamflow generation in an alpine catchment

Nander Wever, Francesco Comola, Mathias Bavay, and Michael Lehning

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4053-2017-supplement

Data sets

IRKIS Soil moisture measurements Davos N. Wever https://doi.org/10.16904/17

Meteorological and snowpack measurements from Weissfluhjoch, Davos, Switzerland WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF https://doi.org/10.16904/1

Short summary

The assessment of flood risks in alpine, snow-covered catchments requires an understanding of the linkage between the snow cover, soil and discharge in the stream network. Simulations of soil moisture and streamflow were performed and compared with observations. It was found that discharge at the catchment outlet during intense rainfall or snowmelt periods correlates positively with the initial soil moisture state, in both measurements and simulations.