Articles | Volume 22, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-635-2018
© Author(s) 2018. 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-22-635-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
25 Jan 2018
Research article |
| 25 Jan 2018
Mean transit times in headwater catchments: insights from the Otway Ranges, Australia
William Howcroft
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash
University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
Ian Cartwright
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, 9 Rainforest Walk, Monash
University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, G.P.O. Box 2100,
Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Uwe Morgenstern
GNS Science, 1 Fairway Drive, Avalon, P.O. Box 368, Lower Hutt 5040, New
Zealand
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Cited
16 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Global Isotope Hydrogeology―Review S. Jasechko https://doi.org/10.1029/2018RG000627
- Groundwater dominance in streamflow generation: Insights from stable isotopes and tritium tracing in a semi-humid monsoonal catchment Z. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102847
- Concentration vs. streamflow (C-Q) relationships of major ions in south-eastern Australian rivers: Sources and fluxes of inorganic ions and nutrients I. Cartwright https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2020.104680
- Baseflow Age Distributions and Depth of Active Groundwater Flow in a Snow‐Dominated Mountain Headwater Basin R. Carroll et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR028161
- An Analysis of the Effects of Large Wildfires on the Hydrology of Three Small Catchments in Central Chile Using Tritium-Based Measurements and Hydrological Metrics F. Balocchi et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9030045
- Using geochemistry to understand water sources and transit times in headwater streams of a temperate rainforest I. Cartwright et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2018.10.018
- Sources and mean transit times of intermittent streamflow in semi-arid headwater catchments S. Barua et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127208
- Storage in South‐Eastern Australian Catchments A. Buzacott & R. Vervoort https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR029799
- Celebrating a pioneer in geochemical tracer science for groundwater and surface water research: Professor Ian Cartwright D. Irvine et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2023.105849
- Concentration versus streamflow trends of major ions and tritium in headwater streams as indicators of changing water stores I. Cartwright et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13600
- Integrating major ion geochemistry, stable isotopes (18O, 2H) and radioactive isotopes (222Rn, 14C, 36Cl, 3H) to understand the interaction between catchment waters and an intermittent river Z. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167998
- Old water, rapid responses: Process-based hydrogeological domains reveal hydraulic–age decoupling and implications for recharge assessment in a complex aquifer system of the Heuningnes Catchment, South Africa S. Mqhayi & T. Kanyerere https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-026-03178-0
- Constraining water age dynamics in a south‐eastern Australian catchment using an age‐ranked storage and stable isotope approach A. Buzacott et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13880
- Sources and mean transit times of stream water in an intermittent river system: the upper Wimmera River, southeast Australia Z. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4497-2022
- Residence times of bank storage and return flows and the influence on river water chemistry in the upper Barwon River, Australia W. Howcroft et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2018.12.026
- The variation and controls of mean transit times in Australian headwater catchments I. Cartwright et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13862
16 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Global Isotope Hydrogeology―Review S. Jasechko https://doi.org/10.1029/2018RG000627
- Groundwater dominance in streamflow generation: Insights from stable isotopes and tritium tracing in a semi-humid monsoonal catchment Z. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102847
- Concentration vs. streamflow (C-Q) relationships of major ions in south-eastern Australian rivers: Sources and fluxes of inorganic ions and nutrients I. Cartwright https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2020.104680
- Baseflow Age Distributions and Depth of Active Groundwater Flow in a Snow‐Dominated Mountain Headwater Basin R. Carroll et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR028161
- An Analysis of the Effects of Large Wildfires on the Hydrology of Three Small Catchments in Central Chile Using Tritium-Based Measurements and Hydrological Metrics F. Balocchi et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology9030045
- Using geochemistry to understand water sources and transit times in headwater streams of a temperate rainforest I. Cartwright et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2018.10.018
- Sources and mean transit times of intermittent streamflow in semi-arid headwater catchments S. Barua et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127208
- Storage in South‐Eastern Australian Catchments A. Buzacott & R. Vervoort https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR029799
- Celebrating a pioneer in geochemical tracer science for groundwater and surface water research: Professor Ian Cartwright D. Irvine et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2023.105849
- Concentration versus streamflow trends of major ions and tritium in headwater streams as indicators of changing water stores I. Cartwright et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13600
- Integrating major ion geochemistry, stable isotopes (18O, 2H) and radioactive isotopes (222Rn, 14C, 36Cl, 3H) to understand the interaction between catchment waters and an intermittent river Z. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167998
- Old water, rapid responses: Process-based hydrogeological domains reveal hydraulic–age decoupling and implications for recharge assessment in a complex aquifer system of the Heuningnes Catchment, South Africa S. Mqhayi & T. Kanyerere https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-026-03178-0
- Constraining water age dynamics in a south‐eastern Australian catchment using an age‐ranked storage and stable isotope approach A. Buzacott et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13880
- Sources and mean transit times of stream water in an intermittent river system: the upper Wimmera River, southeast Australia Z. Zhou et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4497-2022
- Residence times of bank storage and return flows and the influence on river water chemistry in the upper Barwon River, Australia W. Howcroft et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2018.12.026
- The variation and controls of mean transit times in Australian headwater catchments I. Cartwright et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13862
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 29 Oct 2026
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.
Documenting mean transit times is critical for understanding and managing catchments. Mean...
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