Articles | Volume 25, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2133-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2133-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 Apr 2021
Research article |
| 20 Apr 2021
| 20 Apr 2021
How catchment characteristics influence hydrological pathways and travel times in a boreal landscape
Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
DHI Sweden AB, Skeppsbron 28, 111 30 Stockholm, Sweden
Fredrik Lidman
Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
Emma Lindborg
DHI Sweden AB, Skeppsbron 28, 111 30 Stockholm, Sweden
Ylva Sjöberg
Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), Department of Geosciences and Natural
Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350
Copenhagen, Denmark
Hjalmar Laudon
Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
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John Marshall, Jose Gutierrez-Lopez, Daniel Metcalfe, Nataliia Kozii, and Hjalmar Laudon
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3328, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3328, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS).
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The "two water-worlds hypothesis" has attracted significant public attention because it is an accessible way to describe the partitioning of water sources within catchments. This manuscript adds a new degree of complexity to that idea by recognizing that co-occurring tree species, which root at different depths, also use different water sources. So it leads to at least three water worlds.
Cong Jiang, Doerthe Tetzlaff, Songjun Wu, Christian Birkel, Hjalmar Laudon, and Chris Soulsby
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2533, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2533, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS).
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We used a modelling approach supported by stable water isotopes to explore how forest management – such as conifer, broadleaf, and mixed tree–crop systems – affects water distribution and drought resilience in a drought-sensitive region of Germany. By representing forest type, density, and rooting depth, the model helps quantify and show how land use choices affect water availability and supports better land and water management decisions.
Shirin Karimi, Virginia Mosquera, Eliza Maher Hasselquist, Järvi Järveoja, and Hjalmar Laudon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2599–2614, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2599-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2599-2025, 2025
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There is an increasing interest in rewetting drained peatlands to regain their important ecosystem functions. However, as peatland rewetting is a relatively new strategy, the scientific foundation for this approach is not solid. Therefore, we investigated the impact of rewetting on flood mitigation using high-resolution hydrological field observations. Our results showed that peatland rewetting significantly reduced peak flow and runoff coefficient and mitigated flashy hydrograph responses.
Johan Rydberg, Emma Lindborg, Christian Bonde, Benjamin M. C. Fischer, Tobias Lindborg, and Ylva Sjöberg
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4207, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4207, 2025
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When water moves through a catchment it is affected by interaction with soils and groundwater. For this interaction to occur the water needs to move through the ground, something that is restricted by ground ice in permafrost landscapes. Here we look at the interplay between hydrology, water-age, and water chemistry in a catchment in West Greenland, and even if the permafrost leads to short flow paths and young water-age, there is considerable interaction between water and soil particles.
Tejshree Tiwari and Hjalmar Laudon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-337, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-337, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for HESS
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A 40-year hydro-climatic time series from the Krycklan catchment revealed warmer winters associated with higher baseflow and lower summer baseflow. Climate index models suggest that while warmer winters enhance baseflow, they reduce water reserves necessary for summer baseflow. This was supported by an increasing winter precipitation isotope signal in winter baseflow, contrasted with a decreasing isotope signal in summer baseflow.
Alexa Marion Hinzman, Ylva Sjöberg, Steve W. Lyon, Wouter R. Berghuijs, and Ype van der Velde
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2391, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2391, 2023
Preprint archived
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An Arctic catchment with permafrost responds in a linear fashion: water in=water out. As permafrost thaws, 9 of 10 nested catchments become more non-linear over time. We find upstream catchments have stronger streamflow seasonality and exhibit the most nonlinear storage-discharge relationships. Downstream catchments have the greatest increases in non-linearity over time. These long-term shifts in the storage-discharge relationship are not typically seen in current hydrological models.
Anna Lupon, Stefan Willem Ploum, Jason Andrew Leach, Lenka Kuglerová, and Hjalmar Laudon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 613–625, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-613-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-613-2023, 2023
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Discrete riparian inflow points (DRIPs) transport dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from large areas to discrete sections of streams, yet the mechanisms by which DRIPs affect stream DOC concentration, cycling, and export are still unknown. Here, we tested four models that account for different hydrologic and biological representations to show that DRIPs generally reduce DOC exports by either diluting stream DOC (snowmelt period) or promoting aquatic metabolism (summer).
Johannes Larson, William Lidberg, Anneli M. Ågren, and Hjalmar Laudon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 4837–4851, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4837-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4837-2022, 2022
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Terrain indices constitute a good candidate for modelling the spatial variation of soil moisture conditions in many landscapes. In this study, we evaluate nine terrain indices on varying DEM resolution and user-defined thresholds with validation using an extensive field soil moisture class inventory. We demonstrate the importance of field validation for selecting the appropriate DEM resolution and user-defined thresholds and that failing to do so can result in ambiguous and incorrect results.
Conrad Jackisch, Sibylle K. Hassler, Tobias L. Hohenbrink, Theresa Blume, Hjalmar Laudon, Hilary McMillan, Patricia Saco, and Loes van Schaik
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5277–5285, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5277-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5277-2021, 2021
Nataliia Kozii, Kersti Haahti, Pantana Tor-ngern, Jinshu Chi, Eliza Maher Hasselquist, Hjalmar Laudon, Samuli Launiainen, Ram Oren, Matthias Peichl, Jörgen Wallerman, and Niles J. Hasselquist
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 2999–3014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-2999-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-2999-2020, 2020
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The hydrologic cycle is one of the greatest natural processes on Earth and strongly influences both regional and global climate as well as ecosystem functioning. Results from this study clearly show the central role trees play in regulating the water cycle of boreal catchments, implying that forest management impacts on stand structure as well as climate change effects on tree growth are likely to have large cascading effects on the way water moves through boreal forested landscapes.
Navid Ghajarnia, Georgia Destouni, Josefin Thorslund, Zahra Kalantari, Imenne Åhlén, Jesús A. Anaya-Acevedo, Juan F. Blanco-Libreros, Sonia Borja, Sergey Chalov, Aleksandra Chalova, Kwok P. Chun, Nicola Clerici, Amanda Desormeaux, Bethany B. Garfield, Pierre Girard, Olga Gorelits, Amy Hansen, Fernando Jaramillo, Jerker Jarsjö, Adnane Labbaci, John Livsey, Giorgos Maneas, Kathryn McCurley Pisarello, Sebastián Palomino-Ángel, Jan Pietroń, René M. Price, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, Jorge Salgado, A. Britta K. Sannel, Samaneh Seifollahi-Aghmiuni, Ylva Sjöberg, Pavel Terskii, Guillaume Vigouroux, Lucia Licero-Villanueva, and David Zamora
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 1083–1100, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-1083-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-1083-2020, 2020
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Hydroclimate and land-use conditions determine the dynamics of wetlands and their ecosystem services. However, knowledge and data for conditions and changes over entire wetlandscapes are scarce. This paper presents a novel database for 27 wetlandscapes around the world, combining survey-based local information and hydroclimatic and land-use datasets. The developed database can enhance our capacity to understand and manage critical wetland ecosystems and their services under global change.
Stefan W. Ploum, Hjalmar Laudon, Andrés Peralta-Tapia, and Lenka Kuglerová
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1709–1720, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1709-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1709-2020, 2020
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Near-stream areas, or riparian zones, are important for the health of streams and rivers. If these areas are disturbed by forestry or other anthropogenic activity, the water quality and all life in streams may be at risk. We examined which riparian areas are particularly sensitive. We found that only a few wet areas bring most of the rainwater from the landscape to the stream, and they have a unique water quality. In order to maintain healthy streams and rivers, these areas should be protected.
Aaron Smith, Doerthe Tetzlaff, Hjalmar Laudon, Marco Maneta, and Chris Soulsby
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3319–3334, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3319-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3319-2019, 2019
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We adapted and used a spatially distributed eco-hydrological model, EcH2O-iso, to temporally evaluate the influence of soil freeze–thaw dynamics on evaporation and transpiration fluxes in a northern Swedish catchment. We used multi-criterion calibration over multiple years and found an early-season influence of soil frost on transpiration water ages. This work provides a framework for quantifying the current and future interactions of soil water, evaporation, and transpiration.
Marcus Klaus, Erik Geibrink, Anders Jonsson, Ann-Kristin Bergström, David Bastviken, Hjalmar Laudon, Jonatan Klaminder, and Jan Karlsson
Biogeosciences, 15, 5575–5594, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5575-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5575-2018, 2018
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Forest management is widely used to mitigate climate change. However, forest greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets neglect to consider that clear-cuts often release carbon and nitrogen into streams and lakes and may affect aquatic GHG emissions. Here, we show that such emissions remain unaffected by experimental boreal forest clear-cutting despite increased groundwater carbon dioxide and methane concentrations, highlighting that riparian zones or in-stream processes may have buffered clear-cut leachates.
Matthias Sprenger, Doerthe Tetzlaff, Jim Buttle, Hjalmar Laudon, and Chris Soulsby
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 3965–3981, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3965-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3965-2018, 2018
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We estimated water ages in the upper critical zone with a soil physical model (SWIS) and found that the age of water stored in the soil, as well as of water leaving the soil via evaporation, transpiration, or recharge, was younger the higher soil water storage (inverse storage effect). Travel times of transpiration and evaporation were different. We conceptualized the subsurface into fast and slow flow domains and the water was usually half as young in the fast as in the slow flow domain.
Martin Berggren, Marcus Klaus, Balathandayuthabani Panneer Selvam, Lena Ström, Hjalmar Laudon, Mats Jansson, and Jan Karlsson
Biogeosciences, 15, 457–470, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-457-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-457-2018, 2018
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The quality of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), especially its color, is a defining feature of freshwater ecosystems. We found that colored DOC fractions are surprisingly resistant to natural degradation during water transit through many brown-water lakes. This is explained by the dominance of microbial processes that appear to selectively remove noncolored DOC. However, in lakes where sunlight degradation plays a relatively larger role, significant DOC bleaching occurs.
Fernando Jaramillo, Neil Cory, Berit Arheimer, Hjalmar Laudon, Ype van der Velde, Thomas B. Hasper, Claudia Teutschbein, and Johan Uddling
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 567–580, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-567-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-567-2018, 2018
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Which is the dominant effect on evapotranspiration in northern forests, an increase by recent forests expansion or a decrease by the water use response due to increasing CO2 concentrations? We determined the dominant effect during the period 1961–2012 in 65 Swedish basins. We used the Budyko framework to study the hydroclimatic movements in Budyko space. Our findings suggest that forest expansion is the dominant driver of long-term and large-scale evapotranspiration changes.
Pertti Ala-aho, Doerthe Tetzlaff, James P. McNamara, Hjalmar Laudon, and Chris Soulsby
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 5089–5110, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5089-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-5089-2017, 2017
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We used the Spatially Distributed Tracer-Aided Rainfall-Runoff model (STARR) to simulate streamflows, stable water isotope ratios, snowpack dynamics, and water ages in three snow-influenced experimental catchments with exceptionally long and rich datasets. Our simulations reproduced the hydrological observations in all three catchments, suggested contrasting stream water age distributions between catchments, and demonstrated the importance of snow isotope processes in tracer-aided modelling.
Fredrik Lidman, Åsa Boily, Hjalmar Laudon, and Stephan J. Köhler
Biogeosciences, 14, 3001–3014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3001-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3001-2017, 2017
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The riparian zone is the narrow strip of land that lines a watercourse. This is the last soil that the groundwater is in contact with before it enters the stream and it therefore has a high impact on the water quality. In this paper we show that many elements occur in elevated concentrations in the peat-like riparian zone of boreal headwaters and that this also leads to elevated concentrations in the streams. Hence, understanding riparian soils is crucial for a sustainable management of streams.
Sina Muster, Kurt Roth, Moritz Langer, Stephan Lange, Fabio Cresto Aleina, Annett Bartsch, Anne Morgenstern, Guido Grosse, Benjamin Jones, A. Britta K. Sannel, Ylva Sjöberg, Frank Günther, Christian Andresen, Alexandra Veremeeva, Prajna R. Lindgren, Frédéric Bouchard, Mark J. Lara, Daniel Fortier, Simon Charbonneau, Tarmo A. Virtanen, Gustaf Hugelius, Juri Palmtag, Matthias B. Siewert, William J. Riley, Charles D. Koven, and Julia Boike
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 9, 317–348, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-9-317-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-9-317-2017, 2017
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Waterbodies are abundant in Arctic permafrost lowlands. Most waterbodies are ponds with a surface area smaller than 100 x 100 m. The Permafrost Region Pond and Lake Database (PeRL) for the first time maps ponds as small as 10 x 10 m. PeRL maps can be used to document changes both by comparing them to historical and future imagery. The distribution of waterbodies in the Arctic is important to know in order to manage resources in the Arctic and to improve climate predictions in the Arctic.
Tobias Lindborg, Johan Rydberg, Mats Tröjbom, Sten Berglund, Emma Johansson, Anders Löfgren, Peter Saetre, Sara Nordén, Gustav Sohlenius, Eva Andersson, Johannes Petrone, Micke Borgiel, Ulrik Kautsky, and Hjalmar Laudon
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 8, 439–459, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-439-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-439-2016, 2016
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This paper presents a biogeochemical and ecological data set from the Kangerlussuaq region, western Greenland. The data set is used to conceptualize and model terrestrial and limnic ecosystems as well as the land–lake linkage. Both biotic and abiotic data is presented and will be used for biogeochemical mass-balance and transport calculations. The data set constitutes an important source in order to understand and describe accumulation and flow of matter within periglacial landscapes.
Stephen Oni, Martyn Futter, Jose Ledesma, Claudia Teutschbein, Jim Buttle, and Hjalmar Laudon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 2811–2825, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-2811-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-2811-2016, 2016
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This paper presents an important framework to improve hydrologic projections in cold regions. Hydrologic modelling/projections are often based on model calibration to long-term data. Here we used dry and wet years as a proxy to quantify uncertainty in projecting hydrologic extremes. We showed that projections based on long-term data could underestimate runoff by up to 35% in boreal regions. We believe the hydrologic modelling community will benefit from new insights derived from this study.
J. Schelker, R. Sponseller, E. Ring, L. Högbom, S. Löfgren, and H. Laudon
Biogeosciences, 13, 1–12, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1-2016, 2016
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The scientific question that is addressed in this study is how forest disturbance affects organic and inorganic nitrogen export from a boreal landscape. The key findings are that the mobilization of inorganic nitrogen from the terrestrial environment to streams increased strongly as a response to harvesting, but the stream network removed a major fraction of this load before it reached the outlet, while organic nitrogen was not removed and transported downstream.
M. Haei and H. Laudon
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-12-15763-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-12-15763-2015, 2015
Revised manuscript not accepted
M. Fritz, B. N. Deshpande, F. Bouchard, E. Högström, J. Malenfant-Lepage, A. Morgenstern, A. Nieuwendam, M. Oliva, M. Paquette, A. C. A. Rudy, M. B. Siewert, Y. Sjöberg, and S. Weege
The Cryosphere, 9, 1715–1720, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1715-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1715-2015, 2015
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This is a contribution about the future of permafrost research to the 3rd International Conference on Arctic Research Planning 2015 (ICARP III).
We summarize the top five research questions for the next decade of permafrost science from the perspective of early career researchers (ECRs).
We highlight the pathways and structural preconditions to address these research priorities.
This manuscript is an outcome of a community consultation conducted for and by ECRs on a global level.
A. A. Harpold, J. A. Marshall, S. W. Lyon, T. B. Barnhart, B. A. Fisher, M. Donovan, K. M. Brubaker, C. J. Crosby, N. F. Glenn, C. L. Glennie, P. B. Kirchner, N. Lam, K. D. Mankoff, J. L. McCreight, N. P. Molotch, K. N. Musselman, J. Pelletier, T. Russo, H. Sangireddy, Y. Sjöberg, T. Swetnam, and N. West
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2881–2897, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2881-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2881-2015, 2015
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This review's objective is to demonstrate the transformative potential of lidar by critically assessing both challenges and opportunities for transdisciplinary lidar applications in geomorphology, hydrology, and ecology. We find that using lidar to its full potential will require numerous advances, including more powerful open-source processing tools, new lidar acquisition technologies, and improved integration with physically based models and complementary observations.
F. I. Leith, K. J. Dinsmore, M. B. Wallin, M. F. Billett, K. V. Heal, H. Laudon, M. G. Öquist, and K. Bishop
Biogeosciences, 12, 1881–1892, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-1881-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-1881-2015, 2015
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Carbon dioxide transport between the terrestrial and aquatic systems was dominated by export from the near-stream riparian zone. Over the year, riparian export was highest during autumn storms and the spring snowmelt event. This resulted in high downstream export during these periods with vertical evasion from the stream surface accounting for 60% of the total stream water export, highlighting the importance of evasion to carbon export via the aquatic conduit.
Y. Sjöberg, P. Marklund, R. Pettersson, and S. W. Lyon
The Cryosphere, 9, 465–478, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-465-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-465-2015, 2015
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Permafrost peatlands are hydrological and biogeochemical hotspots in discontinuous permafrost areas. We estimate the depths to the permafrost table surface and base across a peatland in northern Sweden using ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography. Seasonal frost tables, taliks, and the permafrost base could be detected. The results highlight the added value of combining techniques for assessing distributions of permafrost in the rapidly changing sporadic permafrost zone.
H. Zarei, A. M. Akhondali, H. Mohammadzadeh, F. Radmanesh, and H. Laudon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-11-3787-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-11-3787-2014, 2014
Manuscript not accepted for further review
A. M. Ågren, I. Buffam, D. M. Cooper, T. Tiwari, C. D. Evans, and H. Laudon
Biogeosciences, 11, 1199–1213, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-1199-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-1199-2014, 2014
E. Bosson, T. Lindborg, S. Berglund, L.-G. Gustafsson, J.-O. Selroos, H. Laudon, L. L. Claesson, and G. Destouni
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-10-9271-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-10-9271-2013, 2013
Revised manuscript not accepted
J. L. J. Ledesma, T. Grabs, M. N. Futter, K. H. Bishop, H. Laudon, and S. J. Köhler
Biogeosciences, 10, 3849–3868, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-3849-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-3849-2013, 2013
S. K. Oni, M. N. Futter, K. Bishop, S. J. Köhler, M. Ottosson-Löfvenius, and H. Laudon
Biogeosciences, 10, 2315–2330, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-2315-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-2315-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Catchment hydrology | Techniques and Approaches: Modelling approaches
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Nan Wu, Ke Zhang, Amir Naghibi, Hossein Hashemi, Zhongrui Ning, Qinuo Zhang, Xuejun Yi, Haijun Wang, Wei Liu, Wei Gao, and Jerker Jarsjö
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 3703–3725, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3703-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3703-2025, 2025
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This study enhanced a popular water flow model by adding two components: one for snow melting and another for frozen ground cycles. Tested with satellite data and streamflow, the updated model improved accuracy, especially in winter. Frozen ground delays soil drainage, boosting spring runoff by 39 %–77 % and cutting evaporation by 85 %. These findings reveal that frozen ground drives seasonal water patterns.
Ngo Nghi Truyen Huynh, Pierre-André Garambois, Benjamin Renard, François Colleoni, Jérôme Monnier, and Hélène Roux
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 3589–3613, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3589-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3589-2025, 2025
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Understanding and modeling flash-flood-prone areas remains challenging due to limited data and scale-relevant hydrological theory. While machine learning shows promise, its integration with process-based models is difficult. We present an approach incorporating machine learning into a high-resolution hydrological model to correct internal fluxes and transfer parameters between watersheds. Results show improved accuracy, advancing the development of learnable and interpretable process-based models.
Magali Ponds, Sarah Hanus, Harry Zekollari, Marie-Claire ten Veldhuis, Gerrit Schoups, Roland Kaitna, and Markus Hrachowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 3545–3568, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3545-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3545-2025, 2025
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This research examines how future climate changes impact root zone storage, a key hydrological model parameter. Root zone storage – the soil water accessible to plants – adapts to climate but is often kept constant in models. We estimated climate-adapted storage in six Austrian Alps catchments. While storage increased, streamflow projections showed minimal change, which suggests that dynamic root zone representation is less critical in humid regions but warrants further study in arid areas.
Moritz M. Heuer, Hadysa Mohajerani, and Markus C. Casper
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 3503–3525, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3503-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3503-2025, 2025
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This study presents a process-behavioural calibration approach for water balance models. The different calibration steps aim at calibrating different hydrological processes: evapotranspiration, the runoff partitioning into surface runoff, interflow, and groundwater recharge, as well as the groundwater behaviour. This allows for selection of a model parameterisation that correctly predicts the discharge at the catchment outlet and simultaneously correctly depicts the underlying hydrological processes.
Timo Schaffhauser, Florentin Hofmeister, Gabriele Chiogna, Fabian Merk, Ye Tuo, Julian Machnitzke, Lucas Alcamo, Jingshui Huang, and Markus Disse
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 3227–3256, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3227-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3227-2025, 2025
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The glacier-expanded SWAT (Soil Water Assessment Tool) version, SWAT-GL, was tested in four different catchments, highlighting the capabilities of the glacier routine. It was evaluated based on the representation of glacier mass balance, snow cover and glacier hypsometry. The glacier changes over a long timescale could be adequately represented, leading to promising potential future applications in glaciated and high mountain environments and significantly outperforming standard SWAT models.
Pablo Fernando Dornes and Rocío Noelia Comas
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2901–2923, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2901-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2901-2025, 2025
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The Desaguadero–Salado–Chadiluevú–Curacó (DSCC) River is a semiarid river which is heavily dammed at its tributaries which collect the snowmelt runoff. This runoff feeds mostly gravitational irrigation systems of very low efficiency. As a result, the DSCC River does not have natural runoff. The proposed hydrological regime index (HRI) is able to discriminate and quantify regime alterations under permanent and non-permanent flow conditions and with low- and high-impoundment conditions.
Jean-Luc Martel, François Brissette, Richard Arsenault, Richard Turcotte, Mariana Castañeda-Gonzalez, William Armstrong, Edouard Mailhot, Jasmine Pelletier-Dumont, Gabriel Rondeau-Genesse, and Louis-Philippe Caron
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2811–2836, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2811-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2811-2025, 2025
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This study compares long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks with traditional hydrological models to predict future streamflow under climate change. Using data from 148 catchments, it finds that LSTM models, which learn from extensive data sequences, perform differently and often better than traditional hydrological models. The continental LSTM model, which includes data from diverse climate zones, is particularly effective for understanding climate impacts on water resources.
Mahmut Tudaji, Yi Nan, and Fuqiang Tian
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2633–2654, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2633-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2633-2025, 2025
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We assessed the value of high-resolution data and parameter transferability across temporal scales based on seven catchments in northern China. We found that higher-resolution data do not always improve model performance, questioning the need for such data. Model parameters are transferable across different data resolutions but not across computational time steps. It is recommended to utilize a smaller computational time step when building hydrological models even without high-resolution data.
Wouter J. M. Knoben, Ashwin Raman, Gaby J. Gründemann, Mukesh Kumar, Alain Pietroniro, Chaopeng Shen, Yalan Song, Cyril Thébault, Katie van Werkhoven, Andrew W. Wood, and Martyn P. Clark
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2361–2375, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2361-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2361-2025, 2025
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Hydrologic models are needed to provide simulations of water availability, floods, and droughts. The accuracy of these simulations is often quantified with so-called performance scores. A common thought is that different models are more or less applicable to different landscapes, depending on how the model works. We show that performance scores are not helpful in distinguishing between different models and thus cannot easily be used to select an appropriate model for a specific place.
Chen Yang, Zitong Jia, Wenjie Xu, Zhongwang Wei, Xiaolang Zhang, Yiguang Zou, Jeffrey McDonnell, Laura Condon, Yongjiu Dai, and Reed Maxwell
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2201–2218, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2201-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2201-2025, 2025
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We developed the first high-resolution, integrated surface water–groundwater hydrologic model of the entirety of continental China using ParFlow. The model shows good performance in terms of streamflow and water table depth when compared to global data products and observations. It is essential for water resources management and decision-making in China within a consistent framework in the changing world. It also has significant implications for similar modeling in other places in the world.
Haifan Liu, Haochen Yan, and Mingfu Guan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2109–2132, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2109-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2109-2025, 2025
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Land changes and landscape features critically impact water systems. Studying two watersheds in China’s Greater Bay Area, we found slope strongly influences water processes in mountainous areas. However, this relationship is weak in the lower regions of steeper watersheds. Urbanization leads to an increase in annual surface runoff, while flatter watersheds exhibit a buffering capacity against this effect. However, this buffering capacity diminishes with increasing annual rainfall intensity.
Fabián Lema, Pablo A. Mendoza, Nicolás A. Vásquez, Naoki Mizukami, Mauricio Zambrano-Bigiarini, and Ximena Vargas
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1981–2002, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1981-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1981-2025, 2025
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Hydrological droughts affect ecosystems and socioeconomic activities worldwide. Despite the fact that they are commonly described with the Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI), there is limited understanding of what they truly reflect in terms of water cycle processes. Here, we used state-of-the-art hydrological models in Andean basins to examine drivers of SSI fluctuations. The results highlight the importance of careful selection of indices and timescales for accurate drought characterization and monitoring.
Sebastian Gegenleithner, Manuel Pirker, Clemens Dorfmann, Roman Kern, and Josef Schneider
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1939–1962, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1939-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1939-2025, 2025
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Accurate early-warning systems are crucial for reducing the damage caused by flooding events. In this study, we explored the potential of long short-term memory networks for enhancing the forecast accuracy of hydrologic models employed in operational flood forecasting. The presented approach elevated the investigated hydrologic model’s forecast accuracy for further ahead predictions and at flood event runoff.
Mahmut Tudaji, Yi Nan, and Fuqiang Tian
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1919–1937, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1919-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1919-2025, 2025
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Common intuition holds that higher input data resolution leads to better results. To assess the benefits of high-resolution data, we conduct simulation experiments using data with various temporal resolutions across multiple catchments and find that higher-resolution data do not always improve model performance, challenging the necessity of pursuing such data. In catchments with small areas or significant flow variability, high-resolution data is more valuable.
Muhammad Ibrahim, Miriam Coenders-Gerrits, Ruud van der Ent, and Markus Hrachowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1703–1723, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1703-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1703-2025, 2025
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The quantification of precipitation into evaporation and runoff is vital for water resources management. The Budyko framework, based on aridity and evaporative indices of a catchment, can be an ideal tool for that. However, recent research highlights deviations of catchments from the expected evaporative index, casting doubt on its reliability. This study quantifies deviations of 2387 catchments, finding them minor and predictable. Integrating these into predictions upholds the framework's efficacy.
Anne-Laure Argentin, Pascal Horton, Bettina Schaefli, Jamal Shokory, Felix Pitscheider, Leona Repnik, Mattia Gianini, Simone Bizzi, Stuart N. Lane, and Francesco Comiti
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1725–1748, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1725-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1725-2025, 2025
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In this article, we show that by taking the optimal parameters calibrated with a semi-lumped model for the discharge at a catchment's outlet, we can accurately simulate runoff at various points within the study area, including three nested and three neighboring catchments. In addition, we demonstrate that employing more intricate melt models, which better represent physical processes, enhances the transfer of parameters in the simulation, until we observe overparameterization.
Ryan S. Padrón, Massimiliano Zappa, Luzi Bernhard, and Konrad Bogner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1685–1702, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1685-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1685-2025, 2025
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We generate operational forecasts of daily maximum stream water temperature for 32 consecutive days at 54 stations in Switzerland with our best-performing data-driven model. The average forecast error is 0.38 °C for 1 d ahead and increases to 0.90 °C for 32 d ahead given the uncertainty in the meteorological variables influencing water temperature. Here we compare the skill of several models, how well they can forecast at new and ungauged stations, and the importance of different model inputs.
Eduardo Acuña Espinoza, Frederik Kratzert, Daniel Klotz, Martin Gauch, Manuel Álvarez Chaves, Ralf Loritz, and Uwe Ehret
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1749–1758, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1749-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1749-2025, 2025
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Long short-term memory (LSTM) networks have demonstrated state-of-the-art performance for rainfall-runoff hydrological modelling. However, most studies focus on predictions at a daily scale, limiting the benefits of sub-daily (e.g. hourly) predictions in applications like flood forecasting. In this study, we introduce a new architecture, multi-frequency LSTM (MF-LSTM), designed to use inputs of various temporal frequencies to produce sub-daily (e.g. hourly) predictions at a moderate computational cost.
Fernanda Helfer, Felipe Bernardi, Claudia Alessandra Peixoto de Barros, Daniel Gustavo Allasia, Jean Paolo Gomes Minella, Rutinéia Tassi, and Néverton Scariot
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-244, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-244, 2025
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We explored how water flows in small rural streams to improve tools for better managing water resources. Using a new method, we adjusted existing models to consider the size of rainfall events, showing that water movement patterns change depending on the rain’s intensity. This approach makes predictions more accurate and helps scientists and managers understand water availability and protect ecosystems.
Louise Mimeau, Annika Künne, Alexandre Devers, Flora Branger, Sven Kralisch, Claire Lauvernet, Jean-Philippe Vidal, Núria Bonada, Zoltán Csabai, Heikki Mykrä, Petr Pařil, Luka Polović, and Thibault Datry
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1615–1636, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1615-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1615-2025, 2025
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Our study projects how climate change will affect the drying of river segments and stream networks in Europe, using advanced modelling techniques to assess changes in six river networks across diverse ecoregions. We found that drying events will become more frequent and intense and will start earlier or last longer, potentially turning some river sections from perennial to intermittent. The results are valuable for river ecologists for evaluating the ecological health of river ecosystem.
Tariq Aziz, Steven K. Frey, David R. Lapen, Susan Preston, Hazen A. J. Russell, Omar Khader, Andre R. Erler, and Edward A. Sudicky
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1549–1568, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1549-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1549-2025, 2025
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This study determines the value of subsurface water for ecosystem services' supply in an agricultural watershed in Ontario, Canada. Using a fully integrated water model and an economic valuation approach, the research highlights subsurface water's critical role in maintaining watershed ecosystem services. The study informs on the sustainable use of subsurface water and introduces a new method for managing watershed ecosystem services.
Wouter J. M. Knoben, Kasra Keshavarz, Laura Torres-Rojas, Cyril Thébault, Nathaniel W. Chaney, Alain Pietroniro, and Martyn P. Clark
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-893, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-893, 2025
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Many existing data sets for hydrologic analysis tend treat catchments as single, spatially homogeneous units, focus on daily data and typically do not support more complex models. This paper introduces a data set that goes beyond this setup by: (1) providing data at higher spatial and temporal resolution, (2) specifically considering the data requirements of all common hydrologic model types, (3) using statistical summaries of the data aimed at quantifying spatial and temporal heterogeneity.
Eduardo Acuña Espinoza, Ralf Loritz, Frederik Kratzert, Daniel Klotz, Martin Gauch, Manuel Álvarez Chaves, and Uwe Ehret
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1277–1294, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1277-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1277-2025, 2025
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Data-driven techniques have shown the potential to outperform process-based models in rainfall–runoff simulations. Hybrid models, combining both approaches, aim to enhance accuracy and maintain interpretability. Expanding the set of test cases to evaluate hybrid models under different conditions, we test their generalization capabilities for extreme hydrological events.
Basil Kraft, Michael Schirmer, William H. Aeberhard, Massimiliano Zappa, Sonia I. Seneviratne, and Lukas Gudmundsson
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1061–1082, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1061-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1061-2025, 2025
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This study reconstructs daily runoff in Switzerland (1962–2023) using a deep-learning model, providing a spatially contiguous dataset on a medium-sized catchment grid. The model outperforms traditional hydrological methods, revealing shifts in Swiss water resources, including more frequent dry years and declining summer runoff. The reconstruction is publicly available.
Mengjiao Zhang, Yi Nan, and Fuqiang Tian
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1033–1060, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1033-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1033-2025, 2025
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Owing to differences in the existing published results, we conducted a detailed analysis of the runoff components and future trends in the Yarlung Tsangpo River basin and found that the contributions of snowmelt and glacier melt runoff to streamflow (both ~5 %) are limited and much lower than previous results. The streamflow in this area will continuously increase in the future, but the overestimated contribution of glacier melt could lead to an underestimation of this increasing trend.
Tian Lan, Tongfang Li, Hongbo Zhang, Jiefeng Wu, Yongqin David Chen, and Chong-Yu Xu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 903–924, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-903-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-903-2025, 2025
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This study develops an integrated framework based on the novel Driving index for changes in Precipitation–Runoff Relationships (DPRR) to explore the controlling changes in precipitation–runoff relationships in non-stationary environments. According to the quantitative results of the candidate driving factors, the possible process explanations for changes in the precipitation–runoff relationships are deduced. The main contribution offers a comprehensive understanding of hydrological processes.
Marc Aurel Vischer, Noelia Otero, and Jackie Ma
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3649, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3649, 2025
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We use a neural network to predict the amount of water flowing into rivers. Our focus is on large river catchment areas in central Europe with pronounced human activity. Our model scales efficiently to large amounts of data and is thus able to processes the input without prior aggregation, capturing fine spatial detail and improving prediction in large catchments. Our model’s internal states can be adapted to allow capturing human activity more explicitly in the future.
Everett Snieder and Usman T. Khan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 785–798, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-785-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-785-2025, 2025
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Improving the accuracy of flood forecasts is paramount to minimising flood damage. Machine learning (ML) models are increasingly being applied for flood forecasting. Such models are typically trained on large historic hydrometeorological datasets. In this work, we evaluate methods for selecting training datasets that maximise the spatio-temporal diversity of the represented hydrological processes. Empirical results showcase the importance of hydrological diversity in training ML models.
Joško Trošelj and Naota Hanasaki
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 753–766, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-753-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-753-2025, 2025
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This study presents the first distributed hydrological simulation which confirms claims raised by historians that the eastward diversion project of the Tone River in Japan was conducted 4 centuries ago to increase low flows and subsequent travelling possibilities surrounding the capital, Edo (Tokyo), using inland navigation. We showed that great steps forward can be made for improving quality of life with small human engineering waterworks and small interventions in the regime of natural flows.
Léonard Santos, Vazken Andréassian, Torben O. Sonnenborg, Göran Lindström, Alban de Lavenne, Charles Perrin, Lila Collet, and Guillaume Thirel
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 683–700, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-683-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-683-2025, 2025
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This work investigates how hydrological models are transferred to a period in which climate conditions are different to the ones of the period in which they were set up. The robustness assessment test built to detect dependencies between model error and climatic drivers was applied to three hydrological models in 352 catchments in Denmark, France and Sweden. Potential issues are seen in a significant number of catchments for the models, even though the catchments differ for each model.
Xudong Zheng, Dengfeng Liu, Shengzhi Huang, Hao Wang, and Xianmeng Meng
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 627–653, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-627-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-627-2025, 2025
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Water budget non-closure is a widespread phenomenon among multisource datasets which undermines the robustness of hydrological inferences. This study proposes a Multisource Dataset Correction Framework grounded in Physical Hydrological Process Modelling to enhance water budget closure, termed PHPM-MDCF. We examined the efficiency and robustness of the framework using the CAMELS dataset and achieved an average reduction of 49 % in total water budget residuals across 475 CONUS basins.
Elena Macdonald, Bruno Merz, Viet Dung Nguyen, and Sergiy Vorogushyn
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 447–463, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-447-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-447-2025, 2025
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Flood peak distributions indicate how likely the occurrence of an extreme flood is at a certain river. If the distribution has a so-called heavy tail, extreme floods are more likely than might be anticipated. We find heavier tails in small catchments compared to large catchments, and spatially variable rainfall leads to a lower occurrence probability of extreme floods. Spatially variable runoff does not show effects. The results can improve estimations of probabilities of extreme floods.
Alonso Pizarro, Demetris Koutsoyiannis, and Alberto Montanari
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-389, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-389, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for HESS
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We introduce RUMI, a new metric to improve rainfall-runoff simulations. RUMI better captures the link between observed and simulated stream flows by considering uncertainty at a core computation step. Tested on 99 catchments and with the GR4J model, it outperforms traditional metrics by providing more reliable and consistent results. RUMI paves the way for more accurate hydrological predictions.
Junfu Gong, Xingwen Liu, Cheng Yao, Zhijia Li, Albrecht H. Weerts, Qiaoling Li, Satish Bastola, Yingchun Huang, and Junzeng Xu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 335–360, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-335-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-335-2025, 2025
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Our study introduces a new method to improve flood forecasting by combining soil moisture and streamflow data using an advanced data assimilation technique. By integrating field and reanalysis soil moisture data and assimilating this with streamflow measurements, we aim to enhance the accuracy of flood predictions. This approach reduces the accumulation of past errors in the initial conditions at the start of the forecast, helping to better prepare for and respond to floods.
Jordy Salmon-Monviola, Ophélie Fovet, and Markus Hrachowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 127–158, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-127-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-127-2025, 2025
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To increase the predictive power of hydrological models, it is necessary to improve their consistency, i.e. their physical realism, which is measured by the ability of the model to reproduce observed system dynamics. Using a model to represent the dynamics of water and nitrate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations in an agricultural catchment, we showed that using solute-concentration data for calibration is useful to improve the hydrological consistency of the model.
Parthkumar A. Modi, Jared C. Carbone, Keith S. Jennings, Hannah Kamen, Joseph R. Kasprzyk, Bill Szafranski, Cameron W. Wobus, and Ben Livneh
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4046, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4046, 2025
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This study shows that in unmanaged snow-dominated basins, high forecast accuracy doesn’t always lead to high economic value, especially during extreme conditions like droughts. It highlights how irregular errors in modern forecasting systems weaken the connection between accuracy and value. These findings call for forecast evaluations to focus not only on accuracy but also on economic impacts, providing valuable guidance for better water resource management under uncertainty.
Benjamin Guillaume, Adrien Michez, and Aurore Degré
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3978, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3978, 2025
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Nature-based solutions (NbS) can mitigate floods and agricultural droughts by enhancing soil health and restoring hydrological cycles. This study highlights that leveraging soil diversity is key to optimizing NbS performance.
Haley A. Canham, Belize Lane, Colin B. Phillips, and Brendan P. Murphy
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 27–43, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-27-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-27-2025, 2025
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The influence of watershed disturbances has proved challenging to disentangle from natural streamflow variability. This study evaluates the influence of time-varying hydrologic controls on rainfall–runoff in undisturbed and wildfire-disturbed watersheds using a novel time-series event separation method. Across watersheds, water year type and season influenced rainfall–runoff patterns. Accounting for these controls enabled clearer isolation of wildfire effects.
Fabian Merk, Timo Schaffhauser, Faizan Anwar, Ye Tuo, Jean-Martial Cohard, and Markus Disse
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5511–5539, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5511-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5511-2024, 2024
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Evapotranspiration (ET) is computed from the vegetation (plant transpiration) and soil (soil evaporation). In western Africa, plant transpiration correlates with vegetation growth. Vegetation is often represented using the leaf area index (LAI). In this study, we evaluate the importance of the LAI for ET calculation. We take a close look at this interaction and highlight its relevance. Our work contributes to the understanding of terrestrial water cycle processes .
Eshrat Fatima, Rohini Kumar, Sabine Attinger, Maren Kaluza, Oldrich Rakovec, Corinna Rebmann, Rafael Rosolem, Sascha E. Oswald, Luis Samaniego, Steffen Zacharias, and Martin Schrön
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5419–5441, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5419-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5419-2024, 2024
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This study establishes a framework to incorporate cosmic-ray neutron measurements into the mesoscale Hydrological Model (mHM). We evaluate different approaches to estimate neutron counts within the mHM using the Desilets equation, with uniformly and non-uniformly weighted average soil moisture, and the physically based code COSMIC. The data improved not only soil moisture simulations but also the parameterisation of evapotranspiration in the model.
Laia Estrada, Xavier Garcia, Joan Saló-Grau, Rafael Marcé, Antoni Munné, and Vicenç Acuña
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5353–5373, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5353-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5353-2024, 2024
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Hydrological modelling is a powerful tool to support decision-making. We assessed spatio-temporal patterns and trends of streamflow for 2001–2022 with a hydrological model, integrating stakeholder expert knowledge on management operations. The results provide insight into how climate change and anthropogenic pressures affect water resources availability in regions vulnerable to water scarcity, thus raising the need for sustainable management practices and integrated hydrological modelling.
Patricio Yeste, Matilde García-Valdecasas Ojeda, Sonia R. Gámiz-Fortis, Yolanda Castro-Díez, Axel Bronstert, and María Jesús Esteban-Parra
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5331–5352, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5331-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5331-2024, 2024
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Integrating streamflow and evaporation data can help improve the physical realism of hydrologic models. We investigate the capabilities of the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) to reproduce both hydrologic variables for 189 headwater located in Spain. Results from sensitivity analyses indicate that adding two vegetation parameters is enough to improve the representation of evaporation and that the performance of VIC exceeded that of the largest modelling effort currently available in Spain.
Daniel T. Myers, David Jones, Diana Oviedo-Vargas, John Paul Schmit, Darren L. Ficklin, and Xuesong Zhang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5295–5310, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5295-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5295-2024, 2024
Short summary
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We studied how streamflow and water quality models respond to land cover data collected by satellites during the growing season versus the non-growing season. The land cover data showed more trees during the growing season and more built areas during the non-growing season. We next found that the use of non-growing season data resulted in a higher modeled nutrient export to streams. Knowledge of these sensitivities would be particularly important when models inform water resource management.
Hatice Türk, Christine Stumpp, Markus Hrachowitz, Karsten Schulz, Peter Strauss, Günter Blöschl, and Michael Stockinger
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-359, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-359, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for HESS
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Using advances in transit time estimation and tracer data, we tested if fast-flow transit times are controlled solely by soil moisture or are also controlled by precipitation intensity. We used soil moisture-dependent and precipitation intensity-conditional transfer functions. We showed that significant portion of event water bypasses the soil matrix through fast flow paths (overland flow, tile drains, preferential flow paths) in dry soil conditions for both low and high-intensity precipitation.
Kevin R. Shook, Paul H. Whitfield, Christopher Spence, and John W. Pomeroy
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 5173–5192, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5173-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-5173-2024, 2024
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Recent studies suggest that the velocities of water running off landscapes in the Canadian Prairies may be much smaller than generally assumed. Analyses of historical flows for 23 basins in central Alberta show that many of the rivers responded more slowly and that the flows are much slower than would be estimated from equations developed elsewhere. The effects of slow flow velocities on the development of hydrological models of the region are discussed, as are the possible causes.
Alberto Bassi, Marvin Höge, Antonietta Mira, Fabrizio Fenicia, and Carlo Albert
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4971–4988, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4971-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4971-2024, 2024
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The goal is to remove the impact of meteorological drivers in order to uncover the unique landscape fingerprints of a catchment from streamflow data. Our results reveal an optimal two-feature summary for most catchments, with a third feature associated with aridity and intermittent flow that is needed for challenging cases. Baseflow index, aridity, and soil or vegetation attributes strongly correlate with learnt features, indicating their importance for streamflow prediction.
Anjana Devanand, Jason Evans, Andy Pitman, Sujan Pal, David Gochis, and Kevin Sampson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3148, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3148, 2024
Short summary
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Including lateral flow increases evapotranspiration near major river channels in high-resolution land surface simulations in southeast Australia, consistent with observations. The 1-km resolution model shows a widespread pattern of dry ridges that does not exist at coarser resolutions. Our results have implications for improved simulations of droughts and future water availability.
Sylvain Payraudeau, Pablo Alvarez-Zaldivar, Paul van Dijk, and Gwenaël Imfeld
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2840, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2840, 2024
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Our study focuses on the rising concern of pesticides damaging aquatic ecosystems, which puts drinking water, the environment, and human health at risk. We provided more accurate estimates of how pesticides break down and spread in small water systems, helping to improve pesticide management practices. By using unique chemical markers in our analysis, we enhanced the accuracy of our predictions, offering important insights for better protection of water sources and natural ecosystems.
Guillaume Thirel, Léonard Santos, Olivier Delaigue, and Charles Perrin
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4837–4860, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4837-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4837-2024, 2024
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We discuss how mathematical transformations impact calibrated hydrological model simulations. We assess how 11 transformations behave over the complete range of streamflows. Extreme transformations lead to models that are specialized for extreme streamflows but show poor performance outside the range of targeted streamflows and are less robust. We show that no a priori assumption about transformations can be taken as warranted.
Vishal Thakur, Yannis Markonis, Rohini Kumar, Johanna Ruth Thomson, Mijael Rodrigo Vargas Godoy, Martin Hanel, and Oldrich Rakovec
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-341, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-341, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for HESS
Short summary
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Understanding the changes in water movement in earth is crucial for everyone. To quantify this water movement there are several techniques. We examined how different methods of estimating evaporation impact predictions of various types of water movement across Europe. We found that, while these methods generally agree on whether changes are increasing or decreasing, they differ in magnitude. This means selecting the right evaporation method is crucial for accurate predictions of water movement.
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Short summary
A numerical model was used to estimate annual and seasonal mean travel times across 14 long-term nested monitored catchments in the boreal region. The estimated travel times and young water fractions were consistent with observed variations of base cation concentration and stable water isotopes, δ18O. Soil type was the most important factor regulating the variation in mean travel times among sub-catchments, while the areal coverage of mires increased the young water fraction.
A numerical model was used to estimate annual and seasonal mean travel times across 14 long-term...
