Articles | Volume 25, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2223-2021
© 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-25-2223-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
23 Apr 2021
Research article |
| 23 Apr 2021
| 23 Apr 2021
Exploring the role of hydrological pathways in modulating multi-annual climate teleconnection periodicities from UK rainfall to streamflow
Cranfield Water Science Institute (CWSI), Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK
Mark Cuthbert
School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Park Place,
Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
John Bloomfield
British Geological Survey, Maclean Building, Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
Ron Corstanje
Centre for Environment and Agricultural Informatics, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK
Nicholas Howden
School of Civil, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Queen's Building, University Walk, Clifton BS8 1TR, UK
Ian Holman
Cranfield Water Science Institute (CWSI), Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK
Related authors
William Rust, John P. Bloomfield, Mark Cuthbert, Ron Corstanje, and Ian Holman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2449–2467, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2449-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2449-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We highlight the importance of the North Atlantic Oscillation in controlling droughts in the UK. Specifically, multi-year cycles in the NAO are shown to influence the frequency of droughts and this influence changes considerably over time. We show that the influence of these varying controls is similar to the projected effects of climate change on water resources. We also show that these time-varying behaviours have important implications for water resource forecasts used for drought planning.
William Rust, Ian Holman, John Bloomfield, Mark Cuthbert, and Ron Corstanje
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3233–3245, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3233-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3233-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We show that major groundwater resources in the UK exhibit strong multi-year cycles, accounting for up to 40 % of total groundwater level variability. By comparing these cycles with recorded widespread groundwater droughts over the past 60 years, we provide evidence that climatic systems (such as the North Atlantic Oscillation) ultimately drive drought-risk periods in UK groundwater. The recursive nature of these drought-risk periods may lead to improved preparedness for future droughts.
Camille Minaudo, Andras Abonyi, Carles Alcaraz, Jacob Diamond, Nicholas J. K. Howden, Michael Rode, Estela Romero, Vincent Thieu, Fred Worrall, Qian Zhang, and Xavier Benito
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-58, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-58, 2025
Preprint under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
Many waterbodies undergo nutrient decline globally, called oligotrophication, but a comprehensive dataset to understand ecosystem responses is lacking. The OLIGOTREND database comprises multi-decadal chlorophyll-a and nutrient timeseries from rivers, lakes, and estuaries with 4.3 million observations from 1,894 unique measurement locations. The database provides empirical evidence for oligotrophication responses with a spatial and temporal coverage exceeding previous efforts.
Kathryn A. Leeming, John P. Bloomfield, Gemma Coxon, and Yanchen Zheng
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-202, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-202, 2023
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
In this work we characterise annual patterns in baseflow, the component of streamflow that comes from subsurface storage. Our research identified early-, mid-, and late-seasonality of baseflow across catchments in Great Britain over two time blocks: 1976–1995 and 1996–2015, and found that many catchments have earlier seasonal patterns of baseflow in the second time period. These changes are linked to changes in climate signals: snow-melt in highland catchments and effective rainfall changes.
Maliko Tanguy, Michael Eastman, Eugene Magee, Lucy J. Barker, Thomas Chitson, Chaiwat Ekkawatpanit, Daniel Goodwin, Jamie Hannaford, Ian Holman, Liwa Pardthaisong, Simon Parry, Dolores Rey Vicario, and Supattra Visessri
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 2419–2441, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2419-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2419-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Droughts in Thailand are becoming more severe due to climate change. Understanding the link between drought impacts on the ground and drought indicators used in drought monitoring systems can help increase a country's preparedness and resilience to drought. With a focus on agricultural droughts, we derive crop- and region-specific indicator-to-impact links that can form the basis of targeted mitigation actions and an improved drought monitoring and early warning system in Thailand.
Abrar Habib, Athanasios Paschalis, Adrian P. Butler, Christian Onof, John P. Bloomfield, and James P. R. Sorensen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-27, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-27, 2023
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
Components of the hydrological cycle exhibit a “memory” in their behaviour which quantifies how long a variable would stay at high/low values. Being able to model and understand what affects it is vital for an accurate representation of the hydrological elements. In the current work, it is found that rainfall affects the fractal behaviour of groundwater levels, which implies that changes to rainfall due to climate change will change the periods of flood and drought in groundwater-fed catchments.
Louisa D. Oldham, Jim Freer, Gemma Coxon, Nicholas Howden, John P. Bloomfield, and Christopher Jackson
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 761–781, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-761-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-761-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Water can move between river catchments via the subsurface, termed intercatchment groundwater flow (IGF). We show how a perceptual model of IGF can be developed with relatively simple geological interpretation and data requirements. We find that IGF dynamics vary in space, correlated to the dominant underlying geology. We recommend that IGF
loss functionsmay be used in conceptual rainfall–runoff models but should be supported by perceptualisation of IGF processes and connectivities.
Dagmawi Teklu Asfaw, Michael Bliss Singer, Rafael Rosolem, David MacLeod, Mark Cuthbert, Edisson Quichimbo Miguitama, Manuel F. Rios Gaona, and Katerina Michaelides
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 557–571, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-557-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-557-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
stoPET is a new stochastic potential evapotranspiration (PET) generator for the globe at hourly resolution. Many stochastic weather generators are used to generate stochastic rainfall time series; however, no such model exists for stochastically generating plausible PET time series. As such, stoPET represents a significant methodological advance. stoPET generate many realizations of PET to conduct climate studies related to the water balance, agriculture, water resources, and ecology.
William Rust, John P. Bloomfield, Mark Cuthbert, Ron Corstanje, and Ian Holman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2449–2467, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2449-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2449-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We highlight the importance of the North Atlantic Oscillation in controlling droughts in the UK. Specifically, multi-year cycles in the NAO are shown to influence the frequency of droughts and this influence changes considerably over time. We show that the influence of these varying controls is similar to the projected effects of climate change on water resources. We also show that these time-varying behaviours have important implications for water resource forecasts used for drought planning.
Tom Gleeson, Thorsten Wagener, Petra Döll, Samuel C. Zipper, Charles West, Yoshihide Wada, Richard Taylor, Bridget Scanlon, Rafael Rosolem, Shams Rahman, Nurudeen Oshinlaja, Reed Maxwell, Min-Hui Lo, Hyungjun Kim, Mary Hill, Andreas Hartmann, Graham Fogg, James S. Famiglietti, Agnès Ducharne, Inge de Graaf, Mark Cuthbert, Laura Condon, Etienne Bresciani, and Marc F. P. Bierkens
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 7545–7571, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-7545-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-7545-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Groundwater is increasingly being included in large-scale (continental to global) land surface and hydrologic simulations. However, it is challenging to evaluate these simulations because groundwater is
hiddenunderground and thus hard to measure. We suggest using multiple complementary strategies to assess the performance of a model (
model evaluation).
E. Andrés Quichimbo, Michael Bliss Singer, Katerina Michaelides, Daniel E. J. Hobley, Rafael Rosolem, and Mark O. Cuthbert
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 6893–6917, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-6893-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-6893-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding and quantifying water partitioning in dryland regions are of key importance to anticipate the future impacts of climate change in water resources and dryland ecosystems. Here, we have developed a simple hydrological model (DRYP) that incorporates the key processes of water partitioning in drylands. DRYP is a modular, versatile, and parsimonious model that can be used to anticipate and plan for climatic and anthropogenic changes to water fluxes and storage in dryland regions.
Doris E. Wendt, John P. Bloomfield, Anne F. Van Loon, Margaret Garcia, Benedikt Heudorfer, Joshua Larsen, and David M. Hannah
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 3113–3139, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-3113-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-3113-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Managing water demand and supply during droughts is complex, as highly pressured human–water systems can overuse water sources to maintain water supply. We evaluated the impact of drought policies on water resources using a socio-hydrological model. For a range of hydrogeological conditions, we found that integrated drought policies reduce baseflow and groundwater droughts most if extra surface water is imported, reducing the pressure on water resources during droughts.
John P. Bloomfield, Mengyi Gong, Benjamin P. Marchant, Gemma Coxon, and Nans Addor
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5355–5379, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5355-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5355-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Groundwater provides flow, known as baseflow, to surface streams and rivers. It is important as it sustains the flow of many rivers at times of water stress. However, it may be affected by water management practices. Statistical models have been used to show that abstraction of groundwater may influence baseflow. Consequently, it is recommended that information on groundwater abstraction is included in future assessments and predictions of baseflow.
Maria Magdalena Warter, Michael Bliss Singer, Mark O. Cuthbert, Dar Roberts, Kelly K. Caylor, Romy Sabathier, and John Stella
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 3713–3729, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3713-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3713-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Intensified drying of soil and grassland vegetation is raising the impact of fire severity and extent in Southern California. While browned grassland is a common sight during the dry season, this study has shown that there is a pronounced shift in the timing of senescence, due to changing climate conditions favoring milder winter temperatures and increased precipitation variability. Vegetation may be limited in its ability to adapt to these shifts, as drought periods become more frequent.
Calum Brown, Ian Holman, and Mark Rounsevell
Earth Syst. Dynam., 12, 211–231, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-211-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-211-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The variety of human and natural processes in the land system can be modelled in many different ways. However, little is known about how and why basic model assumptions affect model results. We compared two models that represent land use in completely distinct ways and found several results that differed greatly. We identify the main assumptions that caused these differences and therefore key issues that need to be addressed for more robust model development.
Gabriel C. Rau, Mark O. Cuthbert, R. Ian Acworth, and Philipp Blum
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 6033–6046, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-6033-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-6033-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This work provides an important generalisation of a previously developed method that quantifies subsurface barometric efficiency using the groundwater level response to Earth and atmospheric tides. The new approach additionally allows the quantification of hydraulic conductivity and specific storage. This enables improved and rapid assessment of subsurface processes and properties using standard pressure measurements.
Doris E. Wendt, Anne F. Van Loon, John P. Bloomfield, and David M. Hannah
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 4853–4868, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4853-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4853-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Groundwater use changes the availability of groundwater, especially during droughts. This study investigates the impact of groundwater use on groundwater droughts. A methodological framework is presented that was developed and applied to the UK. We identified an asymmetric impact of groundwater use on droughts, which highlights the relation between short-term and long-term strategies for sustainable groundwater use.
Gemma Coxon, Nans Addor, John P. Bloomfield, Jim Freer, Matt Fry, Jamie Hannaford, Nicholas J. K. Howden, Rosanna Lane, Melinda Lewis, Emma L. Robinson, Thorsten Wagener, and Ross Woods
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 2459–2483, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-2459-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-2459-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We present the first large-sample catchment hydrology dataset for Great Britain. The dataset collates river flows, catchment attributes, and catchment boundaries for 671 catchments across Great Britain. We characterise the topography, climate, streamflow, land cover, soils, hydrogeology, human influence, and discharge uncertainty of each catchment. The dataset is publicly available for the community to use in a wide range of environmental and modelling analyses.
Bentje Brauns, Daniela Cuba, John P. Bloomfield, David M. Hannah, Christopher Jackson, Ben P. Marchant, Benedikt Heudorfer, Anne F. Van Loon, Hélène Bessière, Bo Thunholm, and Gerhard Schubert
Proc. IAHS, 383, 297–305, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-383-297-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-383-297-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In Europe, ca. 65% of drinking water is groundwater. Its replenishment depends on rainfall, but droughts may cause groundwater levels to fall below normal. These
groundwater droughtscan limit supply, making it crucial to understand their regional connection. The Groundwater Drought Initiative (GDI) assesses spatial patterns in historic—recent groundwater droughts across Europe for the first time. Using an example dataset, we describe the background to the GDI and its methodological approach.
Simon Opie, Richard G. Taylor, Chris M. Brierley, Mohammad Shamsudduha, and Mark O. Cuthbert
Earth Syst. Dynam., 11, 775–791, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-11-775-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-11-775-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Knowledge of the relationship between climate and groundwater is limited and typically undermined by the scale, duration and accessibility of observations. Using monthly satellite measurements newly compiled over 14 years in the tropics and sub-tropics, we show that the imprint of precipitation history on groundwater, i.e. hydraulic memory, is longer in drylands than humid environments with important implications for the understanding and management of groundwater resources under climate change.
Tom Gleeson, Thorsten Wagener, Petra Döll, Samuel C. Zipper, Charles West, Yoshihide Wada, Richard Taylor, Bridget Scanlon, Rafael Rosolem, Shams Rahman, Nurudeen Oshinlaja, Reed Maxwell, Min-Hui Lo, Hyungjun Kim, Mary Hill, Andreas Hartmann, Graham Fogg, James S. Famiglietti, Agnès Ducharne, Inge de Graaf, Mark Cuthbert, Laura Condon, Etienne Bresciani, and Marc F. P. Bierkens
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2020-378, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2020-378, 2020
Revised manuscript not accepted
Sebastian J. Gnann, Nicholas J. K. Howden, and Ross A. Woods
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 561–580, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-561-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-561-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In many places, seasonal variability in precipitation and evapotranspiration (climate) leads to seasonal variability in river flow (streamflow). In this work, we explore how climate seasonality is transformed into streamflow seasonality and what controls this transformation (e.g. climate aridity and geology). The results might be used in grouping catchments, predicting the seasonal streamflow regime in ungauged catchments, and building hydrological simulation models.
Rosanna A. Lane, Gemma Coxon, Jim E. Freer, Thorsten Wagener, Penny J. Johnes, John P. Bloomfield, Sheila Greene, Christopher J. A. Macleod, and Sim M. Reaney
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 4011–4032, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4011-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4011-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluated four hydrological model structures and their parameters on over 1100 catchments across Great Britain, considering modelling uncertainties. Models performed well for most catchments but failed in parts of Scotland and south-eastern England. Failures were often linked to inconsistencies in the water balance. This research shows what conceptual lumped models can achieve, gives insights into where and why these models may fail, and provides a benchmark of national modelling capability.
William Rust, Ian Holman, John Bloomfield, Mark Cuthbert, and Ron Corstanje
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3233–3245, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3233-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3233-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We show that major groundwater resources in the UK exhibit strong multi-year cycles, accounting for up to 40 % of total groundwater level variability. By comparing these cycles with recorded widespread groundwater droughts over the past 60 years, we provide evidence that climatic systems (such as the North Atlantic Oscillation) ultimately drive drought-risk periods in UK groundwater. The recursive nature of these drought-risk periods may lead to improved preparedness for future droughts.
John Beale, Boris Snapir, Toby Waine, Jonathan Evans, and Ronald Corstanje
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-294, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-294, 2019
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Knowledge of soil moisture is important managing their agricultural crops controlling irrigation, predicting flows in rivers and streams, weather forecasting and climate modelling. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) from satellites can provide wide area coverage on a regular basis. This paper investigates the magnitude of the uncertainties that are influenced by soil properties to evaluate the role of existing soil databases in soil moisture retrieval and interpretation.
Gemma Coxon, Jim Freer, Rosanna Lane, Toby Dunne, Wouter J. M. Knoben, Nicholas J. K. Howden, Niall Quinn, Thorsten Wagener, and Ross Woods
Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 2285–2306, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-2285-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-2285-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
DECIPHeR (Dynamic fluxEs and ConnectIvity for Predictions of Hydrology) is a new modelling framework that can be applied from small catchment to continental scales for complex river basins. This paper describes the modelling framework and its key components and demonstrates the model’s ability to be applied across a large model domain. This work highlights the potential for catchment- to continental-scale predictions of streamflow to support robust environmental management and policy decisions.
Seshagiri Rao Kolusu, Mohammad Shamsudduha, Martin C. Todd, Richard G. Taylor, David Seddon, Japhet J. Kashaigili, Girma Y. Ebrahim, Mark O. Cuthbert, James P. R. Sorensen, Karen G. Villholth, Alan M. MacDonald, and Dave A. MacLeod
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 1751–1762, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1751-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1751-2019, 2019
John P. Bloomfield, Benjamin P. Marchant, and Andrew A. McKenzie
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 1393–1408, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1393-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1393-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Groundwater is susceptible to drought due to natural variations in climate; however, to date there is no evidence of a relationship between climate change and groundwater drought. Using two long groundwater level records from the UK, we document increases in frequency, magnitude and intensity and changes in duration of groundwater drought associated with climate warming and infer that, given the extent of shallow groundwater globally, warming may widely effect changes to groundwater droughts.
Simon Brenner, Gemma Coxon, Nicholas J. K. Howden, Jim Freer, and Andreas Hartmann
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 445–461, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-445-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-445-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we simulate groundwater levels with a semi-distributed karst model. Using a percentile approach we can assess the number of days exceeding or falling below selected groundwater level percentiles. We show that our approach is able to predict groundwater levels across all considered timescales up to the 75th percentile. We then use our approach to assess future changes in groundwater dynamics and show that projected climate changes may lead to generally lower groundwater levels.
Ron Corstanje, Theresa G. Mercer, Jane R. Rickson, Lynda K. Deeks, Paul Newell-Price, Ian Holman, Cedric Kechavarsi, and Toby W. Waine
Solid Earth, 8, 1003–1016, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-1003-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-1003-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
This research assessed whether physical soil properties can be used to indicate the quality of British soils in terms of their delivery of ecosystem goods and services. A prioritised list of physical
soil quality indicators(SQIs) were tested for robustness, spatial and temporal variability, and expected rate of change. Seven SQIs were selected: soil packing density, water retention characteristics, aggregate stability, rate of soil erosion, soil depth, soil structure and soil sealing.
J. P. Bloomfield, B. P. Marchant, S. H. Bricker, and R. B. Morgan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 4327–4344, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4327-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4327-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
To improve the design of drought monitoring networks and water resource management during episodes of drought, there is a need for a better understanding of spatial variations in the response of aquifers to major meteorological droughts. This paper is the first to describe a suite of methods to quantify such variations. Using an analysis of groundwater level data for a case study from the UK, the influence of catchment characteristics on the varied response of groundwater to droughts is explored
A. Chiverton, J. Hannaford, I. P. Holman, R. Corstanje, C. Prudhomme, T. M. Hess, and J. P. Bloomfield
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2395–2408, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2395-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2395-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Current hydrological change detection methods are subject to a host of limitations. This paper develops a new method, temporally shifting variograms (TSVs), which characterises variability in the river flow regime using several parameters, changes in which can then be attributed to precipitation characteristics. We demonstrate the use of the method through application to 94 UK catchments, showing that periods of extremes as well as more subtle changes can be detected.
C. K. Folland, J. Hannaford, J. P. Bloomfield, M. Kendon, C. Svensson, B. P. Marchant, J. Prior, and E. Wallace
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2353–2375, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2353-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2353-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The English Lowlands is a heavily populated, water-stressed region, which is vulnerable to long droughts typically associated with dry winters. We conduct a long-term (1910-present) quantitative analysis of precipitation, flow and groundwater droughts for the region, and then review potential climatic drivers. No single driver is dominant, but we demonstrate a physical link between La Nina conditions, winter rainfall and long droughts in the region.
J. P. Bloomfield and B. P. Marchant
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4769–4787, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4769-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4769-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Catchment hydrology | Techniques and Approaches: Theory development
Annual memory in the terrestrial water cycle
Can system dynamics explain long-term hydrological behaviors? The role of endogenous linking structure
Characterizing nonlinear, nonstationary, and heterogeneous hydrologic behavior using ensemble rainfall–runoff analysis (ERRA): proof of concept
The role of catchment characteristics, discharge, and active layer thaw on seasonal stream chemistry across ten permafrost catchments
Ratio limits of water storage and outflow in a rainfall–runoff process
Delayed Stormflow Generation in a Semi-humid Forested Watershed Controlled by Soil Water Storage and Groundwater
Technical Note: The divide and measure nonconformity – how metrics can mislead when we evaluate on different data partitions
Bimodal hydrographs in a semi-humid forested watershed: characteristics and occurrence conditions
Flood drivers and trends: a case study of the Geul River catchment (the Netherlands) over the past half century
Power law between the apparent drainage density and the pruning area
Causal relationships between vegetation productivity, water availability, and atmospheric dryness at the catchment scale
HESS Opinion: Floods and droughts – Land use, soil management, and landscape hydrology are more significant drivers than increasing temperatures
Stream water sourcing from high-elevation snowpack inferred from stable isotopes of water: a novel application of d-excess values
Elasticity curves describe streamflow sensitivity to precipitation across the entire flow distribution
Seasonal and interannual dissolved organic carbon transport process dynamics in a subarctic headwater catchment revealed by high-resolution measurements
Links between seasonal suprapermafrost groundwater, the hydrothermal change of the active layer, and river runoff in alpine permafrost watersheds
Technical note: Isotopic fractionation of evaporating waters: effect of sub-daily atmospheric variations and eventual depletion of heavy isotopes
Increased nonstationarity of stormflow threshold behaviors in a forested watershed due to abrupt earthquake disturbance
HESS Opinions: Are soils overrated in hydrology?
Hydrologic implications of projected changes in rain-on-snow melt for Great Lakes Basin watersheds
A hydrological framework for persistent pools along non-perennial rivers
Evidence-based requirements for perceptualising intercatchment groundwater flow in hydrological models
Droughts can reduce the nitrogen retention capacity of catchments
Explaining changes in rainfall–runoff relationships during and after Australia's Millennium Drought: a community perspective
Three hypotheses on changing river flood hazards
A multivariate-driven approach for disentangling the reduction in near-natural Iberian water resources post-1980
Hydrology and riparian forests drive carbon and nitrogen supply and DOC : NO3− stoichiometry along a headwater Mediterranean stream
Event controls on intermittent streamflow in a temperate climate
Inclusion of flood diversion canal operation in the H08 hydrological model with a case study from the Chao Phraya River basin: model development and validation
Flood generation: process patterns from the raindrop to the ocean
Use of streamflow indices to identify the catchment drivers of hydrographs
Theoretical and empirical evidence against the Budyko catchment trajectory conjecture
Spatial distribution of groundwater recharge, based on regionalised soil moisture models in Wadi Natuf karst aquifers, Palestine
Barriers to mainstream adoption of catchment-wide natural flood management: a transdisciplinary problem-framing study of delivery practice
Low hydrological connectivity after summer drought inhibits DOC export in a forested headwater catchment
Rainbow color map distorts and misleads research in hydrology – guidance for better visualizations and science communication
Attribution of growing season evapotranspiration variability considering snowmelt and vegetation changes in the arid alpine basins
Event and seasonal hydrologic connectivity patterns in an agricultural headwater catchment
Technical note: “Bit by bit”: a practical and general approach for evaluating model computational complexity vs. model performance
Hillslope and groundwater contributions to streamflow in a Rocky Mountain watershed underlain by glacial till and fractured sedimentary bedrock
A framework for seasonal variations of hydrological model parameters: impact on model results and response to dynamic catchment characteristics
Hydrology and beyond: the scientific work of August Colding revisited
The influence of a prolonged meteorological drought on catchment water storage capacity: a hydrological-model perspective
Hydrological and runoff formation processes based on isotope tracing during ablation period in the source regions of Yangtze River
Importance of snowmelt contribution to seasonal runoff and summer low flows in Czechia
Concentration–discharge relationships vary among hydrological events, reflecting differences in event characteristics
Recession analysis revisited: impacts of climate on parameter estimation
Understanding the effects of climate warming on streamflow and active groundwater storage in an alpine catchment: the upper Lhasa River
Technical note: An improved discharge sensitivity metric for young water fractions
Hydrological signatures describing the translation of climate seasonality into streamflow seasonality
Wouter R. Berghuijs, Ross A. Woods, Bailey J. Anderson, Anna Luisa Hemshorn de Sánchez, and Markus Hrachowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 1319–1333, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1319-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1319-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Water balances of catchments will often strongly depend on their state in the recent past, but such memory effects may persist at annual timescales. We use global data sets to show that annual memory is typically absent in precipitation but strong in terrestrial water stores and also present in evaporation and streamflow (including low flows and floods). Our experiments show that hysteretic models provide behaviour that is consistent with these observed memory behaviours.
Xinyao Zhou, Zhuping Sheng, Kiril Manevski, Rongtian Zhao, Qingzhou Zhang, Yanmin Yang, Shumin Han, Jinghong Liu, and Yonghui Yang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 159–177, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-159-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-159-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Conventional hydrological models erratically replicate slow hydrological dynamics, necessitating model modification and paradigm shift in hydrological science. The system dynamics approach successfully explains patterns of slow hydrological behaviors at inter-annual and decadal scales by dividing a hydrological system into different hierarchies and building endogenous linking structure among stocks. In spite of the simplicity, it holds potential to integrate hydrological behaviors across scales.
James W. Kirchner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4427–4454, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4427-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4427-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Here, I present a new way to quantify how streamflow responds to rainfall across a range of timescales. This approach can estimate how different rainfall intensities affect streamflow. It can also quantify how runoff response to rainfall varies, depending on how wet the landscape already is before the rain falls. This may help us to understand processes and landscape properties that regulate streamflow and to assess the susceptibility of different landscapes to flooding.
Arsh Grewal, Erin M. Nicholls, and Sean K. Carey
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2645, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2645, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Stream chemistry in permafrost watersheds is highly seasonal. This variability can be driven by the seasonal thawing of the active layer (the layer of soil above the permafrost that thaws each year) or by streamflow (streamflow is typically highest during snowmelt). In this paper, we disentangle the influence of active layer thaw and streamflow on the seasonality of stream chemistry. We found that topography and the extent of permafrost are key factors controlling the degree of this seasonality.
Yulong Zhu, Yang Zhou, Xiaorong Xu, Changqing Meng, and Yuankun Wang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4251–4261, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4251-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4251-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A timely local flood forecast is an effective way to reduce casualties and economic losses. The current theoretical or numerical models play an important role in local flood forecasting. However, they still cannot bridge the contradiction between high calculation accuracy, high calculation efficiency, and simple operability. Therefore, this paper expects to propose a new flood forecasting model with higher computational efficiency and simpler operation.
Zhen Cui and Fuqiang Tian
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2177, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2177, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates stormflow patterns in a forested watershed in North China, revealing that delayed stormflow is influenced by soil water content and groundwater levels. When soil moisture exceeds its storage capacity, excess water recharges groundwater, which then flows into streams more slowly. As groundwater levels rise, they enhance water movement and connectivity, causing a delayed stormflow peak to merge with the direct stormflow peak.
Daniel Klotz, Martin Gauch, Frederik Kratzert, Grey Nearing, and Jakob Zscheischler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3665–3673, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3665-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3665-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The evaluation of model performance is essential for hydrological modeling. Using performance criteria requires a deep understanding of their properties. We focus on a counterintuitive aspect of the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and show that if we divide the data into multiple parts, the overall performance can be higher than all the evaluations of the subsets. Although this follows from the definition of the NSE, the resulting behavior can have unintended consequences in practice.
Zhen Cui, Fuqiang Tian, Zilong Zhao, Zitong Xu, Yongjie Duan, Jie Wen, and Mohd Yawar Ali Khan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3613–3632, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3613-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3613-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the response characteristics and occurrence conditions of bimodal hydrographs using 10 years of hydrometric and isotope data in a semi-humid forested watershed in north China. Our findings indicate that bimodal hydrographs occur when the combined total of the event rainfall and antecedent soil moisture index exceeds 200 mm. Additionally, we determined that delayed stormflow is primarily contributed to by shallow groundwater.
Athanasios Tsiokanos, Martine Rutten, Ruud J. van der Ent, and Remko Uijlenhoet
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3327–3345, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3327-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3327-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We focus on past high-flow events to find flood drivers in the Geul. We also explore flood drivers’ trends across various timescales and develop a new method to detect the main direction of a trend. Our results show that extreme 24 h precipitation alone is typically insufficient to cause floods. The combination of extreme rainfall and wet initial conditions determines the chance of flooding. Precipitation that leads to floods increases in winter, whereas no consistent trends are found in summer.
Soohyun Yang, Kwanghun Choi, and Kyungrock Paik
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3119–3132, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3119-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3119-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In extracting a river network from a digital elevation model, an arbitrary pruning area should be specified. As this value grows, the apparent drainage density is reduced following a power function. This reflects the fractal topographic nature. We prove this relationship related to the known power law in the exceedance probability distribution of drainage area. The power-law exponent is expressed with fractal dimensions. Our findings are supported by analysis of 14 real river networks.
Guta Wakbulcho Abeshu, Hong-Yi Li, Mingjie Shi, and Ruby Leung
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1748, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1748, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study examined how water availability, climate dryness, and plant productivity interact at the catchment scale. Using various indices and statistical methods, it found a 0–2-month lag in these interactions. Strong correlations during peak productivity months were observed, with a notable hysteresis effect in vegetation response to changes in water availability and climate dryness. The findings help better understand catchment responses to climate variability.
Karl Auerswald, Juergen Geist, John N. Quinton, and Peter Fiener
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1702, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1702, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Floods, droughts, and heatwaves are increasing globally. This is often attributed to CO2-driven climate change. However, at the global scale, CO2-driven climate change neither reduces precipitation nor adequately explains droughts. Land-use change, particularly soil sealing, compaction, and drainage, are likely more significant for water losses by runoff leading to flooding and water scarcity and are therefore an important part the solution to mitigate floods, droughts, and heatwaves.
Matthias Sprenger, Rosemary W. H. Carroll, David Marchetti, Carleton Bern, Harsh Beria, Wendy Brown, Alexander Newman, Curtis Beutler, and Kenneth H. Williams
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 1711–1723, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1711-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1711-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Stable isotopes of water (described as d-excess) in mountain snowpack can be used to infer proportions of high-elevation snowmelt in stream water. In a Colorado River headwater catchment, nearly half of the water during peak streamflow is derived from melted snow at elevations greater than 3200 m. High-elevation snowpack contributions were higher for years with lower snowpack and warmer spring temperatures. Thus, we suggest that d-excess could serve to assess high-elevation snowpack changes.
Bailey J. Anderson, Manuela I. Brunner, Louise J. Slater, and Simon J. Dadson
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 1567–1583, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1567-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1567-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Elasticityrefers to how much the amount of water in a river changes with precipitation. We usually calculate this using average streamflow values; however, the amount of water within rivers is also dependent on stored water sources. Here, we look at how elasticity varies across the streamflow distribution and show that not only do low and high streamflows respond differently to precipitation change, but also these differences vary with water storage availability.
Danny Croghan, Pertti Ala-Aho, Jeffrey Welker, Kaisa-Riikka Mustonen, Kieran Khamis, David M. Hannah, Jussi Vuorenmaa, Bjørn Kløve, and Hannu Marttila
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 1055–1070, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1055-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1055-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The transport of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from land into streams is changing due to climate change. We used a multi-year dataset of DOC and predictors of DOC in a subarctic stream to find out how transport of DOC varied between seasons and between years. We found that the way DOC is transported varied strongly seasonally, but year-to-year differences were less apparent. We conclude that the mechanisms of transport show a higher degree of interannual consistency than previously thought.
Jia Qin, Yongjian Ding, Faxiang Shi, Junhao Cui, Yaping Chang, Tianding Han, and Qiudong Zhao
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 973–987, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-973-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-973-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The linkage between the seasonal hydrothermal change of active layer, suprapermafrost groundwater, and surface runoff, which has been regarded as a “black box” in hydrological analyses and simulations, is a bottleneck problem in permafrost hydrological studies. Based on field observations, this study identifies seasonal variations and causes of suprapermafrost groundwater. The linkages and framework of watershed hydrology responding to the freeze–thaw of the active layer also are explored.
Francesc Gallart, Sebastián González-Fuentes, and Pilar Llorens
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 229–239, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-229-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-229-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Normally, lighter oxygen and hydrogen isotopes are preferably evaporated from a water body, which becomes enriched in heavy isotopes. However, we observed that, in a water body subject to prolonged evaporation, some periods of heavy isotope depletion instead of enrichment happened. Furthermore, the usual models that describe the isotopy of evaporating waters may be in error if the atmospheric conditions of temperature and relative humidity are time-averaged instead of evaporation flux-weighted.
Guotao Zhang, Peng Cui, Carlo Gualtieri, Nazir Ahmed Bazai, Xueqin Zhang, and Zhengtao Zhang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 3005–3020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3005-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3005-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study used identified stormflow thresholds as a diagnostic tool to characterize abrupt variations in catchment emergent patterns pre- and post-earthquake. Earthquake-induced landslides with spatial heterogeneity and temporally undulating recovery increase the hydrologic nonstationary; thus, large post-earthquake floods are more likely to occur. This study contributes to mitigation and adaptive strategies for unpredictable hydrologic regimes triggered by abrupt natural disturbances.
Hongkai Gao, Fabrizio Fenicia, and Hubert H. G. Savenije
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 2607–2620, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2607-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2607-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
It is a deeply rooted perception that soil is key in hydrology. In this paper, we argue that it is the ecosystem, not the soil, that is in control of hydrology. Firstly, in nature, the dominant flow mechanism is preferential, which is not particularly related to soil properties. Secondly, the ecosystem, not the soil, determines the land–surface water balance and hydrological processes. Moving from a soil- to ecosystem-centred perspective allows more realistic and simpler hydrological models.
Daniel T. Myers, Darren L. Ficklin, and Scott M. Robeson
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 1755–1770, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1755-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1755-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We projected climate change impacts to rain-on-snow (ROS) melt events in the Great Lakes Basin. Decreases in snowpack limit future ROS melt. Areas with mean winter/spring air temperatures near freezing are most sensitive to ROS changes. The projected proportion of total monthly snowmelt from ROS decreases. The timing for ROS melt is projected to be 2 weeks earlier by the mid-21st century and affects spring streamflow. This could affect freshwater resources management.
Sarah A. Bourke, Margaret Shanafield, Paul Hedley, Sarah Chapman, and Shawan Dogramaci
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 809–836, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-809-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-809-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Here we present a hydrological framework for understanding the mechanisms supporting the persistence of water in pools along non-perennial rivers. Pools may collect water after rainfall events, be supported by water stored within the river channel sediments, or receive inflows from regional groundwater. These hydraulic mechanisms can be identified using a range of diagnostic tools (critiqued herein). We then apply this framework in north-west Australia to demonstrate its value.
Louisa D. Oldham, Jim Freer, Gemma Coxon, Nicholas Howden, John P. Bloomfield, and Christopher Jackson
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 761–781, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-761-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-761-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Water can move between river catchments via the subsurface, termed intercatchment groundwater flow (IGF). We show how a perceptual model of IGF can be developed with relatively simple geological interpretation and data requirements. We find that IGF dynamics vary in space, correlated to the dominant underlying geology. We recommend that IGF
loss functionsmay be used in conceptual rainfall–runoff models but should be supported by perceptualisation of IGF processes and connectivities.
Carolin Winter, Tam V. Nguyen, Andreas Musolff, Stefanie R. Lutz, Michael Rode, Rohini Kumar, and Jan H. Fleckenstein
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 303–318, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-303-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-303-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The increasing frequency of severe and prolonged droughts threatens our freshwater resources. While we understand drought impacts on water quantity, its effects on water quality remain largely unknown. Here, we studied the impact of the unprecedented 2018–2019 drought in Central Europe on nitrate export in a heterogeneous mesoscale catchment in Germany. We show that severe drought can reduce a catchment's capacity to retain nitrogen, intensifying the internal pollution and export of nitrate.
Keirnan Fowler, Murray Peel, Margarita Saft, Tim J. Peterson, Andrew Western, Lawrence Band, Cuan Petheram, Sandra Dharmadi, Kim Seong Tan, Lu Zhang, Patrick Lane, Anthony Kiem, Lucy Marshall, Anne Griebel, Belinda E. Medlyn, Dongryeol Ryu, Giancarlo Bonotto, Conrad Wasko, Anna Ukkola, Clare Stephens, Andrew Frost, Hansini Gardiya Weligamage, Patricia Saco, Hongxing Zheng, Francis Chiew, Edoardo Daly, Glen Walker, R. Willem Vervoort, Justin Hughes, Luca Trotter, Brad Neal, Ian Cartwright, and Rory Nathan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 6073–6120, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-6073-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-6073-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Recently, we have seen multi-year droughts tending to cause shifts in the relationship between rainfall and streamflow. In shifted catchments that have not recovered, an average rainfall year produces less streamflow today than it did pre-drought. We take a multi-disciplinary approach to understand why these shifts occur, focusing on Australia's over-10-year Millennium Drought. We evaluate multiple hypotheses against evidence, with particular focus on the key role of groundwater processes.
Günter Blöschl
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 5015–5033, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5015-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5015-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
There is serious concern that river floods are increasing. Starting from explanations discussed in public, the article addresses three hypotheses: land-use change, hydraulic structures, and climate change increase floods. This review finds that all three changes have the potential to not only increase floods, but also to reduce them. It is crucial to consider all three factors of change in flood risk management and communicate them to the general public in a nuanced way.
Amar Halifa-Marín, Miguel A. Torres-Vázquez, Enrique Pravia-Sarabia, Marc Lemus-Canovas, Pedro Jiménez-Guerrero, and Juan Pedro Montávez
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 4251–4263, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4251-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4251-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Near-natural Iberian water resources have suddenly decreased since the 1980s. These declines have been promoted by the weakening (enhancement) of wintertime precipitation (the NAOi) in the most humid areas, whereas afforestation and drought intensification have played a crucial role in semi-arid areas. Future water management would benefit from greater knowledge of North Atlantic climate variability and reforestation/afforestation processes in semi-arid catchments.
José L. J. Ledesma, Anna Lupon, Eugènia Martí, and Susana Bernal
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 4209–4232, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4209-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4209-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We studied a small stream located in a Mediterranean forest. Our goal was to understand how stream flow and the presence of riparian forests, which grow in flat banks near the stream, influence the availability of food for aquatic microorganisms. High flows were associated with higher amounts of food because rainfall episodes transfer it from the surrounding sources, particularly riparian forests, to the stream. Understanding how ecosystems work is essential to better manage natural resources.
Nils Hinrich Kaplan, Theresa Blume, and Markus Weiler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2671–2696, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2671-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2671-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study is analyses how characteristics of precipitation events and soil moisture and temperature dynamics during these events can be used to model the associated streamflow responses in intermittent streams. The models are used to identify differences between the dominant controls of streamflow intermittency in three distinct geologies of the Attert catchment, Luxembourg. Overall, soil moisture was found to be the most important control of intermittent streamflow in all geologies.
Saritha Padiyedath Gopalan, Adisorn Champathong, Thada Sukhapunnaphan, Shinichiro Nakamura, and Naota Hanasaki
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2541–2560, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2541-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2541-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The modelling of diversion canals using hydrological models is important because they play crucial roles in water management. Therefore, we developed a simplified canal diversion scheme and implemented it into the H08 global hydrological model. The developed diversion scheme was validated in the Chao Phraya River basin, Thailand. Region-specific validation results revealed that the H08 model with the diversion scheme could effectively simulate the observed flood diversion pattern in the basin.
Günter Blöschl
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2469–2480, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2469-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2469-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Sound understanding of how floods come about allows for the development of more reliable flood management tools that assist in mitigating their negative impacts. This article reviews river flood generation processes and flow paths across space scales, starting from water movement in the soil pores and moving up to hillslopes, catchments, regions and entire continents. To assist model development, there is a need to learn from observed patterns of flood generation processes at all spatial scales.
Jeenu Mathai and Pradeep P. Mujumdar
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2019–2033, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2019-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2019-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
With availability of large samples of data in catchments, it is necessary to develop indices that describe the streamflow processes. This paper describes new indices applicable for the rising and falling limbs of streamflow hydrographs. The indices provide insights into the drivers of the hydrographs. The novelty of the work is on differentiating hydrographs by their time irreversibility property and offering an alternative way to recognize primary drivers of streamflow hydrographs.
Nathan G. F. Reaver, David A. Kaplan, Harald Klammler, and James W. Jawitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 1507–1525, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1507-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1507-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Budyko curve emerges globally from the behavior of multiple catchments. Single-parameter Budyko equations extrapolate the curve concept to individual catchments, interpreting curves and parameters as representing climatic and biophysical impacts on water availability, respectively. We tested these two key components theoretically and empirically, finding that catchments are not required to follow Budyko curves and usually do not, implying the parametric framework lacks predictive ability.
Clemens Messerschmid and Amjad Aliewi
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 1043–1061, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1043-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1043-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Temporal distribution of groundwater recharge has been widely studied; yet, much less attention has been paid to its spatial distribution. Based on a previous study of field-measured and modelled formation-specific recharge in the Mediterranean, this paper differentiates annual recharge coefficients in a novel approach and basin classification framework for physical features such as lithology, soil and LU/LC characteristics, applicable also in other previously ungauged basins around the world.
Thea Wingfield, Neil Macdonald, Kimberley Peters, and Jack Spees
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 6239–6259, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6239-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6239-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Human activities are causing greater and more frequent floods. Natural flood management (NFM) uses processes of the water cycle to slow the flow of rainwater, bringing together land and water management. Despite NFM's environmental and social benefits, it is yet to be widely adopted. Two environmental practitioner groups collaborated to produce a picture of the barriers to delivery, showing that there is a perceived lack of support from government and the public for NFM.
Katharina Blaurock, Burkhard Beudert, Benjamin S. Gilfedder, Jan H. Fleckenstein, Stefan Peiffer, and Luisa Hopp
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5133–5151, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5133-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5133-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an important part of the global carbon cycle with regards to carbon storage, greenhouse gas emissions and drinking water treatment. In this study, we compared DOC export of a small, forested catchment during precipitation events after dry and wet preconditions. We found that the DOC export from areas that are usually important for DOC export was inhibited after long drought periods.
Michael Stoelzle and Lina Stein
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 4549–4565, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4549-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4549-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We found with a scientific paper survey (~ 1000 papers) that 45 % of the papers used rainbow color maps or red–green visualizations. Those rainbow visualizations, although attracting the media's attention, will not be accessible for up to 10 % of people due to color vision deficiency. The rainbow color map distorts and misleads scientific communication. The study gives guidance on how to avoid, improve and trust color and how the flaws of the rainbow color map should be communicated in science.
Tingting Ning, Zhi Li, Qi Feng, Zongxing Li, and Yanyan Qin
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 3455–3469, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3455-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-3455-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Previous studies decomposed ET variance in precipitation, potential ET, and total water storage changes based on Budyko equations. However, the effects of snowmelt and vegetation changes have not been incorporated in snow-dependent basins. We thus extended this method in arid alpine basins of northwest China and found that ET variance is primarily controlled by rainfall, followed by coupled rainfall and vegetation. The out-of-phase seasonality between rainfall and snowmelt weaken ET variance.
Lovrenc Pavlin, Borbála Széles, Peter Strauss, Alfred Paul Blaschke, and Günter Blöschl
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 2327–2352, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2327-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2327-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We compared the dynamics of streamflow, groundwater and soil moisture to investigate how different parts of an agricultural catchment in Lower Austria are connected. Groundwater is best connected around the stream and worse uphill, where groundwater is deeper. Soil moisture connectivity increases with increasing catchment wetness but is not influenced by spatial position in the catchment. Groundwater is more connected to the stream on the seasonal scale compared to the event scale.
Elnaz Azmi, Uwe Ehret, Steven V. Weijs, Benjamin L. Ruddell, and Rui A. P. Perdigão
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 1103–1115, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1103-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1103-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Computer models should be as simple as possible but not simpler. Simplicity refers to the length of the model and the effort it takes the model to generate its output. Here we present a practical technique for measuring the latter by the number of memory visits during model execution by
Strace, a troubleshooting and monitoring program. The advantage of this approach is that it can be applied to any computer-based model, which facilitates model intercomparison.
Sheena A. Spencer, Axel E. Anderson, Uldis Silins, and Adrian L. Collins
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 237–255, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-237-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-237-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We used unique chemical signatures of precipitation, hillslope soil water, and groundwater sources of streamflow to explore seasonal variation in runoff generation in a snow-dominated mountain watershed underlain by glacial till and permeable bedrock. Reacted hillslope water reached the stream first at the onset of snowmelt, followed by a dilution effect by snowmelt from May to June. Groundwater and riparian water were important sources later in the summer. Till created complex subsurface flow.
Tian Lan, Kairong Lin, Chong-Yu Xu, Zhiyong Liu, and Huayang Cai
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 5859–5874, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5859-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5859-2020, 2020
Dan Rosbjerg
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 4575–4585, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4575-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4575-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
August Colding contributed the first law of thermodynamics, evaporation from water and grass, steady free surfaces in conduits, the cross-sectional velocity distribution in conduits, a complete theory for the Gulf Stream, air speed in cyclones, the piezometric surface in confined aquifers, the unconfined elliptic water table in soil between drain pipes, and the wind-induced set-up in the sea during storms.
Zhengke Pan, Pan Liu, Chong-Yu Xu, Lei Cheng, Jing Tian, Shujie Cheng, and Kang Xie
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 4369–4387, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4369-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4369-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study aims to identify the response of catchment water storage capacity (CWSC) to meteorological drought by examining the changes of hydrological-model parameters after drought events. This study improves our understanding of possible changes in the CWSC induced by a prolonged meteorological drought, which will help improve our ability to simulate the hydrological system under climate change.
Zong-Jie Li, Zong-Xing Li, Ling-Ling Song, Juan Gui, Jian Xue, Bai Juan Zhang, and Wen De Gao
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 4169–4187, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4169-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4169-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study mainly explores the hydraulic relations, recharge–drainage relations and their transformation paths, and the processes of each water body. It determines the composition of runoff, quantifies the contribution of each runoff component to different types of tributaries, and analyzes the hydrological effects of the temporal and spatial variation in runoff components. More importantly, we discuss the hydrological significance of permafrost and hydrological processes.
Michal Jenicek and Ondrej Ledvinka
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 3475–3491, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3475-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3475-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Changes in snow affect the runoff seasonality, including summer low flows. Here we analyse this effect in 59 mountain catchments in Czechia. We show that snow is more effective in generating runoff compared to rain. Snow-poor years generated lower groundwater recharge than snow-rich years, which resulted in higher deficit volumes in summer. The lower recharge and runoff in the case of a snowfall-to-rain transition due to air temperature increase might be critical for water supply in the future.
Julia L. A. Knapp, Jana von Freyberg, Bjørn Studer, Leonie Kiewiet, and James W. Kirchner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 2561–2576, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-2561-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-2561-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Changes of stream water chemistry in response to discharge changes provide important insights into the storage and release of water from the catchment. Here we investigate the variability in concentration–discharge relationships among different solutes and hydrologic events and relate it to catchment conditions and dominant water sources.
Elizabeth R. Jachens, David E. Rupp, Clément Roques, and John S. Selker
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1159–1170, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1159-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1159-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Recession analysis uses the receding streamflow following precipitation events to estimate watershed-average properties. Two methods for recession analysis use recession events individually or all events collectively. Using synthetic case studies, this paper shows that analyzing recessions collectively produces flawed interpretations. Moving forward, recession analysis using individual recessions should be used to describe the average and variability of watershed behavior.
Lu Lin, Man Gao, Jintao Liu, Jiarong Wang, Shuhong Wang, Xi Chen, and Hu Liu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1145–1157, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1145-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1145-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, recession flow analysis – assuming nonlinearized outflow from aquifers into streams – was used to quantify active groundwater storage in a headwater catchment with high glacierization and large-scale frozen ground on the Tibetan Plateau. Hence, this work provides a perspective to clarify the impact of glacial retreat and frozen ground degradation due to climate change on hydrological processes.
Francesc Gallart, Jana von Freyberg, María Valiente, James W. Kirchner, Pilar Llorens, and Jérôme Latron
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1101–1107, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1101-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1101-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
How catchments store and release rain or melting water is still not well known. Now, it is broadly accepted that most of the water in streams is older than several months, and a relevant part may be many years old. But the age of water depends on the stream regime, being usually younger during high flows. This paper tries to provide tools for better analysing how the age of waters varies with flow in a catchment and for comparing the behaviour of catchments diverging in climate, size and regime.
Sebastian J. Gnann, Nicholas J. K. Howden, and Ross A. Woods
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 561–580, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-561-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-561-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In many places, seasonal variability in precipitation and evapotranspiration (climate) leads to seasonal variability in river flow (streamflow). In this work, we explore how climate seasonality is transformed into streamflow seasonality and what controls this transformation (e.g. climate aridity and geology). The results might be used in grouping catchments, predicting the seasonal streamflow regime in ungauged catchments, and building hydrological simulation models.
Cited articles
Acreman, M. C. and Dunbar, M. J.: Defining environmental river flow requirements – a review, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 8, 861–876, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-8-861-2004, 2004.
Alexander, L. V., Tett, S. F. B., and Jonsson, T.: Recent observed changes in
severe storms over the United Kingdom and
Iceland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L13704, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL022371, 2005.
Allen, M. R. and Smith, L. A.: Monte Carlo SSA: Detecting Irregular
Oscillations in the Presence of Colored Noise, J. Climate, 9,
3373–3404, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1996)009<3373:MCSDIO>2.0.CO;2, 1996.
Barker, L. J., Hannaford, J., Chiverton, A., and Svensson, C.: From meteorological to hydrological drought using standardised indicators, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 2483–2505, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-2483-2016, 2016.
Bloomfield, J. P. and Marchant, B. P.: Analysis of groundwater drought building on the standardised precipitation index approach, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4769–4787, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4769-2013, 2013.
Bloomfield, J. P., Allen, D. J., and Griffiths, K. J.: Examining geological
controls on baseflow index (BFI) using regression analysis: An illustration
from the Thames Basin, UK, J. Hydrol., 373,
164–176, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2009.04.025, 2009.
Bracken, L. J., Wainwright, J., Ali, G. A., Tetzlaff, D., Smith, M. W.,
Reaney, S. M., and Roy, A. G.: Concepts of hydrological connectivity:
Research approaches, Pathways and future agendas, Earth-Sci. Rev., 119, 17–34, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.02.001, 2013.
Brown, S. J.: The drivers of variability in UK extreme rainfall,
Int. J. Climatol., 38, 119–130, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.5356, 2018.
Bru, L. and McDermott, F.: Impacts of the EA and SCA Patterns on the
European Twentieth Century NAO-Winter-Climate
Relationships, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 140, 354–63, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.2158, 2014.
Carr, E. J. and Simpson, M. J.: Accurate and efficient calculation of
response times for groundwater flow, J. Hydrol.,
558, 470–481, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.12.023, 2018.
Chaudhuri, A. H., Gangopadhyay, A., and Bisagni, J. J.: Response of the Gulf
Stream transport to characteristic high and low phases of the North Atlantic
Oscillation, Ocean Model., 39, 220–232, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2011.04.005, 2011.
Chiverton, A., Hannaford, J., Holman, I. P., Corstanje, R., Prudhomme, C., Hess, T. M., and Bloomfield, J. P.: Using variograms to detect and attribute hydrological change, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2395–2408, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2395-2015, 2015.
Chun, K. P., Wheater, H. S., and Onof, C. J.: Streamflow estimation for six
UK catchments under future climate scenarios, Hydrol. Res., 40,
96–112, https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2009.086, 2009.
Crossman, J., Futter, M. N., Whitehead, P. G., Stainsby, E., Baulch, H. M., Jin, L., Oni, S. K., Wilby, R. L., and Dillon, P. J.: Flow pathways and nutrient transport mechanisms drive hydrochemical sensitivity to climate change across catchments with different geology and topography, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 5125–5148, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5125-2014, 2014.
Cuthbert, M. O., Gleeson, T., Moosdorf, N., Befus, K. M., Schneider, A.,
Hartmann, J., and Lehner, B.: Global patterns and dynamics of
climate-groundwater interactions, Nat. Clim. Change, 9, 137–141, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0386-4, 2019.
Dawson, A., Elliott, L., Noone, S., Hickey, K., Holt, T., Wadhams, P., and
Foster, I.: Historical storminess and climate “see-saws” in the North
Atlantic region, Mar. Geol., 210, 247–259, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2004.05.011, 2004.
DeFlorio, M. J., Pierce, D. W., Cayan, D. R., and Miller, A. J.: Western US Extreme Precipitation Events and Their Relation to ENSO and PDO in CCSM4, J. Climate, 26, 4231–4243, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00257.1, 2013.
Dickinson, J. E.: Inferring time-varying recharge from inverse analysis of
long-term water levels, Water Resour. Res., 40, W07403, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003WR002650, 2004.
Dickinson, J. E., Ferré, T. P. A., Bakker, M., and Crompton, B.: A
Screening Tool for Delineating Subregions of Steady Recharge within
Groundwater Models, Vadose Zone J., 13, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2013.10.0184, 2014.
Dixon, H., Hannaford, J., and Fry, M. J.: The effective management of
national hydrometric data: experiences from the United Kingdom,
Hydrolog. Sci. J., 58, 1383–1399, https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2013.787486, 2013.
Folland, C. K., Hannaford, J., Bloomfield, J. P., Kendon, M., Svensson, C., Marchant, B. P., Prior, J., and Wallace, E.: Multi-annual droughts in the English Lowlands: a review of their characteristics and climate drivers in the winter half-year, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2353–2375, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2353-2015, 2015.
Forootan, E., Khaki, M., Schumacher, M., Wulfmeyer, V., Mehrnegar, N., van Dijk, A. I. J. M., Brocca, L., Farzaneh, S., Akinluyi, F., Ramillien, G., Shum, C. K., Awange, J., and Mostafaie, A.: Understanding the Global Hydrological
Droughts of 2003–2016 and Their Relationships with Teleconnections,
Sci. Total Environ., 9, 2587–2604, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.09.231, 2018.
Fowler, H. J. and Kilsby, C. G.: Precipitation and the North Atlantic
Oscillation: a study of climatic variability in northern England,
Int. J. Climatol., 22, 843–866, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.765, 2002.
Frankignoul, C., de Coëtlogon, G., Joyce, T. M., and Dong, S.: Gulf
Stream Variability and Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions,
J. Phys. Oceanogr., 31, 3516–3529, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0485(2002)031<3516:GSVAOA>2.0.CO;2, 2001.
Gericke, O. J. and Smithers, J. C.: Revue des méthodes d'évaluation
du temps de réponse d'un bassin versant pour l'estimation du débit
de pointe, Hydrolog. Sci. J., 59, 1935–1971, https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2013.866712, 2014.
Gnann, S. J., Howden, N. J. K., and Woods, R. A.: Hydrological signatures describing the translation of climate seasonality into streamflow seasonality, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 561–580, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-561-2020, 2020.
Guillod, B. P., Jones, R. G., Dadson, S. J., Coxon, G., Bussi, G., Freer, J., Kay, A. L., Massey, N. R., Sparrow, S. N., Wallom, D. C. H., Allen, M. R., and Hall, J. W.: A large set of potential past, present and future hydro-meteorological time series for the UK, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 611–634, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-611-2018, 2018.
Gustard, A., Bullock, A., and Dixon, J. M.: Low flow estimation in the United Kingdom, IH Report No. 108, Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford, UK, 88 pp., http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/6050 (last access: 14 July 2020), 1992.
Haarsma, R. J., Selten, F. M., and Drijfhout, S. S.: Decelerating Atlantic
Meridional Overturning Circulation Main Cause of Future West European Summer
Atmospheric Circulation Changes, Environ. Res. Lett., 094007, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/9/094007, 2015.
Hannaford, J. and Harvey, C.: UK seasonal river flow variability in
near-natural catchments, regional outflows and long hydrometric records, in: BHS Third International Symposium, Managing Consequences of a Changing Global
Environment, Newcastle, United Kingdom, 2010, 1–7, 2010.
Haslinger, K., Koffler, D., Schöner, W., and Laaha, G.: Exploring the
link between meteorological drought and streamflow: Effects of
climate-catchment interaction, Water Resour. Res., 50, 2468–2487, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013WR015051, 2014.
Hellwig, J. and Stahl, K.: An assessment of trends and potential future changes in groundwater-baseflow drought based on catchment response times, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 6209–6224, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6209-2018, 2018.
Holman, I. P., Rivas-Casado, M., Howden, N. J. K., Bloomfield, J. P., and
Williams, A. T.: Linking North Atlantic ocean-atmosphere teleconnection
patterns and hydrogeological responses in temperate groundwater systems,
Hydrol. Process., 23, 3123–3126, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.7466, 2009.
Holman, I. P., Rivas-Casado, M., Bloomfield, J. P., and Gurdak, J. J.:
Identifying non-stationary groundwater level response to North Atlantic
ocean-atmosphere teleconnection patterns using wavelet coherence,
Hydrogeol. J., 19, 1269–1278, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-011-0755-9, 2011.
Hurrell, J. W. and Deser, C.: North Atlantic climate variability: The role
of the North Atlantic Oscillation, J. Marine Syst., 79, 231–244, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2009.11.002, 2010.
Hurrell, J. W. and Van Loon, H.: Decadal Variations in Climate Associated
with the North Atlantic Oscillation, Climatic Change, 36, 301–326, https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005314315270, 1997.
Hurrell, J. W., Kushnir, Y., Ottersen, G., and Visbeck, M.: An Overview of
the North Atlantic Oscillation, in: The North Atlantic Oscillation: Climatic
Significance and Environmental Impact, American Geophysical Union, USA, 1–35, https://doi.org/10.1029/GM134, 2003.
Kamruzzaman, M., Shahriar, M. S., and Beecham, S.: Assessment of short term
rainfall and stream flows in South Australia, Water, 6, 3528–3544, https://doi.org/10.3390/w6113528, 2014.
Kingston, D. G., Lawler, D. M., and McGregor, G. R.: Linkages between
atmospheric circulation, climate and streamflow in the northern North
Atlantic: research prospects, Prog. Phys. Geog., 30, 143–174, https://doi.org/10.1191/0309133306pp471ra, 2006.
Kingston, D. G., Hannah, D. M., Lawler, D. M., and McGregor, G.: Regional
Classification, Variability, and Trends of Northern North Atlantic River
Flow, Hydrol. Process., 25, 1021–1033, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.7655, 2011.
Kronholm, S. and Capel, P.: Estimation of time-variable fast flow path
chemicalconcentrations for application in tracer-based hydrographseparation
analyses, J. Am. Water Resour. As., 52,
6881–6896, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR018797, 2016.
Kuss, A. M. and Gurdak, J. J.: Groundwater level response in U.S. principal
aquifers to ENSO, NAO, PDO, and AMO, J. Hydrol., 519, 1939–1952, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2014.09.069, 2014.
Labat, D.: Cross Wavelet Analyses of Annual Continental Freshwater Discharge
and Selected Climate Indices, J. Hydrol., 385, 269–278, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.02.029, 2010.
Lane, R. A., Coxon, G., Freer, J. E., Wagener, T., Johnes, P. J., Bloomfield, J. P., Greene, S., Macleod, C. J. A., and Reaney, S. M.: Benchmarking the predictive capability of hydrological models for river flow and flood peak predictions across over 1000 catchments in Great Britain, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 4011–4032, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4011-2019, 2019.
Ledingham, J., Archer, D., Lewis, E., Fowler, H., and Kilsby, C.: Contrasting
seasonality of storm rainfall and flood runoff in the UK and some
implications for rainfall-runoff methods of flood estimation, Hydrol. Res., 50, 1309–1323, https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2019.040, 2019.
López-Moreno, J. I., Vicente-Serrano, S. M., Morán-Tejeda, E.,
Lorenzo-Lacruz, J., Kenawy, A., and Beniston, M.: Effects of the North
Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on combined temperature and precipitation winter
modes in the Mediterranean mountains: Observed relationships and projections
for the 21st century, Global Planet. Change, 77,
62–76, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2011.03.003, 2011.
Marchant, B. P. and Bloomfield, J. P.: Spatio-temporal modelling of the
status of groundwater droughts, J. Hydrol., 564,
397–413, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JHYDROL.2018.07.009, 2018.
Marsh, T. and Hannaford, J.: UK Hydrometric Register, Hydrological data UK series, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, UK, 2008.
Mathias, S. A., McIntyre, N., and Oughton, R. H.: A study of non-linearity in
rainfall-runoff response using 120 UK catchments, J. Hydrol., 540, 423–436, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.06.039, 2016.
Meinke, H., de Voil, P., Hammer, G. L., Power, S., Allan, R., Stone, R. C.,
Folland, C., and Potgieter, A.: Rainfall variability of decadal and longer
time scales: Signal or noise?, J. Climate, 18, 89–90, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-3263.1, 2005.
Misumi, R., Bell, V. A., and Moore, R. J.: River flow forecasting using a
rainfall disaggregation model incorporating small-scale topographic effects,
Meteorol. Appl., 8, 297–305, https://doi.org/10.1017/S135048270100305X, 2001.
Murphy, S. J. and Washington, R.: United Kingdom and Ireland precipitation
variability and the North Atlantic sea-level pressure field, Int. J. Climatol., 21, 939–959, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.670, 2001.
Najafi, M. R., Zwiers, F. W., and Gillett, N. P.: Attribution of Observed
Streamflow Changes in Key British Columbia Drainage Basins, Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, 11012–11020, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL075016, 2017.
Nathan, R. J. and McMahon, T. A.: Evaluation of automated techniques for
base flow and recession analyses, Water Resour. Res., 26, 1465–1473, https://doi.org/10.1029/WR026i007p01465, 1990.
Neves, M. C., Jerez, S., and Trigo, R. M.: The response of piezometric levels
in Portugal to NAO, EA, and SCAND climate patterns, J. Hydrol., 568, 1105–1117, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JHYDROL.2018.11.054, 2019.
NRFA: Streamflow and precipitation data, metadata, available at: http://nrfa.ceh.ac.uk/ (last access: 14 July 2020), 2021.
Ockenden, M. C. and Chappell, N. A.: Identification of the dominant runoff
pathways from data-based mechanistic modelling of nested catchments in
temperate UK, J. Hydrol., 402, 71–79, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.03.001, 2011.
Olsen, J., Anderson, N. J., and Knudsen, M. F.: Variability of the North
Atlantic Oscillation over the Past 5200 Years, Nat. Geosci., 5,
808–812, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1589, 2012.
Parker, T., Woollings, T., Weisheimer, A., O'Reilly, C., Baker, L., and
Shaffrey, L.: Seasonal Predictability of the Winter North Atlantic
Oscillation from a Jet Stream Perspective, Geophys. Res. Lett., 46, 10159–10167, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084402, 2019.
Rashid, M., Beecham, S., and Chowdhury, R. K.: Assessment of Trends in Point
Rainfall Using Continuous Wavelet Transforms, Adv. Water Resour.,
82, 1–15, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.04.006, 2015.
Rosch, A. and Schmidbauer, H.: WaveletComp 1.1: a guided tour through the
R package, available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3825/de34e8ae27624eece03abf6fbb8fd07c795a.pdf (last access: 20 Janurary 2021), 2018.
Rousseau-Gueutin, P., Love, A. J., Vasseur, G., Robinson, N. I., Simmons, C.
T., and De Marsily, G.: Time to reach near-steady state in large aquifers,
Water Resour. Res., 49, 6893–6908, https://doi.org/10.1002/wrcr.20534, 2013.
Rust, W., Holman, I., Corstanje, R., Bloomfield, J., and Cuthbert, M.: A
conceptual model for climatic teleconnection signal control on groundwater
variability in Europe, Earth-Sci. Rev., 177, 164–174, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2017.09.017, 2018.
Rust, W., Holman, I., Bloomfield, J., Cuthbert, M., and Corstanje, R.: Understanding the potential of climate teleconnections to project future groundwater drought, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3233–3245, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3233-2019, 2019.
Su, L., Miao, C., Borthwick, A. G. L., and Duan, Q.: Wavelet-based
variability of Yellow River discharge at 500-, 100-, and 50-year timescales,
Gondwana Res., 49, 94–105, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2017.05.013, 2017.
Svensson, C., Brookshaw, A., Scaife, A. A., Bell, V. A., Mackay, J. D.,
Jackson, C. R., Hannaford, J., Davies, H. N., Arribas, A., and Stanley, S.: Long-Range Forecasts of UK Winter Hydrology, Environ. Res. Lett., 10, 064006, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/6/064006, 2015.
Tanguy, M., Dixon, H., Prosdocimi, I., Morris, D. G., and Keller, V. D. J.: Gridded estimates of daily and monthly areal rainfall for the United Kingdom
(1890–2017) [CEH-GEAR], NERC Environmental Information Data
Centre, Wallingford, UK, https://doi.org/10.5285/ee9ab43d-a4fe-4e73-afd5-cd4fc4c82556, 2019.
Taylor, A. H. and Stephens, J. A.: The North Atlantic Oscillation and the
latitude of the Gulf Stream, Tellus A, 50, 134–142, https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusa.v50i1.14517, 1998.
Townley, L. R.: The response of aquifers to periodic forcing,
Adv. Water Resour., 18, 125–146, https://doi.org/10.1016/0309-1708(95)00008-7, 1995.
Tremblay, L., Larocque, M., Anctil, F., and Rivard, C.: Teleconnections and
Interannual Variability in Canadian Groundwater Levels, J. Hydrol., 410, 178–188, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.09.013, 2011.
Trigo, R. M., Osborn, T. J., and Corte-real, J. M.: The North Atlantic
Oscillation influence on Europe: climate impacts and associated physical
mechanisms, Clim. Res., 20, 9–17, https://doi.org/10.3354/cr020009, 2002.
Trigo, R. M., Pozo-Vazquez, D., Osborn, T. J., Castro-Diez, Y.,
Gamiz-Fortis, S., and Esteban-Parra, M. J.: North Atlantic oscillation
influence on precipitation, river flow and water resources in the Iberian
peninsula, Int. J. Climatol., 24, 925–944, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1048, 2004.
Uvo, C. B.: Analysis and regionalization of northern European winter
precipitation based on its relationship with the North Atlantic oscillation,
Int. J. Climatol., 23, 1185–1194, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.930, 2003.
Van Loon, A. F.: Hydrological Drought Explained, WIRES Water, 2, 359–392, https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1085, 2015.
Velasco, E. M., Gurdak, J. J., Dickinson, J. E., Ferré T. P. A., and
Corona, C. R.: Interannual to Multidecadal Climate Forcings on Groundwater
Resources of the U.S. West Coast, J. Hydrol., 11, 250–265, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2015.11.018, 2015.
Visser, A., Beevers, L., and Patidar, S.: The impact of climate change on
hydroecological response in chalk streams, Water, 11, 596, https://doi.org/10.3390/w11030596, 2019.
Watelet, S., Beckers, J. M., and Barth, A.: Reconstruction of the Gulf Stream
from 1940 to the present and correlation with the North Atlantic
Oscillation, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 47, 2741–2754, https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-17-0064.1, 2017.
West, H., Quinn, N., and Horswell, M.: Regional rainfall response to the
North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) across Great Britain, Hydrol. Res.,
50, 1549–1563, https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2019.015, 2019.
Wilby, R. L.: When and where might climate change be detectable in UK river
flows?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L19407, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027552, 2006.
Woollings, T. and Blackburn, M.: The North Atlantic Jet Stream under Climate
Change and Its Relation to the NAO and EA Patterns, J. Climate, 25, 886–902, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00087.1, 2012.
Zhang, X. J., Jin, L. Y., Chen, C. Z., Guan, D. S., and Li, M. Z.:
Interannual and interdecadal variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation
spatial shift, Chinese Sci. Bull., 56, 2621–2627, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-011-4607-8, 2011.
Short summary
In this paper, we find evidence for the cyclical behaviour (on a 7-year basis) in UK streamflow records that match the main cycle of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Furthermore, we find that the strength of these 7-year cycles in streamflow is dependent on proportional contributions from groundwater and the response times of the underlying groundwater systems. This may allow for improvements to water management practices through better understanding of long-term streamflow behaviour.
In this paper, we find evidence for the cyclical behaviour (on a 7-year basis) in UK streamflow...
