Articles | Volume 26, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-6029-2022
© Author(s) 2022. 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-26-6029-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
02 Dec 2022
Research article |
| 02 Dec 2022
| 02 Dec 2022
Towards a hydrogeomorphological understanding of proglacial catchments: an assessment of groundwater storage and release in an Alpine catchment
Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, Lausanne, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Institute of Geography (GIUB), University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Stuart N. Lane
Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, Lausanne, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Bettina Schaefli
Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, Lausanne, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Institute of Geography (GIUB), University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR), University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Based on extensive field observations in a highly glacierized catchment in the Swiss Alps, we develop a combined isotopic and glacio-hydrological model. We show that water stable isotopes may help to better constrain model parameters, especially those linked to water transfer. However, we highlight that separating snow and ice melt for temperate glaciers based on isotope mixing models alone is not advised and should only be considered if their isotopic signatures have clearly different values.
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We investigate the role of a newly formed floodplain in an alpine glaciated catchment to store and release water. Based on field measurements, we built a numerical model to simulate the water fluxes and show that recharge occurs mainly due to the ice-melt-fed river. We identify three future floodplains, which could emerge from glacier retreat, and show that their combined storage leads to some additional groundwater storage but contributes little additional baseflow for the downstream river.
Florentin Hofmeister, Xinyang Fan, Madlene Pfeiffer, Ben Marzeion, Bettina Schaefli, and Gabriele Chiogna
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We use the WRF model for dynamically downscaling a global reanalysis product for the period 1850 to 2015 for the central European Alps. We demonstrate a workflow for transferring coarse-resolution (2 km) WRF temperature and precipitation to a much finer spatial resolution (25 m) of a physics-based hydrological model (WaSiM) and evaluate the results in a multi-data approach covering different simulation periods. Our results highlight the need for plausible and consistent elevation gradients.
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Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2649–2669, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2649-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2649-2022, 2022
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River discharge is strongly influenced by the temporal structure of precipitation. Here, we show how extreme precipitation events that occur a few days or weeks after a previous event have a larger effect on river discharge than events occurring in isolation. Windows of 2 weeks or less between events have the most impact. Similarly, periods of persistent high discharge tend to be associated with the occurrence of several extreme precipitation events in close succession.
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Floods in Europe vary on time scales of several decades. Flood-rich and flood-poor periods alternate. Recently floods have again become more frequent. Long time series of peak stream flow, precipitation, and atmospheric variables reveal that until around 1980, these changes were mostly due to changes in atmospheric circulation. However, in recent decades the role of increasing atmospheric moisture due to climate warming has become more important and is now the main driver of flood changes.
Moctar Dembélé, Mathieu Vrac, Natalie Ceperley, Sander J. Zwart, Josh Larsen, Simon J. Dadson, Grégoire Mariéthoz, and Bettina Schaefli
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 1481–1506, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1481-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1481-2022, 2022
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Climate change impacts on water resources in the Volta River basin are investigated under various global warming scenarios. Results reveal contrasting changes in future hydrological processes and water availability, depending on greenhouse gas emission scenarios, with implications for floods and drought occurrence over the 21st century. These findings provide insights for the elaboration of regional adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change.
Adrien Michel, Bettina Schaefli, Nander Wever, Harry Zekollari, Michael Lehning, and Hendrik Huwald
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 1063–1087, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1063-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-1063-2022, 2022
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This study presents an extensive study of climate change impacts on river temperature in Switzerland. Results show that, even for low-emission scenarios, water temperature increase will lead to adverse effects for both ecosystems and socio-economic sectors throughout the 21st century. For high-emission scenarios, the effect will worsen. This study also shows that water seasonal warming will be different between the Alpine regions and the lowlands. Finally, efficiency of models is assessed.
Anthony Michelon, Lionel Benoit, Harsh Beria, Natalie Ceperley, and Bettina Schaefli
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 2301–2325, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2301-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2301-2021, 2021
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Rainfall observation remains a challenge, particularly in mountain environments. Unlike most studies which are model based, this analysis of the rainfall–runoff response of a 13.4 km2 alpine catchment is purely data based and relies on measurements from a network of 12 low-cost rain gauges over 3 months. It assesses the importance of high-density rainfall observations in informing hydrological processes and helps in designing a permanent rain gauge network.
Elvira Mächler, Anham Salyani, Jean-Claude Walser, Annegret Larsen, Bettina Schaefli, Florian Altermatt, and Natalie Ceperley
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 735–753, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-735-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-735-2021, 2021
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In this study, we collected water from an Alpine catchment in Switzerland and compared the genetic information of eukaryotic organisms conveyed by eDNA with the hydrologic information conveyed by naturally occurring hydrologic tracers. At the intersection of two disciplines, our study provides complementary knowledge gains and identifies the next steps to be addressed for using eDNA to achieve complementary insights into Alpine water sources.
Anna E. Sikorska-Senoner, Bettina Schaefli, and Jan Seibert
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3521–3549, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-20-3521-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-20-3521-2020, 2020
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This work proposes methods for reducing the computational requirements of hydrological simulations for the estimation of very rare floods that occur on average less than once in 1000 years. These methods enable the analysis of long streamflow time series (here for example 10 000 years) at low computational costs and with modelling uncertainty. They are to be used within continuous simulation frameworks with long input time series and are readily transferable to similar simulation tasks.
Moctar Dembélé, Bettina Schaefli, Nick van de Giesen, and Grégoire Mariéthoz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 5379–5406, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5379-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-5379-2020, 2020
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This study evaluates 102 combinations of rainfall and temperature datasets from satellite and reanalysis sources as input to a fully distributed hydrological model. The model is recalibrated for each input dataset, and the outputs are evaluated with streamflow, evaporation, soil moisture and terrestrial water storage data. Results show that no single rainfall or temperature dataset consistently ranks first in reproducing the spatio-temporal variability of all hydrological processes.
Harsh Beria, Joshua R. Larsen, Anthony Michelon, Natalie C. Ceperley, and Bettina Schaefli
Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 2433–2450, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-2433-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-2433-2020, 2020
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We develop a Bayesian mixing model to address the issue of small sample sizes to describe different sources in hydrological mixing applications. Using composite likelihood functions, the model accounts for an often overlooked bias arising due to unweighted mixing. We test the model efficacy using a series of statistical benchmarking tests and demonstrate its real-life applicability by applying it to a Swiss Alpine catchment to obtain the proportion of groundwater recharged from rain vs. snow.
Anthony Michelon, Lionel Benoit, Harsh Beria, Natalie Ceperley, and Bettina Schaefli
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-683, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-683, 2020
Manuscript not accepted for further review
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Rainfall observation remains a challenge particularly in mountain environments. Unlike most studies which are model based, this analysis of the rainfall-runoff response of a 13.4 km2 alpine catchment is purely data-based and rely on measures from a network of 12 low-cost raingauges over 3 months. It assesses the importance of high-density rainfall observations to inform hydrological processes and help to design a permanent raingauge network.
Adrien Michel, Tristan Brauchli, Michael Lehning, Bettina Schaefli, and Hendrik Huwald
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 115–142, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-115-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-115-2020, 2020
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This study constitutes the first comprehensive analysis of river
temperature in Switzerland combined with discharge and key meteorological variables, such as air temperature and precipitation. It is also the first study to discuss the large-scale seasonal behaviour of stream temperature in Switzerland. This research shows the clear increase of river temperature in Switzerland over the last few decades and may serve as a solid reference for future climate change scenario simulations.
Elvira Mächler, Anham Salyani, Jean-Claude Walser, Annegret Larsen, Bettina Schaefli, Florian Altermatt, and Natalie Ceperley
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-551, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-551, 2019
Revised manuscript not accepted
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We explored what genetic material collected from water (eDNA) tells us about the flow of mountain streams, which are particularly valuable for habitat and water resources, but highly variable. We saw that when flow increased, more diverse eDNA was transported, especially in the main channel and tributaries. Whereas in the springs, we saw more diverse eDNA when the electrical conductivity of the water increased, likely indicating more underground surface contact.
Ana Clara Santos, Maria Manuela Portela, Andrea Rinaldo, and Bettina Schaefli
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 2377–2389, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-2377-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-2377-2018, 2018
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This paper assesses the performance of an analytical modeling framework for probability distributions for summer streamflow of 25 Swiss catchments that present a wide range of hydroclimatic regimes, including snow- and icemelt-influenced streamflows. Two versions of the model were tested: linear and nonlinear. The results show that the model performs well for summer discharges under all analyzed regimes and that model performance varies with mean catchment elevation.
Anna Costa, Peter Molnar, Laura Stutenbecker, Maarten Bakker, Tiago A. Silva, Fritz Schlunegger, Stuart N. Lane, Jean-Luc Loizeau, and Stéphanie Girardclos
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 509–528, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-509-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-509-2018, 2018
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We explore the signal of a warmer climate in the suspended-sediment dynamics of a regulated and human-impacted Alpine catchment. We demonstrate that temperature-driven enhanced melting of glaciers, which occurred in the mid-1980s, played a dominant role in suspended sediment concentration rise, through increased runoff from sediment-rich proglacial areas, increased contribution of sediment-rich meltwater, and increased sediment supply in proglacial areas due to glacier recession.
A. Gallice, B. Schaefli, M. Lehning, M. B. Parlange, and H. Huwald
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3727–3753, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3727-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3727-2015, 2015
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This study presents a new model to estimate the monthly mean stream temperature of ungauged rivers over multiple years in an Alpine country. Contrary to the other approaches developed to date, which are usually based on standard regression techniques, our model makes use of the understanding that we have about the physics controlling stream temperature. On top of its accuracy being comparable to that of the other models, it can be used to gain some knowledge about the stream temperature dynamics
B. Schaefli, L. Nicótina, C. Imfeld, P. Da Ronco, E. Bertuzzo, and A. Rinaldo
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 2733–2746, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-2733-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-2733-2014, 2014
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This paper presents the Spatially Explicit Hydrologic Response of the Laboratory of Ecohydrology of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne for hydrologic simulation at the catchment scale. It simulates the mobilization of water at the subcatchment scale and the transport to the outlet through a convolution with the river network. We discuss the parameter estimation and model performance for discharge simulation in the high Alpine Dischmabach catchment (Switzerland).
S. N. Lane
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 927–952, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-927-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-927-2014, 2014
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Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 3037–3054, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3037-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3037-2025, 2025
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Karst springs respond quickly to environmental changes, making them crucial to understanding climate impacts on groundwater. This study analyses long-term trends in precipitation, temperature, and discharge from more than 50 springs across Europe. Results show that while historical discharge trends align with those of rivers, recent changes are driven by rising temperatures rather than precipitation. These findings highlight climate-driven shifts in groundwater recharge and storage processes.
Ben Wilkins, Tom Johns, and Sarah Mager
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2765–2784, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2765-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2765-2025, 2025
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Rob de Rooij
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2697–2705, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2697-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2697-2025, 2025
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Coordinate transformations are often used in the finite element method. Here, three existing approaches are discussed that can be applied to the same mapping problem. From a mathematical viewpoint, the approaches are quite different. It is shown that all three approaches provide the same result. Interestingly, the more mathematically challenging approaches provide an expression that is the most practical to implement in a finite element code.
Mingyang Li, Fulin Li, Shidong Fu, Huawei Chen, Kairan Wang, Xuequn Chen, and Jiwen Huang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4623–4642, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4623-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4623-2024, 2024
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Research on groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) started earlier, but because there is no good identification and classification method, most of the related research is concentrated in Europe and Australia. In this study, the lower Yellow River basin in northern China, with well-developed karsts, was selected as the study area, and a four-diagnostic-criteria framework for identifying the GDEs based on remote sensing, GIS data dredging, and hydrogeological surveys was proposed.
Roi Roded, Einat Aharonov, Piotr Szymczak, Manolis Veveakis, Boaz Lazar, and Laura E. Dalton
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 4559–4576, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4559-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4559-2024, 2024
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Common practices in water resource management and geothermal applications involve the injection of hot or cold water into aquifers. The resulting thermal changes may lead to chemical disequilibrium and consequent mineral dissolution/precipitation in the rock void space. A mathematical model is developed to study the effects of such thermal fluid injection on the evolution of water composition, aquifer porosity, and permeability. The model is then applied to two important case studies.
Rémi Valois, Agnès Rivière, Jean-Michel Vouillamoz, and Gabriel C. Rau
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 1041–1054, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1041-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1041-2024, 2024
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Characterizing aquifer systems is challenging because it is difficult to obtain in situ information. They can, however, be characterized using natural forces such as Earth tides. Models that account for more complex situations are still necessary to extend the use of Earth tides to assess hydromechanical properties of aquifer systems. Such a model is developed in this study and applied to a case study in Cambodia, where a combination of tides was used in order to better constrain the model.
Jannick Strüven and Stefan Hergarten
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 3041–3058, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3041-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-3041-2023, 2023
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This study uses dendritic flow patterns to analyze the recession behavior of aquifer springs. The results show that the long-term recession becomes slower for large catchments. After a short recharge event, however, the short-term behavior differs strongly from the exponential recession that would be expected from a linear reservoir. The exponential component still accounts for more than 80 % of the total discharge, much more than typically assumed for karst aquifers.
Jie Yang, Qiaoyu Wang, Ingo Heidbüchel, Chunhui Lu, Yueqing Xie, Andreas Musolff, and Jan H. Fleckenstein
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 5051–5068, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5051-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5051-2022, 2022
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We assessed the effect of catchment topographic slopes on the nitrate export dynamics in terms of the nitrogen mass fluxes and concentration level using a coupled surface–subsurface model. We found that flatter landscapes tend to retain more nitrogen mass in the soil and export less nitrogen mass to the stream, explained by the reduced leaching and increased potential of degradation in flat landscapes. We emphasized that stream water quality is potentially less vulnerable in flatter landscapes.
Leïla Serène, Christelle Batiot-Guilhe, Naomi Mazzilli, Christophe Emblanch, Milanka Babic, Julien Dupont, Roland Simler, Matthieu Blanc, and Gérard Massonnat
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 5035–5049, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5035-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5035-2022, 2022
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This work aims to develop the Transit Time index (TTi) as a natural tracer of karst groundwater transit time, usable in the 0–6-month range. Based on the fluorescence of organic matter, TTi shows its relevance to detect a small proportion of fast infiltration water within a mix, while other natural transit time tracers provide no or less sensitive information. Comparison of the average TTi of different karst springs also provides consistent results with the expected relative transit times.
Gabriel C. Rau, Timothy C. McMillan, Martin S. Andersen, and Wendy A. Timms
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 4301–4321, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4301-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4301-2022, 2022
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This work develops and applies a new method to estimate hydraulic and geomechanical subsurface properties in situ using standard groundwater and atmospheric pressure records. The estimated properties comply with expected values except for the Poisson ratio, which we attribute to the investigated scale and conditions. Our new approach can be used to cost-effectively investigate the subsurface using standard monitoring datasets.
Georg J. Houben and Okke Batelaan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 4055–4091, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4055-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-4055-2022, 2022
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Unbeknown to most hydrologists, many methods used in groundwater hydrology today go back to work by Adolf and Günther Thiem. Their work goes beyond the Dupuit–Thiem analytical model for pump tests mentioned in many textbooks. It includes, e.g., the development and improvement of isopotential maps, tracer tests, and vertical well constructions. Extensive literature and archive research has been conducted to identify how and where the Thiems developed their methods and how they spread.
Zhaoyang Luo, Jun Kong, Chengji Shen, Pei Xin, Chunhui Lu, Ling Li, and David Andrew Barry
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 6591–6602, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6591-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-6591-2021, 2021
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Analytical solutions are derived for steady-state seawater intrusion in annulus segment aquifers. These analytical solutions are validated by comparing their predictions with experimental data. We find seawater intrusion is the most extensive in divergent aquifers, and the opposite is the case for convergent aquifers. The analytical solutions facilitate engineers and hydrologists in evaluating seawater intrusion more efficiently in annulus segment aquifers with a complex geometry.
Dylan J. Irvine, Cameron Wood, Ian Cartwright, and Tanya Oliver
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5415–5424, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5415-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5415-2021, 2021
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It is widely assumed that 14C is in contact with the atmosphere until recharging water reaches the water table. Unsaturated zone (UZ) studies have shown that 14C decreases with depth below the land surface. We produce a relationship between UZ 14C and depth to the water table to estimate input 14C activities for groundwater age estimation. Application of the new relationship shows that it is important for UZ processes to be considered in groundwater mean residence time estimation.
Erwin Zehe, Ralf Loritz, Yaniv Edery, and Brian Berkowitz
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5337–5353, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5337-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5337-2021, 2021
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This study uses the concepts of entropy and work to quantify and explain the emergence of preferential flow and transport in heterogeneous saturated porous media. We found that the downstream concentration of solutes in preferential pathways implies a downstream declining entropy in the transverse distribution of solute transport pathways. Preferential flow patterns with lower entropies emerged within media of higher heterogeneity – a stronger self-organization despite a higher randomness.
Jiancong Chen, Bhavna Arora, Alberto Bellin, and Yoram Rubin
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 4127–4146, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4127-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4127-2021, 2021
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We developed a stochastic framework with indicator random variables to characterize the spatiotemporal distribution of environmental hot spots and hot moments (HSHMs) that represent rare locations and events exerting a disproportionate influence over the environment. HSHMs are characterized by static and dynamic indicators. This framework is advantageous as it allows us to calculate the uncertainty associated with HSHMs based on uncertainty associated with its contributors.
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
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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.
Xiao-Wei Jiang, John Cherry, and Li Wan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 6001–6019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-6001-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-6001-2020, 2020
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The gushing of water from flowing wells is a natural phenomenon of interest to the public. This review demonstrates that this spectacular phenomenon also instigated the science of groundwater and can be considered a root of groundwater hydrology. Observations of flowing wells not only led to the foundation of many principles of traditional groundwater hydrology but also played a vital role in the paradigm shift from aquitard-bound flow to cross-formational flow driven by topography.
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
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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.
Quanrong Wang, Junxia Wang, Hongbin Zhan, and Wenguang Shi
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 3983–4000, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3983-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3983-2020, 2020
Franklin W. Schwartz, Ganming Liu, and Zhongbo Yu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 489–500, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-489-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-489-2020, 2020
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We are concerned about the sad state of affairs around groundwater in the developing countries of Asia and the obvious implications for sustainability. Groundwater production for irrigated agriculture has led to water-level declines that continue to worsen. Yet in the most populous countries, China, India, Pakistan, and Iran, there are only token efforts towards evidence-based sustainable management. It is unrealistic to expect evidence-based groundwater sustainability to develop any time soon.
Floris Loys Naus, Paul Schot, Koos Groen, Kazi Matin Ahmed, and Jasper Griffioen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 1431–1451, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1431-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1431-2019, 2019
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In this paper, we postulate a possible evolution of the groundwater salinity around a village in southwestern Bangladesh, based on high-density fieldwork. We identified that the thickness of the surface clay layer, the surface elevation and the present-day land use determine whether fresh or saline groundwater has formed. The outcomes show how the large groundwater salinity variation in southwestern Bangladesh can be understood, which is valuable for the water management in the region.
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
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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.
Bin Ma, Menggui Jin, Xing Liang, and Jing Li
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 427–446, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-427-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-427-2019, 2019
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Groundwater supplies the most freshwater for industrial and agricultural production and domestic use in the arid northwest of China. This research uses environmental tracers to enhance one's understanding of groundwater, including aquifer recharge sources and groundwater mean residence times in the alluvium aquifers. The results provide valuable implications for groundwater resources regulation and sustainable development and have practical significance for other arid areas.
Hubert H. G. Savenije
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1911–1916, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1911-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1911-2018, 2018
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This paper provides the connection between two simple equations describing groundwater flow at different scales: the Darcy equation describes groundwater flow at pore scale, the linear reservoir equation at catchment scale. The connection between the two appears to be very simple. The two parameters of the equations are proportional, depending on the porosity of the subsoil and the resistance for the groundwater to enter the surface drainage network.
Ming Wu, Jianfeng Wu, Jichun Wu, and Bill X. Hu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1001–1015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1001-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-1001-2018, 2018
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Fractal models of regular triangle arrangement (RTA) and square pitch arrangement (SPA) are developed in this study. Results suggest RTA can cause more groundwater contamination and make remediation more difficult. In contrast, the cleanup of contaminants in aquifers with SPA is easier. This study demonstrates how microscale arrangements control contaminant migration and remediation, which is helpful in designing successful remediation schemes for subsurface contamination.
Rui Ma, Ziyong Sun, Yalu Hu, Qixin Chang, Shuo Wang, Wenle Xing, and Mengyan Ge
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 4803–4823, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4803-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4803-2017, 2017
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The roles of groundwater flow in the hydrological cycle within the alpine area characterized by permafrost or seasonal frost are poorly known. We investigated the role of permafrost in controlling groundwater flow and hydrological connections between glaciers and river. The recharge, flow path and discharge of permafrost groundwater at the study site were explored. Two mechanisms were proposed to explain the significantly seasonal variation in interaction between groundwater and surface water.
Bing Zhang, Jing Zhang, and Takafumi Yoshida
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 3417–3425, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3417-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3417-2017, 2017
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Since groundwater is the linkage between climate changes and fresh submarine groundwater discharge, the variations of and relationships among monthly groundwater table, rainfall, snowfall, and climate change events from 1985 to 2015 were analyzed by wavelet coherence to discuss the implications for climate changes. The results show the increase in precipitation and the groundwater table, indicating that fresh submarine groundwater discharge flux may increase under climate change.
Koen Gerardus Zuurbier and Pieter Jan Stuyfzand
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1173–1188, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1173-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1173-2017, 2017
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The subsurface is increasingly perforated for exploitation of water and energy. This has increased the risk of leakage between originally separated aquifers. It is shown how this leakage can have a very negative impact on the recovery of freshwater during aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) in brackish-saline aquifers. Deep interception of intruding brackish-saline water can mitigate the negative effects and buoyancy of freshwater to some extent, but not completely.
Ulrike Unterbruner, Sylke Hilberg, and Iris Schiffl
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 2251–2266, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-2251-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-2251-2016, 2016
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Studies show that young people have difficulties with correctly understanding groundwater. We designed a multimedia learning program about groundwater and tested its learning efficacy with pupils and teacher-training students. A novelty is the theory-guided designing of the program on the basis of hydrogeology and science education. The pupils and students greatly benefited from working through the multimedia learning program.
Kosta Urumović and Kosta Urumović Sr.
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 1669–1680, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1669-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1669-2016, 2016
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Calculation of hydraulic conductivity of porous materials is crucial for further use in hydrogeological modeling. The Kozeny–Carman model is theoretically impeccable but has not been properly used in recent scientific and expert literature. In this paper, proper use of the Kozeny-Carman formula is given through presentation of geometric mean grain size in the drilled-core sample as the referential mean grain size. Also, procedures for identification of real effective porosity of porous media are presented.
C.-S. Huang, J.-J. Chen, and H.-D. Yeh
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 55–71, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-55-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-55-2016, 2016
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Existing solutions for the problem of pumping at a radial collector well (RCW) in unconfined aquifers either require laborious calculation or predict divergent results at a middle period of pumping. This study relaxes the above two limitations to develop a new analytical solution for the problem. The application of the solution is convenient for those who are not familiar with numerical methods. New findings regarding the responses of flow to pumping at RCW are addressed.
R. A. Crane, M. O. Cuthbert, and W. Timms
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 3991–4000, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3991-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-3991-2015, 2015
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We present an interrupted-flow centrifugation technique to characterise the vertical hydraulic properties of dual porosity, low permeability media. Use of large core samples (100mm diameter) enables hydraulic-conductivity-scale issues in dual porosity media to be overcome. Elevated centrifugal force also enables simulating in situ total stress conditions. The methodology is an important tool to assess the ability of dual porosity aquitards to protect underlying aquifer systems.
B. L. Kurylyk, K. T. B. MacQuarrie, D. Caissie, and J. M. McKenzie
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2469–2489, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2469-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2469-2015, 2015
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Changes in climate and land cover are known to warm streams by altering surface heat fluxes. However, the influence of these disturbances on shallow groundwater temperature are not as well understood. In small streams, groundwater discharge may also exert a control on stream temperature, and thus groundwater warming may eventually produce additional stream warming not considered in most existing models. This study investigates these processes and suggests stream temperature model improvements.
S. Luoma, J. Okkonen, K. Korkka-Niemi, N. Hendriksson, and B. Backman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 1353–1370, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-1353-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-1353-2015, 2015
N. P. Unland, I. Cartwright, D. I. Cendón, and R. Chisari
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 5109–5124, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5109-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5109-2014, 2014
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Periodic flooding of rivers should result in increased groundwater recharge near rivers and thus - younger and fresher groundwater near rivers. This study found the age and salinity of shallow groundwater to increase with proximity to the Tambo River in South East Australia. This appears to be due to the upwelling of older, regional groundwater closer the river. Other chemical parameters are consistent with this. This is a process that may be occurring in other similar river systems.
A. P. Atkinson, I. Cartwright, B. S. Gilfedder, D. I. Cendón, N. P. Unland, and H. Hofmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 4951–4964, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4951-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4951-2014, 2014
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This research article uses of radiogenic isotopes, stable isotopes and groundwater geochemistry to study groundwater age and recharge processes in the Gellibrand Valley, a relatively unstudied catchment and potential groundwater resource. The valley is found to contain both "old", regionally recharged groundwater (300-10,000 years) in the near-river environment, and modern groundwater (0-100 years old) further back on the floodplain. There is no recharge of the groundwater by high river flows.
U. Lauber, P. Kotyla, D. Morche, and N. Goldscheider
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 4437–4452, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4437-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4437-2014, 2014
M. Huebsch, O. Fenton, B. Horan, D. Hennessy, K. G. Richards, P. Jordan, N. Goldscheider, C. Butscher, and P. Blum
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 4423–4435, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4423-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4423-2014, 2014
S. Hergarten, G. Winkler, and S. Birk
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 4277–4288, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4277-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4277-2014, 2014
M. Attwa and T. Günther
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4079–4094, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4079-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4079-2013, 2013
C. Schmidt, A. Musolff, N. Trauth, M. Vieweg, and J. H. Fleckenstein
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 3689–3697, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-3689-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-3689-2012, 2012
T. Gleeson, D. M. Allen, and G. Ferguson
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 2159–2168, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-2159-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-2159-2012, 2012
G. H. de Rooij
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 649–669, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-649-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-649-2012, 2012
B. Hubinger and S. Birk
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 3715–3729, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-3715-2011, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-3715-2011, 2011
E. Joigneaux, P. Albéric, H. Pauwels, C. Pagé, L. Terray, and A. Bruand
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 2459–2470, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-2459-2011, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-2459-2011, 2011
P.-R. Tsou, Z.-Y. Feng, H.-D. Yeh, and C.-S. Huang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 14, 1477–1485, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-14-1477-2010, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-14-1477-2010, 2010
Y.-C. Chang, D.-S. Jeng, and H.-D. Yeh
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 14, 1341–1351, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-14-1341-2010, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-14-1341-2010, 2010
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Short summary
This research provides a comprehensive analysis of groundwater storage in Alpine glacier forefields, a zone rapidly evolving with glacier retreat. Based on data analysis of a case study, it provides a simple perceptual model showing where and how groundwater is stored and released in a high Alpine environment. It especially points out the presence of groundwater storages in both fluvial and bedrock aquifers, which may become more important with future glacier retreat.
This research provides a comprehensive analysis of groundwater storage in Alpine glacier...
