Articles | Volume 27, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1431-2023
© Author(s) 2023. 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-27-1431-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
03 Apr 2023
Research article |
| 03 Apr 2023
| 03 Apr 2023
Estimating vadose zone water fluxes from soil water monitoring data: a comprehensive field study in Austria
Marleen Schübl
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Soil Physics and Rural Water Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Giuseppe Brunetti
Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Soil Physics and Rural Water Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Gabriele Fuchs
Section I – Water Management, Division I/3 – Water Resources, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, Marxergasse 2, 1030 Vienna, Austria
Christine Stumpp
Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Soil Physics and Rural Water Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
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This study shows that stream flow isotope data (δ2H) were inadequate for distinguishing preferential groundwater flow. Large passive groundwater storage dampened δ2H variations, obscuring signals of fast groundwater flow and complicating the estimation of older water fractions in the streams. Further, weekly-resolution δ2H sampling yielded deceptively high model performance, highlighting the need for complementary and groundwater-level data to improve catchment-scale transit-time estimates.
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The Alps are a key water resource for central Europe, providing water for drinking, agriculture, and hydropower production. To assess water availability in streams, we need to understand how much streamflow is derived from old water stored in the subsurface versus more recent precipitation. We use tracer data from 32 Alpine streams and statistical tools to assess how much recent precipitation can be found in Alpine rivers and how this amount is related to catchment properties and climate.
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Rosalia is a 222 ha forested research watershed in eastern Austria to study water, energy and solute transport processes. The paper describes the site, monitoring network, instrumentation and the datasets: high-resolution (10 min interval) time series starting in 2015 of four discharge gauging stations, seven rain gauges, and observations of air and water temperature, relative humidity, and conductivity, as well as soil water content and temperature, at different depths at four profiles.
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Short summary
Estimating groundwater recharge through the unsaturated zone is a difficult task that is fundamentally associated with uncertainties. One of the few methods available is inverse modeling based on soil water measurements. Here, we used a nested sampling algorithm within a Bayesian probabilistic framework to assess model uncertainties at 14 sites in Austria. Further, we analyzed simulated recharge rates to identify factors influencing groundwater recharge rates and their temporal variability.
Estimating groundwater recharge through the unsaturated zone is a difficult task that is...
