Articles | Volume 28, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1915-2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1915-2024
Technical note
 | 
02 May 2024
Technical note |  | 02 May 2024

Technical note: Two-component electrical-conductivity-based hydrograph separation employing an exponential mixing model (EXPECT) provides reliable high-temporal-resolution young water fraction estimates in three small Swiss catchments

Alessio Gentile, Jana von Freyberg, Davide Gisolo, Davide Canone, and Stefano Ferraris

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Towards a conceptualization of the hydrological processes behind changes of young water fraction with elevation: a focus on mountainous alpine catchments
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Cited articles

Balestra, V., Fiorucci, A., and Vigna, B.: Study of the Trends of Chemical–Physical Parameters in Different Karst Aquifers: Some Examples from Italian Alps, Water, 14, 441, hhttps://doi.org/10.3390/w14030441, 2022. 
Benettin, P., Bailey, S. W., Campbell, J. L., Green, M. B., Rinaldo, A., Likens, G. E., McGuire, K. J., and Botter, G.: Linking water age and solute dynamics in streamflow at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, NH, USA, Water Resour. Res., 51, 9256–9272, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015WR017552, 2015. 
Benettin, P., Bailey, S. W., Rinaldo, A., Likens, G. E., McGuire, K. J., and Botter, G.: Young runoff fractions control streamwater age and solute concentration dynamics, Hydrol. Process., 31, 2982–2986, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.11243, 2017. 
Benettin, P., Rodriguez, N. B., Sprenger, M., Kim, M., Klaus, J., Harman, C. J., van der Velde, Y., Hrachowitz, M., Botter, G., McGuire, K. J., Kirchner, J. W., Rinaldo, A., and McDonnell, J. J.: Transit Time Estimation in Catchments: Recent Developments and Future Directions, Water Resour. Res., 58, e2022WR033096, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033096, 2022. 
Bonacci, O. and Roje-Bonacci, T.: Water temperature and electrical conductivity as an indicator of karst aquifer: the case of Jadro Spring (Croatia), Carbon. Evaporit., 38, 55, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-023-00881-x, 2023. 
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Short summary
Can we leverage high-resolution and low-cost EC measurements and biweekly δ18O data to estimate the young water fraction at higher temporal resolution? Here, we present the EXPECT method that combines two widespread techniques: EC-based hydrograph separation and sine-wave models of the seasonal isotope cycles. The method is not without its limitations, but its application in three small Swiss catchments is promising for future applications in catchments with different characteristics.
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