Catchment hydrological response and transport are affected differently by precipitation intensity and antecedent wetness

Knapp, Julia L. A.; Berghuijs, Wouter R.; Floriancic, Marius G.; Kirchner, James W.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3673-2025

Articles | Volume 29, issue 15

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3673-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3673-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 29, issue 15

Research article

|

08 Aug 2025

Research article |

| 08 Aug 2025

Catchment hydrological response and transport are affected differently by precipitation intensity and antecedent wetness

Julia L. A. Knapp, Wouter R. Berghuijs, Marius G. Floriancic, and James W. Kirchner

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3673-2025-supplement

Data sets

Stable water isotopes in precipitation and streamflow at Plynlimon, Wales, UK J. W. Kirchner et al. https://doi.org/10.16904/envidat.82

Model code and software

ERRA – an R script for Ensemble Rainfall-Runoff Analysis J. W. Kirchner https://doi.org/10.16904/envidat.529

Ensemble hydrograph separation scripts J. W. Kirchner and J. L. A. Knapp https://doi.org/10.16904/envidat.182

Short summary

This study explores how streams react to rain and how water travels through the landscape to reach them, two processes rarely studied together. Using detailed data from two temperate areas, we show that streams respond to rain much faster than rainwater travels to them. Wetter conditions lead to stronger runoff by releasing older stored water, while heavy rainfall moves newer rainwater to streams faster. These findings offer new insights into how water moves through the environment.