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Abstract. The riparian zone, the last few metres of soil through which water flows before entering a gaining stream, has been identified as a first order control on key aspects of stream water chemistry dynamics. We propose that the distribution of lateral flow of water across the vertical profile of soil water chemistry in the riparian zone provides a conceptual explanation of how this control functions in catchments where matrix flow predominates. This paper presents a mathematical implementation of this concept as well as the model assumptions. We also present an analytical solution, which provides a physical basis for the commonly used power-law flow-load equation. This approach quantifies the concept of riparian control on stream-water chemistry providing a basis for testing the concept of riparian control. By backward calculation of soil-water-chemistry profiles, and comparing those with observed profiles we demonstrate that the simple juxtaposition of the vertical profiles of water flux and soil water chemistry provides a plausible explanation for observed variations in stream water chemistry of several major stream components such as Total Organic Carbon (TOC), magnesium, calcium and chloride. The "static" implementation of the model structure presented here provides a basis for further development to account for seasonal influences and hydrological hysteresis in the representation of hyporheic, riparian, and hillslope processes.

Inland waters transport large amounts of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from terrestrial environments to the oceans, but DOM also reacts en route, with substantial water column losses by mineralization and sedimentation. For DOM transformations along the aquatic continuum, lakes play an important role as they retain waters in the landscape allowing for more time to alter DOM. We know DOM losses are significant at the global scale, yet little is known about how the reactivity of DOM varies across landscapes and climates. DOM reactivity is inherently linked to its chemical composition. We used fluorescence spectroscopy to explore DOM quality from 560 lakes distributed across Sweden and encompassed a wide climatic gradient typical of the boreal ecozone. Six fluorescence components were identified using parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The intensity and relative abundance of these components were analyzed in relation to lake chemistry, catchment, and climate characteristics. Land cover, particularly the percentage of water in the catchment, was a primary factor explaining variability in PARAFAC components. Likewise, lake water retention time influenced DOM quality. These results suggest that processes occurring in upstream water bodies, in addition to the lake itself, have a dominant influence on DOM quality. PARAFAC components with longer emission wavelengths, or red-shifted components, were most reactive. In contrast, protein-like components were most persistent within lakes. Generalized characteristics of PARAFAC components based on emission wavelength could ease future interpretation of fluorescence spectra. An important secondary influence on DOM quality was mean annual temperature, which ranged between À6.2 and +7.5°C. These results suggest that DOM reactivity depends more heavily on the duration of time taken to pass through the landscape, rather than temperature. Projected increases in runoff in the boreal region may force lake DOM toward a higher overall amount and proportion of humic-like substances.