A meta-analysis based review of quantifying the contributions of runoff components to streamflow in glacierized basins

He, Zhaofeng; Duethmann, Doris

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126890

Cited by 24 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 167 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…High-elevation catchments, often exhibit significant contributions from snowmelt to streamflow. The mean annual contributions of snowmelt and the trends of streamflow dynamics in the three catchments are in line with findings from studies conducted in other mountainous regions (He et al, 2021;Penna et al, 2017;Zuecco et al, 2019). The snowmelt contributions estimated in this study (ranging from 32% to 59%) are consistent with previous research in the western Himalayan region (e.g., 52% in Satluj, Ahluwalia et al, 2013, and40% in Upper Indus, Immerzeel et al, 2009).…”

Section: Conceptualization Of Streamflow Dynamics In Glacierized Catc...supporting

confidence: 91%

“…Runoff generation, which includes rainfall, snowmelt, and ice melt, profoundly influences the dynamics of water resources in these catchments (He et al, 2021; Lutz et al, 2014). However, the warming climate is accelerating the rapid and extensive depletion of Snow Cover Area (SCA) (Dar, Rai, Kumar, & Bhat, 2022; Singh & Bengtsson, 2003), permafrost thawing (Thayyen & Gergan, 2010), and deglaciation (Bolch et al, 2012; Dar, Rai, Kumar, & Bhat, 2022; Rashid et al, 2021; Shukla et al, 2020), leading to a large short‐term proportion and a decreased long‐term proportion of meltwater (Dar, Rai, Kumar, & Bhat, 2022; He et al, 2021; Lutz et al, 2014). Consequently, streamflow in glacierized catchments is highly vulnerable to on‐going climate change (Duethmann et al, 2015; Mackay et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Understanding hydrological processes of glacierized catchments in the western Himalayas by a multi‐year tracer‐based hydrograph separation analysis

Dar,

Rai,

Kumar

et al. 2024

Hydrological Processes

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Snow and glacier melt are significant contributors to streamflow in Himalayan catchments, and their increasing contributions serve as key indicators of climate change. Consequently, the quantification of these streamflow components holds significant importance for effective water resource management. In this study, we utilized the spatio‐temporal variability of isotopic signatures in stream water, rainfall, winter fresh snow, snowpack, glaciers, springs, and wells, in conjunction with hydrometeorological observations and Snow Cover Area (SCA) data, to identify water sources and develop a conceptual understanding of streamflow dynamics in three catchments (Lidder, Sindh, and Vishow) within the western Himalayas. The following results were obtained: (a) endmember contributions to the streamflow exhibit significant spatial and seasonal variability across the three catchments during 2018–2020; (b) snowmelt dominates streamflow, with average contributions across the entire catchment varying: 59% ± 9%, 55% ± 4%, 56% ± 6%, and 55% ± 9% in Lidder, 43% ± 6%, 38% ± 6%, 32% ± 4%, and 33% ± 5% in Sindh and 45% ± 8%, 40% ± 6%, 39% ± 6%, and 32% ± 5% in Vishow during spring, summer, autumn, and winter seasons, respectively; (c) glacier melt contributions can reach ~30% to streamflow near the source regions during peak summer; (d) The primary uncertainties in streamflow components are attributed to the spatiotemporal variability of tracer signatures of winter fresh snow/snowpack (±1.9% to ±20%); (e)regarding future streamflow components, if the glacier contribution were to disappear completely, the annual average streamflow in Lidder and Sindh could decrease up to ~20%. The depletion of the cryosphere in the region has led to a rapid increase in runoff (1980–1900), but it has also resulted in a significant streamflow reduction due to glacier mass loss and changes in peak streamflow over the past three decades (1990–2020). The findings highlight the significance of environmental isotope analysis, which provides insights into water resources and offers a critical indication of the streamflow response to glacier loss under a changing climate.

show abstract

Section: Conceptualization Of Streamflow Dynamics In Glacierized Catc...supporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding hydrological processes of glacierized catchments in the western Himalayas by a multi‐year tracer‐based hydrograph separation analysis

Dar,

Rai,

Kumar

et al. 2024

Hydrological Processes

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Using the 24‐year dataset, we have identified three major water sources (end‐members) that control streamflow and stream water chemistry in the Sleepers River Research Watershed: near‐surface runoff, groundwater from hillslope hollows, and groundwater from riparian zones. EMMA has been frequently applied in catchment studies, as summarized by He et al (2021), but to our knowledge an application to such a long‐term data set has not previously been reported. Using constant solute concentrations in end‐members, conservative solute concentrations in streamflow were well simulated for water years 1992–2015 (e.g., Ca 2+ in Figure 9a), suggesting that conservative solute concentrations in major stream water sources have been relatively stable.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controls on decadal, annual, and seasonal concentration‐discharge relationships in the Sleepers River Research Watershed, Vermont, northeastern United States

Porter

Shanley

Sebestyen

et al. 2022

Hydrological Processes

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Past studies on concentration‐discharge (C‐Q) relationships have focused on short‐term or low‐temporal resolution data. While advancing understanding of catchment processes, these studies provided limited insight on catchment response over time or to climate change. Using 15 solutes from 1992 to 2015 at Sleepers River Research Watershed, Vermont, we compared C‐Q relationships over decades, years, and seasons to elucidate controls on stream chemical variation. We applied end‐member mixing analysis (EMMA) to identify solute sources and flow path routing. EMMA identified three end‐members: near‐surface runoff (NSR), riparian groundwater, and hillslope hollow groundwater. Shifting mixing proportions of these end‐members accounted for the temporal variability of conservative (no chemical reaction en route from source to stream) solutes in streamflow. For example, an increase in NSR fraction, typical of high flow, caused flushing (increased concentrations) of NO3−, DOC, Al, and Fe, which were greatest in NSR, dilution of specific conductance and base cation, SO42−, Si, Sr, Ba, and Mn concentrations, which were greatest in the two groundwater end‐members. This behaviour is reflected in the b‐coefficient of the C‐Q relation (C = aQb), which indicates the strength of dilution (b < −0.1) and flushing (b > 0.1) effects. For conservative solutes, the b‐coefficient decreased significantly (p < 0.01) with an increase in the groundwater to NSR concentration ratio. Solutes that are conservative and have relatively constant concentrations in end‐members over time showed consistent annual C‐Q patterns over years and decades. Furthermore, the strength of dilution or flushing was stronger during the snowmelt period, when the NSR fraction peaked, than during the dormant and growing seasons. With shorter snowmelt periods and snow to rain shifts, the flushing or dilution power of snowmelt runoff will weaken and alter catchment response to climate change. These insights provide more tools for the interpretation of catchment processes and responses to climate change.

show abstract

“…The THREW-T model quantified the contributions of runoff components (CRC) to streamflow based on two definitions of runoff components as reviewed in He et al (2021) processes, including rainfall, snowmelt and glacier melt. The second definition is based on pathways of runoff-generation processes, resulting in surface and subsurface runoff (baseflow).…”

Section: Tracer-aided Hydrological Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The authors suggest tracer-aided modeling researchers to publish their water isotope data to improve the evaluation of the reliance of tracer-aided modeling performance on water sampling strategy (similarly to He et al 2021;Niinikoski et al, 2016;Yde et al, 2016).…”

Section: Uncertainties and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the influence of water sampling strategy on the performance of tracer-aided hydrological modeling in a mountainous basin on the Tibetan Plateau

Nan

Wei

et al. 2022

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Tracer-aided hydrological models integrating water isotope module into the simulation of runoff generation are useful tools to reduce uncertainty of hydrological modeling in cold basins that are featured by complex runoff processes and multiple runoff components. However, there is little guidance on the strategy of field water sampling for isotope analysis to run tracer-aided hydrological models, which is especially important for large mountainous basins on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) where field water sampling work is highly costly. This study conducted a set of numerical experiments based on the THREW-T model to evaluate the reliance of the tracer-aided modeling performance on the availability of site measurements of water isotope in the Yarlung Tsangpo River (YTR) basin on the TP. Data conditions considered in the numerical experiments included the availability of glacier meltwater isotope measurement, quantity of site measurements of precipitation isotope, and the variable collecting strategies for stream water sample. Our results suggested that: (1) In high-mountain basins where glacier meltwater samples for isotope analysis are not available, estimating glacier meltwater isotope by an offset parameter from the precipitation isotope is a feasible way to force the tracer-aided hydrological model. Using a set of glacier meltwater δ18O that were 2 ‰~9 ‰ lower than the mean precipitation δ18O resulted in only small changes in the model performance and the quantifications of contributions of runoff components (CRCs, smaller than 5 %) to streamflow in the YTR basin; (2) strategy of field sampling for site precipitation to correct the global gridded isotope product of isoGSM for model forcing should be carefully designed. Collecting precipitation samples at sites falling in the same altitude tends to be worse at representing the ground pattern of precipitation δ18O over the basin than collecting precipitation samples from sites in a range of altitudes; (3) Collecting weekly stream water samples at multiple sites in the wet and warm seasons is the optimal strategy for calibrating and evaluating a tracer-aided hydrological model in the YTR basin. It is highly recommended to increase the number of stream water sampling sites rather than spending resource on extensive sampling of stream water at a sole site for multiple years. These results provide important implications for collecting site measurements of water isotope for running tracer-aided hydrological models to improve quantifications of CRCs in the high-mountain basins.

show abstract

A meta-analysis based review of quantifying the contributions of runoff components to streamflow in glacierized basins

Cited by 24 publications

References 167 publications

Understanding hydrological processes of glacierized catchments in the western Himalayas by a multi‐year tracer‐based hydrograph separation analysis

Understanding hydrological processes of glacierized catchments in the western Himalayas by a multi‐year tracer‐based hydrograph separation analysis

Controls on decadal, annual, and seasonal concentration‐discharge relationships in the Sleepers River Research Watershed, Vermont, northeastern United States

Assessing the influence of water sampling strategy on the performance of tracer-aided hydrological modeling in a mountainous basin on the Tibetan Plateau

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About