Catchment controls and human disturbances on the geomorphology of small Mediterranean estuarine systems

Estrany, Joan; Grimalt, Miquel

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2014.03.021

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Terraces disturb hydrological and sediment connectivity, imposing large rainfall thresholds for the generation of runoff and SS transport (Lasanta et al, 2001;Cammeraat, 2004). Nevertheless, if the magnitude of future rainfall intensities and derived flood events exceeds the threshold capacities of these structures, a general collapse can occur, which accelerates erosion processes and associated damage (Estrany and Grimalt, 2014;Tarolli et al, 2014). Moreover, wildfire may be an added factor directly affecting the dynamics of these terraced lands (Dunjó et al, 2003), as erosion of abandoned terraces is directly related to the amount of plant cover, soil characteristics, environmental conditions and the time terraces had been abandoned (Arnáez et al, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post‐fire hydrological response and suspended sediment transport of a terraced Mediterranean catchment

García-Comendador

Fortesa

Calsamiglia

et al. 2017

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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In July 2013, a wildfire severely affected the western part of the island of Mallorca (Spain). During the first three post‐fire hydrological years, when the window of disturbance tends to be more open, the hydrological and sediment delivery processes and dynamics were assessed in a representative catchment intensively shaped by terracing that covered 37% of its surface area. A nested approach was applied with two gauging stations (covering 1.2 km2 and 4.8 km2) built in September 2013 that took continuous measurements of rainfall, water and sediment yield. Average suspended sediment concentration (1503 mg L−1) and the maximum peak (33 618 mg L−1) were two orders of magnitude higher than those obtained in non‐burned terraced catchments of Mallorca. This factor may be related to changes in soils and the massive incorporation of ash into the suspended sediment flux during the most extreme post‐fire event; 50 mm of rainfall in 15 min, reaching an erosivity of 2886 MJ mm ha−1 h−1. Moreover, hysteretic counter‐clockwise loops were predominant (60%), probably related to the increased sensitivity of the landscape after wildfire perturbation. Though the study period was average in terms of total annual precipitation (even higher in intensities), minimal runoff (2%) and low sediment yield (6.3 t km−2 y−1) illustrated how the intrinsic characteristics of the catchment, i.e. calcareous soils, terraces and the application of post‐fire measures, limited the hydrosedimentary response despite the wildfire impact. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post‐fire hydrological response and suspended sediment transport of a terraced Mediterranean catchment

García-Comendador

Fortesa

Calsamiglia

et al. 2017

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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“…In such a high-energy environment, Mallorca's eastern ("Llevant" in Catalan) county contains a dramatic combination of physical and human factors that have created a flood-prone environment with a very strong coupling of climate and geomorphology to constant urban expansion since 1850, which has led to more than 10 catastrophic flash-flood events during this period (Estrany and Grimalt, 2014). This county consists of two main relief units (Álvaro et al, 1991): (1) the Llevant ranges occupy the headwaters with altitude ranging from 300 to 500 m a.s.l.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This paper aims at improving understanding of the hydrological and socioeconomic processes of the devastating flash floods that frequently affect Mallorca (Estrany and Grimalt, 2014;Llasat et al, 2013), a paradigmatic Mediterranean flood-prone region under intense human occupation and geologically shaped by karstic features. The study focuses on the catastrophic flash-flood event that hit the northeastern part of the island on 9 October 2018, causing 13 casualties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrogeomorphological analysis and modelling for a comprehensive understanding of flash-flood damage processes: the 9 October 2018 event in northeastern Mallorca

Estrany

Ruiz

Mutzner³

et al. 2020

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. A flash-flood event hit the northeastern part of Mallorca on 9 October 2018, causing 13 casualties. Mallorca is prone to catastrophic flash floods acting on a scenario of deep landscape transformation caused by Mediterranean tourist resorts. As global change may exacerbate devastating flash floods, analyses of catastrophic events are crucial to support effective prevention and mitigation measures. Field-based remote-sensing and modelling techniques were used in this study to evaluate rainfall–runoff processes at the catchment scale linked to hydrological modelling. Continuous streamflow monitoring data revealed a peak discharge of 442 m3 s−1 with an unprecedented runoff response. This exceptional behaviour triggered the natural disaster as a combination of heavy rainfall (249 mm in 10 h), karstic features and land cover disturbances in the Begura de Salma River catchment (23 km2). Topography-based connectivity indices and geomorphic change detection were used as rapid post-catastrophe decision-making tools, playing a key role during the rescue search. These hydrogeomorphological precision techniques were combined with the Copernicus Emergency Management Service and “ground-based” damage assessment, which showed very accurately the damage-driving factors in the village of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar. The main challenges in the future are to readapt hydrological modelling to global change scenarios, implement an early flash-flood warning system and take adaptive and resilient measures on the catchment scale.

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“…The importance of catchment processes to estuarine ecosystem function (e.g. Estrany and Grimalt, 2014;Uncles et al, 2014b). Catchment land use has a major impact on sediment and nutrient supply to estuaries, while also impacting on flashiness of flow, e.g.…”

Section: Contents Lists Available At Sciencedirectmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The inter-connectedness of river catchments and their estuaries was considered a research priority. Estrany and Grimalt (2014) consider the effect of hydrology on estuary geomorphology through a study of several small estuaries located on the eastern coast of Mallorca, Spain. The approach focuses on the integration of geomorphometric and hydraulics statistics in combination with historical sources to demonstrate how the shapes of the estuaries are determined by catastrophic flooding.…”

Section: Contents Lists Available At Sciencedirectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small estuaries: Ecology, environmental drivers and management challenges

Callaway

Grenfell

Lønborg

2014

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

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Catchment controls and human disturbances on the geomorphology of small Mediterranean estuarine systems

Cited by 16 publications

References 29 publications

Post‐fire hydrological response and suspended sediment transport of a terraced Mediterranean catchment

Post‐fire hydrological response and suspended sediment transport of a terraced Mediterranean catchment

Hydrogeomorphological analysis and modelling for a comprehensive understanding of flash-flood damage processes: the 9 October 2018 event in northeastern Mallorca

Small estuaries: Ecology, environmental drivers and management challenges

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