High‐frequency precipitation and stream water quality time series from Plynlimon, Wales: an openly accessible data resource spanning the periodic table

Neal, Colin; Reynolds, B.; Kirchner, James W.; Rowland, P.; Norris, Dave; Sleep, Darren; Lawlor, Alan; Woods, C.; Thacker, Sarah; Guyatt, Hayley; Vincent, Colin; Lehto, Kathryn; Grant, Simon; Williams, Jeremy; Neal, Margaret; Wickham, Heather; Harman, Sarah; Armstrong, Linda K.

doi:10.1002/hyp.9814

Cited by 51 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…until late April-early May, when the melting season begins. Typically, at the end of June-early July snow cover amounts to approximately 10 % of the total catchment area, as revealed by snow surveys and snow cover estimations based on MODIS data (Notarnicola et al, 2013). Permafrost and rock glaciers are most likely present at elevations higher than 2600-2800 m a.s.l., depending on local conditions (Boeckli et al, 2012, see Table 1).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, sampling at higher temporal frequency might have allowed us to explore some short-time responses in tracer concentration and detect some finer dynamics (e.g. Neal et al, 2013). Moreover, samples were not always taken at the same time of the day over the 3 years, preventing us from making comparisons on a more extended subset of data.…”

Section: Role Of Snowmelt On Groundwater Rechargementioning

confidence: 99%

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Tracer-based analysis of spatial and temporal variations of water sources in a glacierized catchment

Penna

Engel

Mao

et al. 2014

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

113

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Abstract. Snow-dominated and glacierized catchments are important sources of fresh water for biological communities and for populations living in mountain valleys. Gaining a better understanding of the runoff origin and of the hydrological interactions between meltwater, streamflow and groundwater is critical for natural risk assessment and mitigation as well as for effective water resource management in mountain regions. This study is based on the use of stable isotopes of water and electrical conductivity as tracers to identify the water sources for runoff and groundwater and their seasonal variability in a glacierized catchment in the Italian Alps. Samples were collected from rainfall, snow, snowmelt, ice melt, spring and stream water (from the main stream at different locations and from selected tributaries) in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The tracer-based mixing analysis revealed that, overall, snowmelt and glacier melt were the most important endmembers for stream runoff during late spring, summer and early fall. The temporal variability of the tracer concentration suggested that stream water was dominated by snowmelt at the beginning of the melting season (May-June), by a mixture of snowmelt and glacier melt during mid-summer (Julyearly August), and by glacier melt during the end of the summer (end of August-September). The same seasonal pattern observed in streamflow was also evident for groundwater, with the highest electrical conductivity and least negative isotopic values found during cold or relatively less warm periods, when the melt of snowpack and ice was limited. Particularly, the application of a two-component mixing model to data from different springs showed that the snowmelt contribution to groundwater recharge varied between 21 % (±3 %) and 93 % (±1 %) over the season, and the overall contribution during the three study years ranged between 58 % (±24 %) and 72 % (±19 %). These results provided new insights into the isotopic characterization of the study catchment presenting further understanding of the spatio-temporal variability of the main water sources contributing to runoff.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Role Of Snowmelt On Groundwater Rechargementioning

confidence: 99%

Tracer-based analysis of spatial and temporal variations of water sources in a glacierized catchment

Penna

Engel

Mao

et al. 2014

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

113

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Please see the supplementary data accompanying Neal et al (2013c) for further details of the sampling procedure and analysis methodology. The complete, freely accessible long-term and high-frequency data sets are accessible via the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC) (Neal et al, 2013a, b).…”

Section: Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Upland streamwater nitrate dynamics across decadal to sub-daily timescales: a case study of Plynlimon, Wales

et al. 2013

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Abstract. Streamwater nitrate dynamics in the River Hafren, Plynlimon, mid-Wales were investigated over decadal to sub-daily timescales using a range of statistical techniques. Long-term data were derived from weekly grab samples and high-frequency data from 7-hourly samples (2007)(2008)(2009)) both measured at two sites: a headwater stream draining moorland and a downstream site below plantation forest. This study is one of the first to analyse upland streamwater nitrate dynamics across such a wide range of timescales and report on the principal mechanisms identified. The data analysis provided no clear evidence that the long-term decline in streamwater nitrate concentrations was related to a decline in atmospheric deposition alone, because nitrogen deposition first increased and then decreased during the study period. Increased streamwater temperature and denitrification may also have contributed to the decline in stream nitrate concentrations, the former through increased N uptake rates and the latter resultant from increased dissolved organic carbon concentrations. Strong seasonal cycles, with concentration minimums in the summer, were driven by seasonal flow minimums and seasonal biological activity enhancing nitrate uptake. Complex diurnal dynamics were observed, with seasonal changes in phase and amplitude of the cycling, and the diurnal dynamics were variable along the river. At the moorland site, a regular daily cycle, with minimum concentrations in the early afternoon, corresponding with peak air temperatures, indicated the importance of instream biological processing. At the downstream site, the diurnal dynamics were a composite signal, resultant from advection, dispersion and nitrate processing in the soils of the lower catchment. The diurnal streamwater nitrate dynamics were also affected by drought conditions. Enhanced diurnal cycling in Spring 2007 was attributed to increased nitrate availability in the post-drought period as well as low flow rates and high temperatures over this period. The combination of high-frequency short-term measurements and long-term monitoring provides a powerful tool for increasing understanding of the controls of element fluxes and concentrations in surface waters.

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“…It is well known that such sampling frequencies, which are often dictated by technical or financial constraints, have limitations in terms of missing crucial short-term information and consequent uncertainties in load estimates. However, high resolution data at daily or sub-daily resolution is becoming increasingly feasible, both technically and financially (Pellerin et al 2012;Neal et al 2013). Such data provide a richer resource, which gives more exacting criteria, to challenge biogeochemical models that simulate water quality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling landscape controls on dissolved organic carbon sources and fluxes to streams

et al. 2014

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Catchment dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes are governed by complex interactions, which control biogeochemical processes generating DOC and hydrological connectivity, facilitating transport through the landscape to streams. This paper presents the development of a coupled hydrologicalbiogeochemical model for a northern watershed with organic-rich soils, to simulate daily DOC concentrations. The parsimonious model design allows the relative importance of DOC fluxes from the major landscape units (e.g. hillslopes, groundwater and riparian saturation area) to be determined. The dynamic extent of the saturated riparian zone, which at maximum wetness comprised 40 % of the drainage area, contributed 84 % of DOC to the stream, of which 16 % was derived from the hillslope soils. This shows the disproportional riparian influence on stream water chemistry and the importance of the non-linearity in hydrological connectivity. The temporal connectivity of each of the landscape units was dependent on antecedent moisture conditions, with highly transient connections between the hillslope and valley bottom saturated area, which were entirely disconnected during the driest periods. The groundwater contribution remained constant, but its relative importance increased during the driest periods. The study emphasises the importance of conceptualising hydrological connectivity and its relation to hydroclimatic factors, as well soil biogeochemical processes, when modelling stream water DOC.

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High‐frequency precipitation and stream water quality time series from Plynlimon, Wales: an openly accessible data resource spanning the periodic table

Cited by 51 publications

References 16 publications

Tracer-based analysis of spatial and temporal variations of water sources in a glacierized catchment

Tracer-based analysis of spatial and temporal variations of water sources in a glacierized catchment

Upland streamwater nitrate dynamics across decadal to sub-daily timescales: a case study of Plynlimon, Wales

Modelling landscape controls on dissolved organic carbon sources and fluxes to streams

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