Landscape Controls on Nutrient Export during Snowmelt and an Extreme Rainfall Runoff Event in Northern Agricultural Watersheds

Wilson, Henry F.; Casson, Nora J.; Glenn, Aaron J.; Badiou, Pascal; Boychuk, Lyle

doi:10.2134/jeq2018.07.0278

Cited by 22 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…However, in the past five decades, there has been a documented increase in the proportion of precipitation falling as rain and the number of multiday summer rainstorms, concurrent with a decrease in snowmelt runoff (Shook and Pomeroy, 2012; Dumanski et al, 2015). Large rainfall events can result in changes to runoff pathways and dramatic nutrient export, as seen in the 2014 extreme rainfall event in the Assiniboine watershed (Wilson et al, 2019). As winters warm and snowpacks decrease, the importance of summer hydrological processes in these seasonally snow‐covered regions will increase.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…As winters warm and snowpacks decrease, the importance of summer hydrological processes in these seasonally snow‐covered regions will increase. Coupled with the ongoing land use change in this region, changes in the temperature and precipitation regimes can result in dramatic changes to runoff patterns (Dumanski et al, 2015; Mahmood et al, 2017), which will in turn influence P export (Wilson et al, 2019). Thus, understanding how controls on nutrient transport vary seasonally is critical for predicting future changes to P dynamics in this region.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Hydrological and Seasonal Controls of Phosphorus in Northern Great Plains Agricultural Streams

2019

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Controls on nutrient transport in cold, low-relief agricultural regions vary dramatically among seasons. The spring snowmelt is often the dominant runoff and nutrient loading event of the year. However, climate change may increase the proportion of runoff occurring with rainfall, and there is an urgent need to understand seasonal controls on nutrient transport to understand how patterns may change in the future. In this study, we assess patterns and drivers of total P (TP) dynamics in eight streams draining agriculturally dominated watersheds, located in southern Manitoba, Canada. Data from three years of monitoring revealed highly coherent patterns of TP concentrations in streams, with pronounced peaks in the spring and midsummer across the region. This coherent pattern was in spite of considerable interannual variability in the magnitude and timing of discharge; in particular, a major storm event occurred in summer 2014, which resulted in more discharge than the preceding spring melt. Concentration-discharge model fits were generally poor or not significant, suggesting that runoff generation is not the primary driver of TP dynamics in the majority of streams. Seasonal patterns of conductivity and stream temperature suggest that mechanisms controlling TP vary by season; a spring TP concentration maximum may be related to surface runoff over frozen soils, whereas the summer TP maximum may be related to temperature-driven biogeochemical processes, which are not well represented in current conceptual or predictive models. These findings suggest that controls on stream TP concentrations are dynamic through the year, and responses to increases in dormant and nondormant season temperatures may depend on seasonally variable processes.

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Hydrological and Seasonal Controls of Phosphorus in Northern Great Plains Agricultural Streams

2019

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“…Therefore, the real-time and near real-time hourly or half-hourly data can be of great value for mountainous numerical weather prediction with a data assimilation system (Zhang & Tian, 2018). In addition, current GPM rainfall data also meet the demands of accuracy for some research works at regional scales, such as landscapes, ecological zoning, and atmosphere-land interactions Wilson et al, 2019).…”

Section: Potential and Limitations Of Short-duration Rainfall Estimatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comprehensive Evaluation of Satellite‐Based Precipitation at Sub‐Daily Time Scales Over a High‐Profile Watershed with Complex Terrain

Liu

Zhang

et al. 2019

Earth and Space Science

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In this study, a preliminary quantitative evaluation of global precipitation measurement (GPM) mission precipitation products at sub-daily time scales was performed in a typical and small watershed with complex terrain in southwestern China. The world heritage Jiuzhaigou Valley, which has been affected by many rainfall-triggered debris-flow disasters after the Ms 7.0 earthquake on 8 August 2017, was selected as the study area. The "early", "late" and "final" half-hourly GPM precipitations and hourly observations by four rainfall stations were used, and various indicators (general statistical indices, classification indicators, and a joint probability distribution function) were adopted as metrics to evaluate the GPM rainfall. Results indicated that the early and late hourly products showed a medium degree of correlation with ground observations, while the final hourly product showed better performances and may be used for research-level applications in the study area. GPM products could approximately reproduce the diurnal cycles of observed precipitation whereas the relationship between peak rainfall and duration spell was in good agreement with ground observations. The 1-hour final product was unable to significantly reduce the rate of missing report for rain although it was calibrated by global monthly data. An event-based evaluation showed that the GPM performed well for the cumulative rainfall. The assessment results support the development of early-warning models for rainfall-triggered geological disasters, provide useful implications on the improvement of rainfall retrieval algorithm in complex mountainous areas, and may be used as reference for scientific studies in poorly sampled regions with similar geographical conditions as the Jiuzhaigou Valley.

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“…Understanding how material-P connectivity between landscape positions and surface waters develops and changes over time would ultimately lead to improving P loss assessment tools for accurately predicting CSAs in cold climates. In the Canadian prairies, for example, the presence of a large number of landscape depressions known as "prairie potholes" resulted from the glacial recession can significantly affect runoff generation and material-P connectivity Hayashi et al 2003;Wilson et al 2019). Prairie potholes can intercept surface runoff, promote infiltration and deposition of particulate P, and provide an opportunity for biogeochemical removal from or release of P to surface runoff.…”

Section: Considering Hydrological Connectivity By P Loss Assessment Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phosphorus loss assessment tools: a review of underlying concepts and applicability in cold climates

Habibiandehkordi

Reid

Goel

et al. 2019

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Identifying critical source areas (CSAs) of a watershed by phosphorus (P) loss assessment tools is essential for optimal placement of beneficial management practices (BMPs) to address diffuse P pollution. However, lack of significant progress in tackling diffuse P pollution could be, in part, associated with inefficacy of P loss assessment tools for accurately identifying CSAs. Phosphorus loss assessment tools have been developed to simulate P loss from the landscape where runoff is mainly driven by rainfall events. Therefore, they may underperform in cold climates where the land is often frozen during winter and runoff is dominated by snowmelt. This paper (i) reviews the strengths and weaknesses of current P loss assessment tools and their underlying assumptions in simulating soil P dynamics and P transfer to runoff, and (ii) highlights a number of challenges associated with modeling P transfer from agricultural land to surface waters in cold climates. Current P loss assessment tools do not appear to fully represent hydrological and biogeochemical processes responsible for P loss from CSAs, particularly in cold climates. Effort should be made to develop P loss assessment tools that are capable of considering P dynamics through the landscape as a result of abiotic perturbations that are common in cold climates, predicting runoff and P movement over frozen/ partially frozen soils, and considering material-P connectivity between landscape and surface waters. Evaluating P loss assessment tools with water quality data is necessary to ensure such modifications result in improved identification of CSAs.

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Landscape Controls on Nutrient Export during Snowmelt and an Extreme Rainfall Runoff Event in Northern Agricultural Watersheds

Cited by 22 publications

References 42 publications

Hydrological and Seasonal Controls of Phosphorus in Northern Great Plains Agricultural Streams

Hydrological and Seasonal Controls of Phosphorus in Northern Great Plains Agricultural Streams

Comprehensive Evaluation of Satellite‐Based Precipitation at Sub‐Daily Time Scales Over a High‐Profile Watershed with Complex Terrain

Phosphorus loss assessment tools: a review of underlying concepts and applicability in cold climates

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