Overcoming the challenges of using a rainfall–runoff model to estimate the impacts of groundwater extraction on low flows in an ephemeral stream

Ivkovic, Karen; Croke, Barry; Kelly, Rebecca

doi:10.2166/nh.2013.204

Cited by 21 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Developing such a conversion process requires a combination of the gridded runoff with a hierarchically nested catchment framework. In addition, due to the potential uncertainty in the ability of water-balance models to predict low flows (Costelloe et al, 2005;Ivkovic et al, 2014;Ye et al, 1997), causing over-estimation of the magnitude of low flows in this case, estimation of an appropriate zero flow threshold was necessary for each stream segment. The modelled discharge data may require truncation by the identified zero flow thresholds to accurately reflect cease to flow dynamics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying spatial and temporal patterns of flow intermittency using spatially contiguous runoff data

Bond

Bunn

et al. 2018

Journal of Hydrology

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River channel drying caused by intermittent stream flow is a widely-recognized factor shaping stream ecosystems. There is a strong need to quantify the distribution of intermittent streams across catchments to inform management. However, observational gauge networks provide only point estimates of streamflow variation. Increasingly, this limitation is being overcome through the use of spatially contiguous estimates of the terrestrial water-balance, which can also assist in estimating runoff and streamflow at large-spatial scales. Here we proposed an approach to quantifying spatial and temporal variation in monthly flow intermittency throughout river networks in eastern Australia. We aggregated gridded (5x5 km) monthly water-balance data with a hierarchically nested catchment dataset to simulate catchment runoff accumulation throughout river networks from 1900-2016. We also predicted zero flow duration for the entire river network by developing a robust predictive model relating measured zero flow duration (% months) to environmental predictor variables (based 2 on 43 stream gauges). We then combined these datasets by using the predicted zero flow duration from the regression model to determine appropriate 'zero' flow thresholds for the modelled discharge data, which varied spatially across the catchments examined. Finally, based on modelled discharge data and identified actual zero flow thresholds, we derived summary metrics describing flow intermittency across the catchment (mean flow duration and coefficient-of-variation in flow permanence from 1900-2016). We also classified the relative degree of flow intermittency annually to characterise temporal variation in flow intermittency. Results showed that the degree of flow intermittency varied substantially across streams in eastern Australia, ranging from perennial streams flowing permanently (11-12 months) to strongly intermittent streams flowing 4 months or less of year. Results also showed that the temporal extent of flow intermittency varied dramatically inter-annually from 1900-2016, with the proportion of intermittent (weakly and strongly intermittent) streams ranging in length from 3 % to nearly 100% of the river network, but there was no evidence of an increasing trend towards flow intermittency over this period. Our approach to generating spatially explicit and catchment-wide estimates of streamflow intermittency can facilitate improved ecological understanding and management of intermittent streams in Australia and around the world.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying spatial and temporal patterns of flow intermittency using spatially contiguous runoff data

Bond

Bunn

et al. 2018

Journal of Hydrology

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“…The Cox catchment in south-eastern Australia has heavy groundwater abstraction for irrigation (Ivkovic et al, 2014). For the paired-catchment analysis, the benchmark catchment, Cockburn, was chosen based on its similarity in precipitation and geology (Table 1) and its proximity (Fig.…”

Section: Paired-catchment Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using paired catchments to quantify the human influence on hydrological droughts

Loon

Rangecroft

Coxon

et al. 2019

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Quantifying the influence of human activities, such as reservoir building, water abstraction, and land use change, on hydrology is crucial for sustainable future water management, especially during drought. Model-based methods are very time-consuming to set up and require a good understanding of human processes and time series of water abstraction, land use change, and water infrastructure and management, which often are not available. Therefore, observation-based methods are being developed that give an indication of the direction and magnitude of the human influence on hydrological drought based on limited data. We suggest adding to those methods a “paired-catchment” approach, based on the classic hydrology approach that was developed in the 1920s for assessing the impact of land cover treatment on water quantity and quality. When applying the paired-catchment approach to long-term pre-existing human influences trying to detect an influence on extreme events such as droughts, a good catchment selection is crucial. The disturbed catchment needs to be paired with a catchment that is similar in all aspects except for the human activity under study, in that way isolating the effect of that specific activity. In this paper, we present a framework for selecting suitable paired catchments for the study of the human influence on hydrological drought. Essential elements in this framework are the availability of qualitative information on the human activity under study (type, timing, and magnitude), and the similarity of climate, geology, and other human influences between the catchments. We show the application of the framework on two contrasting case studies, one impacted by groundwater abstraction and one with a water transfer from another region. Applying the paired-catchment approach showed how the groundwater abstraction aggravated streamflow drought by more than 200 % for some metrics (total drought duration and total drought deficit) and the water transfer alleviated droughts with 25 % to 80 %, dependent on the metric. Benefits of the paired-catchment approach are that climate variability between pre- and post-disturbance periods does not have to be considered as the same time periods are used for analysis, and that it avoids assumptions considered when partly or fully relying on simulation modelling. Limitations of the approach are that finding a suitable catchment pair can be very challenging, often no pre-disturbance records are available to establish the natural difference between the catchments, and long time series of hydrological data are needed to robustly detect the effect of the human activities on hydrological drought. We suggest that the approach can be used for a first estimate of the human influence on hydrological drought, to steer campaigns to collect more data, and to complement and improve other existing methods (e.g. model-based or large-sample approaches).

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“…Defining the management context through systems analysis with the aid of stakeholder knowledge is a crucial first step in an integrated assessment process, and a key aspect of Integrated Assessment Modelling (IAM, as in Jakeman and Letcher, 2003). Kraft et al (2010) argues the importance of stakeholder involvement as incorporation of local domain knowledge ensures that key features of the management context are captured and subsequently represented in the model.…”

Section: Management Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The involvement of stakeholders increases the transparency of the development process as it is exposed for critique and review by stakeholders. Through this stakeholder engagement process the scope and objectives of the model can be iteratively developed and refined so that the final model is suitable and relevant (and therefore useful) for the end purpose and users (Jakeman and Letcher, 2003). The process for gathering information and knowledge of the management context and the subsequent influences and implications on the model design and approach is described in later sections.…”

Section: Management Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An exponentially decaying store is also used to route the flows between nodes (a lag-route approach, Croke et al, 2006). In both the routing and the rainfall-streamflow models, the impact of losses from the river network are taken into consideration using the approach of Ivkovic et al (2014). The rating module makes use of the rating curve data available at most gauge sites (the exception is gauge 406218, where only water level data is available).…”

Section: Surface Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of an integrated model for the Campaspe catchment: a tool to help improve understanding of the interaction between society, policy, farming decision, ecology, hydrology and climate

et al. 2018

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Abstract. Management of water resources requires understanding of the hydrology and hydrogeology, as well as the policy and human drivers and their impacts. This understanding requires relevant inputs from a wide range of disciplines, which will vary depending on the specific case study. One approach to gain understanding of the impact of climate and society on water resources is through the use of an integrated modelling process that engages stakeholders and experts in specifics of problem framing, co-design of the underpinning conceptual model, and discussion of the ensuing results. In this study, we have developed such an integrated modelling process for the Campaspe basin in northern Victoria, Australia. The numerical model built has a number of components: Node/link based surface water hydrology module based on the IHACRES rainfall-streamflow model Distributed groundwater model for the lower catchment (MODFLOW) Farm decision optimisation module (to determine irrigation requirements) Policy module (setting conditions on availability of water based on existing rules) Ecology module (determining the impacts of available streamflow on platypus, fish and river red gum trees) The integrated model is component based and has been developed in Python, with the MODFLOW and surface water hydrology model run in external programs, controlled by the master program (in Python). The integrated model has been calibrated using historical data, with the intention of exploring the impact of various scenarios (future climate scenarios, different policy options, water management options) on the water resources. The scenarios were selected based on workshops with, and a social survey of, stakeholders in the basin regarding what would be socially acceptable and physically plausible options for changes in management. An example of such a change is the introduction of a managed aquifer recharge system to capture dam overflows, and store at least a portion of this in the aquifer, thereby increasing the groundwater resource as well as reducing the impact of existing pumping levels.

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Overcoming the challenges of using a rainfall–runoff model to estimate the impacts of groundwater extraction on low flows in an ephemeral stream

Cited by 21 publications

References 27 publications

Quantifying spatial and temporal patterns of flow intermittency using spatially contiguous runoff data

Quantifying spatial and temporal patterns of flow intermittency using spatially contiguous runoff data

Using paired catchments to quantify the human influence on hydrological droughts

Development of an integrated model for the Campaspe catchment: a tool to help improve understanding of the interaction between society, policy, farming decision, ecology, hydrology and climate

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