Storage controls on the generation of double peak hydrographs in a forested headwater catchment

Martínez‐Carreras, Núria; Hissler, Christophe; Laurent, Gautier; Klaus, Julian; Juilleret, Jérôme; Iffly, Jean François; Pfister, Laurent

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.10.004

Cited by 55 publications

(133 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The strength and ratio of the two peaks varied across different sub-catchments and according to hydrological conditions, but the general pattern is characteristic of the hydrological behavior of the Colpach River catchment. Similar behavior was also reported by Fenicia et al (2014), Wrede et al (2015), and Martínez-Carreras et al (2016), whose investigations focused on the Weierbach 1 catchment. A simple mass balance calculation revealed that the first peak constituted 7.5 % of the total event runoff at gauge Holtz 2.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 85%

“…The site of the hillslope-scale irrigation experiment is located in the Holtz 2 catchment and is indicated in red. (Wrede et al, 2015;Martínez-Carreras et al, 2016, in the same area), we wanted to use these data to position our hillslope observation in the bigger picture of the catchment-scale dynamics. An overview of approaches, methods, and their foci is given in Fig.…”

Section: Experimental Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many catchments reportedly showing double-peak hydrographs are headwater catchments with predominantly steep slopes and shallow soils, and in many cases with periglacial slope deposits (Burt and Butcher, 1985;Onda et al, 2001;Graeff et al, 2009;Birkinshaw and Webb, 2010;Fenicia et al, 2014;Wrede et al, 2015;Martínez-Carreras et al, 2016). Such systems are characterized by pronounced subsurface structures and therefore are prone to heterogeneous flow patterns and preferential flow at the plot and hillslope scale.…”

Section: Synthesis: Functioning Of the Investigated Hillslopementioning

confidence: 99%

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Form and function in hillslope hydrology: characterization of subsurface flow based on response observations

Angermann

Jackisch

Allroggen

et al. 2017

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. The phrase form and function was established in architecture and biology and refers to the idea that form and functionality are closely correlated, influence each other, and co-evolve. We suggest transferring this idea to hydrological systems to separate and analyze their two main characteristics: their form, which is equivalent to the spatial structure and static properties, and their function, equivalent to internal responses and hydrological behavior. While this approach is not particularly new to hydrological field research, we want to employ this concept to explicitly pursue the question of what information is most advantageous to understand a hydrological system. We applied this concept to subsurface flow within a hillslope, with a methodological focus on function: we conducted observations during a natural storm event and followed this with a hillslope-scale irrigation experiment. The results are used to infer hydrological processes of the monitored system. Based on these findings, the explanatory power and conclusiveness of the data are discussed. The measurements included basic hydrological monitoring methods, like piezometers, soil moisture, and discharge measurements. These were accompanied by isotope sampling and a novel application of 2-D time-lapse GPR (ground-penetrating radar). The main finding regarding the processes in the hillslope was that preferential flow paths were established quickly, despite unsaturated conditions. These flow paths also caused a detectable signal in the catchment response following a natural rainfall event, showing that these processes are relevant also at the catchment scale. Thus, we conclude that response observations (dynamics and patterns, i.e., indicators of function) were well suited to describing processes at the observational scale. Especially the use of 2-D time-lapse GPR measurements, providing detailed subsurface response patterns, as well as the combination of stream-centered and hillslope-centered approaches, allowed us to link processes and put them in a larger context. Transfer to other scales beyond observational scale and generalizations, however, rely on the knowledge of structures (form) and remain speculative. The complementary approach with a methodological focus on form (i.e., structure exploration) is presented and discussed in the companion paper by Jackisch et al. (2017).

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Experimental Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Synthesis: Functioning Of the Investigated Hillslopementioning

confidence: 99%

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Form and function in hillslope hydrology: characterization of subsurface flow based on response observations

Angermann

Jackisch

Allroggen

et al. 2017

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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“…These results, together with the process understanding of the runoff generation during the different runoff components, strongly support our hypothesis that 10 varying runoff components and flow paths can explain differences in DOC and nitrate export depending on the initial wetness conditions. Previous studies in the Weierbach catchment clearly showed that the second discharge peaks only emerged during wet conditions when the soil water and groundwater storages are not depleted (Glaser et al, 2016;Martínez-Carreras et al, 2016b;Wrede et al, 2015). Which landscape unit controls the second peaks is still debated; Martinez-Carreras et al (2016b) highlighted to role of the plateaus in the catchment, while Glaser et al (2016) flow generates the first peaks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…However, modelling work by Glaser et al (2016) could not confirm the role of the riparian zone as the catchment unit generating the first peak. Further studies associate the first peak with new, namely event water (Martínez-Carreras et al, 2016b;Wrede et al, 2015). An irrigation experiment in the vicinity of the Weierbach catchment identified the importance of preferential flow for generating fast runoff responses 25 (Jackisch et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How runoff components affect the export of DOC and nitrate: a long-term and high-frequency analysis

Schwab

Klaus

Pfister

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Abstract. We monitored dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate concentrations and fluxes in situ with a UV-Vis spectrometer for two years at a high temporal resolution of 15 minutes in the forested Weierbach headwater catchment. The catchment exhibits a characteristic double peak runoff response to incident rainfall during periods with wet initial conditions. 10When initial conditions are dry, only the first discharge peak occurs. During our observations, both DOC and nitrate concentrations increased during the first discharge peak, while only nitrate concentrations were elevated during the second discharge peak. Relying on additional biweekly end-member data of precipitation, throughfall, soil water and groundwater, we linked the first peak to near surface flowpaths and the second peak to shallow groundwater reactions and subsurface flowpaths. The mass export of DOC and nitrate is largely controlled by the discharge yield. Nevertheless, this relationship is 15 altered by changing flowpaths during different wetness conditions in the catchment. Due to the absence of second discharge peaks during dry conditions, the DOC export is more relevant and the nitrate export is less relevant during dry catchment states. The study highlights the benefits of in-situ, long-term, and high-frequency monitoring for comparing DOC and nitrate export with runoff components that are changing rapidly during events as well as gradually between seasons. 20Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi

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Transpiration patterns and water use strategies of beech and oak trees along a hillslope

et al. 2021

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The role of landscape topography in mediating subsurface water availability and ultimately tree transpiration is still poorly understood. To assess how hillslope position affects tree water use, we coupled sap velocity with xylem isotope measurements in a temperate beech-oak forest along a hillslope transect in Luxembourg. We generally observed greater sap velocities at the upslope locations in trees from average-sized trees, suggesting the presence of more suited growing conditions. We found a lower difference in sap velocity among hillslope positions for larger trees, likely due to the exploitation of deeper and more persistent water sources and the larger canopy light interception. Beech trees exploited a shallower and seasonally less persistent water source than oak trees, due to the shallower root system than oak trees. The different water exploitation strategy could also explain the stronger stomatal sensitivity of beech to vapour pressure deficit compared to oak trees. Xylem isotopic composition was seasonally variable at all locations, mainly reflecting the contribution of variable soil water sources and suggesting that groundwater did not contribute, or only marginally contributed, to tree transpiration. Overall, our results suggest that trees along the hillslope mainly rely on water stored in the unsaturated zone and that seasonally shallow groundwater table may not necessarily subsidize water uptake for species that do not tolerate anoxic conditions. Contrary to previous studies, at our site, we did not find higher sap velocity downslope as the subsurface hillslope structure promotes vertical water flux over lateral redistribution in the vadose zone.

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Storage controls on the generation of double peak hydrographs in a forested headwater catchment

Cited by 55 publications

References 36 publications

Form and function in hillslope hydrology: characterization of subsurface flow based on response observations

Form and function in hillslope hydrology: characterization of subsurface flow based on response observations

How runoff components affect the export of DOC and nitrate: a long-term and high-frequency analysis

Transpiration patterns and water use strategies of beech and oak trees along a hillslope

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