Using hysteretic behaviour and hydrograph classification to identify hydrological function across the “hillslope–depression–stream” continuum in a karst catchment

Zhang, Runrun; Chen, Xi; Zhang, Zhicai; Soulsby, Chris

doi:10.1002/hyp.13793

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…This is one of the first studies (i.e., Zhang et al, 2020) that used the streamflow‐depth to the water table hysteretic relation to investigate hydrological processes at the catchment scale. Particularly, the use of a hysteresis index allowed us to differentiate three main groups of rainfall‐runoff events, and successfully relate them to specific event characteristics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hysteresis in streamflow‐water table relation provides a new classification system of rainfall‐runoff events

Gelmini

Zuecco

Zaramella

et al. 2022

Hydrological Processes

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Rainfall-runoff event types can be used to better understand the hydrological functioning of catchments. In this study, we propose a framework to characterize and classify runoff events relying on the hysteresis analysis of the relation between streamflow (independent variable) and depth to water table (dependent variable). We evaluated hysteresis for 112 rainfall-runoff events occurred in the period 2012-2016 in a small forested catchment in the Italian Pre-Alps. Three main groups of rainfall-runoff events were identified, each associated with specific hydro-meteorological characteristics of the events. A first group, identified by a faster response of streamflow compared to the groundwater level (which led to a clockwise hysteretic loop), was characterized by dry antecedent conditions, short rainfall events, low streamflow peaks and small runoff coefficients. A second group had characteristics similar to the first group, that is, faster response of streamflow compared to the groundwater level (clockwise hysteretic loop), but on average displayed a narrower hysteretic loop. A third group, identified by a faster response of the groundwater level compared to streamflow (which led to an anticlockwise loop), was characterized by wet antecedent conditions, long rainfall events, high streamflow peaks and large runoff coefficients. Results showed statistically significant differences among the groups, corroborated by an analysis based on environmental tracers ( 2 H and electrical conductivity). This study shows how the analysis of the hysteretic relation between streamflow and depth to water table can be used for grouping rainfall-runoff events and to better identify the catchment's hydrological response to rainfall inputs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hysteresis in streamflow‐water table relation provides a new classification system of rainfall‐runoff events

Gelmini

Zuecco

Zaramella

et al. 2022

Hydrological Processes

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“…2) change to be enrichment in the following order: the hillslope spring, the depression groundwater and the catchment outlet discharge. This implies mixing with "old" water over the course of water flow paths from the hillslopes towards the outlet 195 (Zhang et al, 2019;Zhang et al, 2020). In the depression, the mixing with "old" water is enhanced from the hillslope foot to the outlet as the isotope values of groundwater W4 close to the hillslope spring are more negative than those of groundwater W1 near the catchment outlet (Fig.…”

Section: Observational Dataset 175mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Considering the contrasting features of catchment landscapes, the model structure can be conceptualized by focusing on the hydrologic connectivity of the "hillslopedepression-stream" continuum (Fig. 4) (Zhang et al, 2020). That is, the catchment area 235 is divided into hillslope and depression units, each unit can be vertically separated into an unsaturated zone in the upper soil and epikarst layers and a saturated zone representing the deep aquifer (Fig.…”

Section: Conceptual Model Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In order to avoid over-parameterization, some insensitive parameters are fixed 355 according to previous studies and field investigations. The ratio of matrix area to the area of hillslope or depression unit (α) is about 0.95 (Zhang et al, 2019;Zhang et al, 2020). b reflecting the degree of spatial heterogeneity of tension water storage distribution is about 0.12 for small catchment (Xue et al, 2019).…”

Section: Model Calibration and Validationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…b reflecting the degree of spatial heterogeneity of tension water storage distribution is about 0.12 for small catchment (Xue et al, 2019). wm representing the holding capacity of moisture is 50 mm for thin soils over hillslope and 80 mm for thick 360 soils over depression, respectively (Xue et al, 2019;Zhang et al, 2020). The volumes of passive storages (Wpas, Vs,pas and Vf,pas) are generally one order of magnitude larger than those of active storage (Dunn et al, 2010, Ala-Aho et al, 2017.…”

Section: Model Calibration and Validationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Effects of passive storage on modelling hydrological function and isotope dynamics in a karst flow system in southwest China

Chen

Zhang

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Abstract. Representing passive storage in coupled flow-isotope models can facilitate simulation of mixing and retardation effects on tracer transport in many natural systems, such as catchments or rivers. However, the effectiveness of incorporating passive storages in models of complex karst flow systems remains poorly understood. In this study, we developed a coupled flow-isotope model that conceptually represents both “fast” and “slow” flow processes in heterogeneous aquifers to represent hydrological connections between hillslopes and low-lying depression units in cockpit karst landscapes. As this model originally included a varying number of passive storages at different positions of the flow system (e.g. fast/slow flow reservoirs combined with different hillslope/depression units), the model structure and relevant parameters were optimized using a multi-objective optimization algorithm. This was used to match detailed observational data of hydrological processes and isotope concentration in the Chenqi catchment in southwest China. Results show that the optimal structure for a coupled flow-isotope model incorporated only two passive storages in fast flow and slow flow paths of the hillslope unit. Using fewer or greater numbers of passive stores in the model could lead to under- or over-mixing of isotope signatures. This optimized model structure could effectively improve simulation accuracies for outlet discharge and isotope signatures, with > 0.65 of the modified Kling-Gupta efficiency. Additionally, the optimal tracer-aided model yields reasonable parameter values and estimations of hydrological components (e.g. more than 80 % of fast flow in the total discharge). Furthermore, results imply that the solute transport is primarily controlled by advection and hydrodynamic dispersion in steep hillslope unit, which is a remarkable phenomenon in the karst flow system. The study resulted in new insights, more realistic catchment conceptualizations and improved model formulation.

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Intra‐event concentration–discharge relationships affected by hydrological connectivity in a karst catchment

Liu

Zhang

Chen

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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Concentration-discharge (C-Q) relationship in streamflow provides insights into hydrological transport at the catchment scale. Changes in hydrological connectivity during runoff events often dominate flood and solute export in the karst catchment.However, only few studies have explored intra-event C-Q relationships and how they are affected by hydrological connectivity in karst catchment. In this study, we explored the intra-event C-Q relationships in underground channel flows by integrating solute concentration, discharge and modelled flow age in a 1.25 km 2 karst catchment in southwest China. We apply piecewise functions to characterize the C-Q relationships on rising and falling limbs of hydrograph. Geogenic solutes exhibited dilution C-Q patterns during the runoff event, which could be fitted by two power-law models with different coefficients on rising and falling limbs. Affected by the strong hydrological connectivity between surface and subsurface, hillslope and depression, a steeper C-Q slope on the rising limb indicated an exhaustible, proximal source, that is, groundwater. In contrast, the C-Q patterns of the soil enriched solutes changed from enrichment to dilution during the runoff event. The enrichment pattern occurring at the early of rising limb was caused by strong hydrological connectivity between the surface and subsurface, which indicated a distal and plentiful sources of soil water. Whilst the strong hydrological connectivity between hillslope and depression caused a dilution pattern at the latter of rising limb. On the falling limb of hydrograph, a dilution pattern implied that the small fractures could be another source zone of soil-enriched solutes in addition to soil layer in the depression. The C-Q behaviours of soil-enriched solutes can be fitted by a combination of a parabola model and a power law model for rising and falling limbs, respectively. The current study highlights the variations in intra-event C-Q relationships of different solutes affected by hydrological connectivity in the karst catchment. Which is crucial for assession of hydrochemical processes and fertilization management in this area.

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Using hysteretic behaviour and hydrograph classification to identify hydrological function across the “hillslope–depression–stream” continuum in a karst catchment

Cited by 9 publications

References 35 publications

Hysteresis in streamflow‐water table relation provides a new classification system of rainfall‐runoff events

Hysteresis in streamflow‐water table relation provides a new classification system of rainfall‐runoff events

Effects of passive storage on modelling hydrological function and isotope dynamics in a karst flow system in southwest China

Intra‐event concentration–discharge relationships affected by hydrological connectivity in a karst catchment

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