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1. The influence of diurnal snowmelt and transpiration on hillslope throughflow and stream response

   https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-4295-2018  

   Woelber, Brett ; Maneta, Marco P. ; Harper, Joel ; Jencso, Kelsey G. ; Gardner, W. Payton ; Wilcox, Andrew C. ; López-Moreno, Ignacio ( January 2018 , Hydrology and Earth System Sciences)

   Abstract. During spring, daily stream flow and groundwater dynamics in forested subalpine catchmentsare to a large extent controlled by hydrological processes thatrespond to the day–night energy cycle. Diurnal snowmelt and transpirationevents combine to induce pressure variations in the soil water storage thatare propagated to the stream. In headwater catchments these pressurevariations can account for a significant amount of the total pressure in thesystem and control the magnitude, duration, and timing of stream inflowpulses at daily scales, especially in low-flow systems. Changes in theradiative balance at the top of the snowpack can alter the diurnal hydrologicdynamics of the hillslope–stream system, with potential ecological andmanagement consequences.

   We present a detailed hourly dataset of atmospheric, hillslope, andstreamflow measurements collected during one melt season from a semi-alpineheadwater catchment in western Montana, US. We use this dataset toinvestigate the timing, pattern, and linkages among snowmelt-dominatedhydrologic processes and assess the role of the snowpack, transpiration, andhillslopes in mediating daily movements of water from the top of the snowpackto local stream systems. We found that the amount of snowpack cold contentaccumulated during the night, which must be overcome every morning beforesnowmelt resumes, delayed water recharge inputs by up to 3h early in themelt season. These delaysmore »were further exacerbated by multi-day storms (coldfronts), which resulted in significant depletions in the soil and streamstorages. We also found that both diurnal snowmelt and transpiration signalsare present in the diurnal soil and stream storage fluctuations, although theindividual contributions of these processes are difficult to discern. Ouranalysis showed that the hydrologic response of the snow–hillslope–streamsystem is highly sensitive to atmospheric drivers at hourly scales and thatvariations in atmospheric energy inputs or other stresses are quicklytransmitted and alter the intensity, duration, and timing of snowmelt pulsesand soil water extractions by vegetation, which ultimately drive variationsin soil and stream water pressures.

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2. Characterizing the role of snow for liquid water storage and transmission - Niwot Ridge TLS U-072 PS01 SV01

   https://doi.org/10.7283/cbjg-g696  

   Webb, Ryan ( January 2019 )

   Abstract

   The goal of this project is to characterize and constrain the physical mechanisms that control snowmelt delivery to streams in headwater basins. This project leverages new observation and modeling techniques to quantify and simulate the snow distribution, water holding capacity, snowmelt production, and dynamic flowpaths. This is achieved through state-of-the-science observation techniques including ground penetrating radar (GPR), Terrestrial LiDAR Scanning (TLS), global positioning system (GPS) instrumentation, a network of sensor nodes continuously measuring soil moisture and snow depth, and a weir to monitor streamflow. Finally, hydrologic modeling will be conducted with the Structure for Unified Multiple Modeling Alternatives (SUMMA) model to assess the impact of modeling decisions and the ability to simulate snowmelt dynamics. The overarching research question of this project is: How do snowpack liquid water storage and through-snow hydrologic flowpaths affect hillslope-stream connectivity, and how do these processes evolve throughout the snowmelt season? This research question will be investigated in a snow-dominated headwater catchment. This work will observe and simulate the spatially and temporally variable snowmelt season to complete the following project objectives: O1) Map the dynamics of catchment snow water equivalent (SWE) using TLS surveys, GPR surveys, a network of sensor nodes, and manual observations. O2) Monitor the spatial and temporal progression of snowpack liquid water content and transport using combined TLS and GPR surveys, automated GPS signal attenuation, soil moisture sensors, and catchment streamflow response. O3) Evaluate the skill of hydrologic models to simulate the observed dynamics of the snowpack, soil, and streamflow response by systematically analyzing multiple model representations of hydrologic processes and scaling behavior. The work builds upon decades of local research in hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecological processes.
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3. Assessing the influence of soil freeze–thaw cycles on catchment water storage–flux–age interactions using a tracer-aided ecohydrological model

   https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3319-2019  

   Smith, Aaron ; Tetzlaff, Doerthe ; Laudon, Hjalmar ; Maneta, Marco ; Soulsby, Chris ( January 2019 , Hydrology and Earth System Sciences)

   Abstract. Ecohydrological models are powerful tools to quantify the effects that independent fluxes may have on catchment storage dynamics. Here, we adapted the tracer-aided ecohydrological model, EcH₂O-iso, for cold regions with the explicit conceptualization of dynamic soil freeze–thaw processes. We tested the model at the data-rich Krycklan site in northern Sweden with multi-criterion calibration using discharge, stream isotopes and soil moisture in three nested catchments. We utilized the model's incorporation of ecohydrological partitioning to evaluate the effect of soil frost on evaporation and transpiration water ages, and thereby the age of source waters. The simulation of stream discharge, isotopes, and soil moisture variability captured the seasonal dynamics at all three stream sites and both soil sites, with notable reductions in discharge and soil moisture during the winter months due to the development of the frost front. Stream isotope simulations reproduced the response to the isotopically depleted pulse of spring snowmelt. The soil frost dynamics adequately captured the spatial differences in the freezing front throughout the winter period, despite no direct calibration of soil frost to measured soil temperature. The simulated soil frost indicated a maximum freeze depth of 0.25 m below forest vegetation. Water ages of evaporation and transpiration reflect themore »influence of snowmelt inputs, with a high proclivity of old water (pre-winter storage) at the beginning of the growing season and a mix of snowmelt and precipitation (young water) toward the end of the summer. Soil frost had an early season influence of the transpiration water ages, with water pre-dating the snowpack mainly sustaining vegetation at the start of the growing season. Given the long-term expected change in the energy balance of northern climates, the approach presented provides a framework for quantifying the interactions of ecohydrological fluxes and waters stored in the soil and understanding how these may be impacted in future.

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4. Effects of spatial and temporal variability in surface water inputs on streamflow generation and cessation in the rain–snow transition zone

   https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2779-2022  

   Kiewiet, Leonie ; Trujillo, Ernesto ; Hedrick, Andrew ; Havens, Scott ; Hale, Katherine ; Seyfried, Mark ; Kampf, Stephanie ; Godsey, Sarah E. ( January 2022 , Hydrology and Earth System Sciences)

   Abstract. Climate change affects precipitation phase, which can propagate into changes in streamflow timing and magnitude. This study examines how the spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall and snowmelt affects discharge in rain–snow transition zones. These zones experience large year-to-year variations in precipitation phase, cover a significant area of mountain catchments globally, and might extend to higher elevations under future climate change. We used observations from 11 weather stations and snow depths measured from one aerial lidar survey to force a spatially distributed snowpack model (iSnobal/Automated Water Supply Model) in a semiarid, 1.8 km2 headwater catchment. We focused on surface water input (SWI; the summation of rainfall and snowmelt on the soil) for 4 years with contrasting climatological conditions (wet, dry, rainy, and snowy) and compared simulated SWI to measured discharge. A strong spatial agreement between snow depth from the lidar survey and model (r2 = 0.88) was observed, with a median Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of 0.65 for simulated and measured snow depths at snow depth stations for all modeled years (0.75 for normalized snow depths). The spatial pattern of SWI was consistent between the 4 years, with north-facing slopes producing 1.09–1.25 times more SWI than south-facing slopes, and snowdrifts producing up to 6 timesmore »more SWI than the catchment average. Annual discharge in the catchment was not significantly correlated with the fraction of precipitation falling as snow; instead, it was correlated with the magnitude of precipitation and spring snow and rain. Stream cessation depended on total and spring precipitation, as well as on the melt-out date of the snowdrifts. These results highlight the importance of the heterogeneity of SWI at the rain–snow transition zone for streamflow generation and cessation, and emphasize the need for spatially distributed modeling or monitoring of both snowpack and rainfall dynamics.« less
5. Seasonal connections between meteoric water and streamflow generation along a mountain headwater stream

   https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14029  

   Leuthold, Sam J. ; Ewing, Stephanie A. ; Payn, Robert A. ; Miller, Florence R. ; Custer, Stephan G. ( February 2021 , Hydrological Processes)

   In snowmelt‐driven mountain watersheds, the hydrologic connectivity between meteoric waters and stream flow generation varies strongly with the season, reflecting variable connection to soil and groundwater storage within the watershed. This variable connectivity regulates how streamflow generation mechanisms transform the seasonal and elevational variation in oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O and δD) of meteoric precipitation. Thus, water isotopes in stream flow can signal immediate connectivity or more prolonged mixing, especially in high‐relief mountainous catchments. We characterized δ¹⁸O and δD values in stream water along an elevational gradient in a mountain headwater catchment in southwestern Montana. Stream water isotopic compositions related most strongly to elevation between February and March, exhibiting higher δ¹⁸O and δD values with decreasing elevation. These elevational isotopic lapse rates likely reflect increased connection between stream flow and proximal snow‐derived water sources heavily subject to elevational isotopic effects. These patterns disappeared during summer sampling, when consistently lower δ¹⁸O and δD values of stream water reflected contributions from snowmelt or colder rainfall, despite much higher δ¹⁸O and δD values expected in warmer seasonal rainfall. The consistently low isotopic values and absence of a trend with elevation during summer suggest lower connectivity between summer precipitation and stream flowmore »generation as a consequence of drier soils and greater transpiration. As further evidence of intermittent seasonal connectivity between the stream and adjacent groundwaters, we observed a late‐winter flush of nitrate into the stream at higher elevations, consistent with increased connection to accumulating mineralized nitrogen in riparian wetlands. This pattern was distinct from mid‐summer patterns of nitrate loading at lower elevations that suggested heightened human recreational activity along the stream corridor. These observations provide insights linking stream flow generation and seasonal water storage in high elevation mountainous watersheds. Greater understanding of the connections between surface water, soil water and groundwater in these environments will help predict how the quality and quantity of mountain runoff will respond to changing climate and allow better informed water management decisions.

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