Nested Recharge Systems in Mountain Block Hydrology: High-Elevation Snowpack Generates Low-Elevation Overwinter Baseflow in a Rocky Mountain River

Éowyn M. S. Campbell,M. Cathryn Ryan

doi:10.3390/w13162249

Abstract

The majority of each year′s overwinter baseflow (i.e., winter streamflow) in a third-order eastern slopes tributary is generated from annual melting of high-elevation snowpack which is transmitted through carbonate and siliciclastic aquifers. The Little Elbow River and its tributaries drain a bedrock system formed by repeated thrust faults that express as the same siliciclastic and carbonate aquifers in repeating outcrops. Longitudinal sampling over an 18 km reach was conducted at the beginning of the overwinter baseflow season to assess streamflow provenance. Baseflow contributions from each of the two primary aquifer types were apportioned using sulfate, δ34SSO4, and silica concentrations, while δ18OH2O composition was used to evaluate relative temperature and/or elevation of the original precipitation. Baseflow in the upper reaches of the Little Elbow was generated from lower-elevation and/or warmer precipitation primarily stored in siliciclastic units. Counterintuitively, baseflow generated in the lower-elevation reaches originated from higher-elevation and/or colder precipitation stored in carbonate units. These findings illustrate the role of nested flow systems in mountain block recharge: higher-elevation snowmelt infiltrates through fracture systems in the cliff-forming—often higher-elevation—carbonates, moving to the lower-elevation valley through intermediate flow systems, while winter baseflow in local flow systems in the siliciclastic valleys reflects more influence from warmer precipitation. The relatively fast climatic warming of higher elevations may alter snowmelt timing, leaving winter water supply vulnerable to climatic change.

Highlights

Mountain streamflow provides water to more than 1 billion people worldwide, with increasing demand expected in coming decades [1]
The term mountain block recharge (MBR) denotes water delivered from the mountain block to lowland aquifers by deep or regional flow systems rather than the processes of recharge within the mountain block itself [5,6], which
Markovich et al [6] suggest can be referred to as “mountain aquifer recharge”. This distinction may be necessary because of the historical usage of the term MBR, but it is debatable whether there is any real differentiation in the processes of recharging local, intermediate, and regional flow systems within a mountain block

Summary

Introduction

Mountain streamflow provides water to more than 1 billion people worldwide, with increasing demand expected in coming decades [1]. Markovich et al [6] suggest can be referred to as “mountain aquifer recharge” This distinction may be necessary because of the historical usage of the term MBR, but it is debatable whether there is any real differentiation in the processes of recharging local, intermediate, and regional flow systems within a mountain block. Somers and McKenzie [2] list numerous studies identifying groundwater contributions to mountain streamflow was greater than 50% in many cases These findings correspond to the results of previous hydrologic modelling in the Elbow River watershed, where the provenance of up to 60% of spring and summer streamflow in the Elbow River was bedrock aquifers, and the remaining “interflow” contribution had relatively short residence times in coarse, shallow groundwater systems before becoming streamflow [12]

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