Potential Amplifiers of Hydrological Drought: A Deep Dive into the Seasonal Variations of New, Young, and Old Water Fractions in the Stream Discharge of a Pre-Alpine Catchment

Abstract

This study examines runoff generation processes by focusing on new, young, and old water fractions in the stream discharge within the Swiss pre-Alpine Alp catchment and its smaller tributaries, Erlenbach and Vogelbach. Young water represents a contribution from the three most recent rainfall-runoff events. This research utilises a four-year time series of daily stable water isotope data from stream water and precipitation to investigate seasonal variations. An extended two-component hydrograph separation method is applied to analyse the catchment water and tracer mass balance across both the event and pre-event time axes. The calculated new, young and old water components in stream discharge help estimate time-varying backward travel time distributions. Factors such as air temperature, snow depth, and evapotranspiration data are considered to understand isotope fractionation because of phase changes. The results suggest that discharge generated in autumn and winter may have longer backward travel times compared with spring or summer discharge. Additionally, forest cover influences water fractions older than 40 days. The study identifies a nivo-pluvial runoff regime, with new water fractions peaking in August (Erlenbach, Vogelbach) and January (Alp). Young water fractions reach their highest levels at the start of winter and during snowmelt, while old water fractions peak towards the end of snowmelt and in mid-autumn. The Alp catchment and its tributaries exhibit higher new and young water components than old water following a month of low precipitation and high evapotranspiration in July. These findings are significant in light of the projected drier summers in Central Europe.