Regional estimation of base flow for the conterminous United States by hydrologic landscape regions

Abstract

Information on base flow availability and/or contributions is needed to develop water quantity and water quality management strategies. Base flow availability varies over space and time in a region due to climate, topography, landscape, and geological characteristics. In this study, base flow index (BFI) (base flow/total stream flow) was estimated from daily streamflow records using a recursive digital filter method and interpolated to produce a raster grid map for the conterminous United States. When compared for validation, BFI estimated by recursive digital filter method showed good agreement overall with the USGS smoothed minima BFI method. Estimated base flow index and volume were analyzed, with Hydrological Landscape Regions (HLRs) developed for the United States to identify the mean hydrologic flow response within HLR. They were also used to determine relationships with hydro-geologic descriptive variables and used for defining the HLRs based on Pearson’s correlation table and a stepwise multiple regression. These descriptive variables used in defining the HLRs include relief, effective rainfall, potential evapotranspiration and percentage of sand. The regression results indicated that relief and percentage of sand were highly correlated to base flow index, and the amount of base flow volume can be related to gradient and the amount of effective rainfall. The regression results also suggested that the descriptive variables used in constructing the HLR can be used to define mean values of shallow ground water flow within the regions. Further testing is needed to ascertain if such relationships could be used to define flow within an HLR.