Reply to comment by C. Michel on “A base flow separation algorithm based on the linearized Boussinesq equation for complex hillslopes”

Abstract

[1] Before starting our reply, we would like to thank Michel [2006] for the interest in our base flow separation algorithm. The comments raised by Michel [2006] can be summarized as follows. The first issue raised was that the solution to the Boussinesq equation, on which the filter algorithm is based, is equivalent to a solution to the linear reservoir equation. Second, a new discharge-storage relationship was derived, which is supposed to be a good approximation to the Boussinesq equation and which should have been used instead of the Boussinesq equation itself. In this reply we will show that although the issues raised certainly merit a discussion, they do not diminish the validity of the Boussinesq filter.