Abstract
The temporal variability of transit-time distributions (TTDs) and residence-time distributions (RTDs) has received particular attention recently, but such variability has barely been studied using distributed hydrological modeling. In this study, a low-dimensional integrated hydrological model is run in combination with particle-tracking algorithms to investigate the temporal variability of TTDs, RTDs, and StorAge Selection (SAS) functions in the small, mountainous Strengbach watershed belonging to the French network of critical-zone observatories. The particle-tracking algorithms employed rely upon both forward and backward formulations that are specifically developed to handle time-variable velocity fields and evaluate TTDs and RTDs under transient hydrological conditions. The model is calibrated using both traditional streamflow measurements and magnetic resonance sounding (MRS)—which is sensitive to the subsurface water content—and then verified over a ten-year period. The results show that the mean transit time is rather short, at 150–200 days, and that the TTDs and RTDs are not greatly influenced by water storage within the catchment. This specific behavior is mainly explained by the small size of the catchment and its small storage capacity, a rapid flow mainly controlled by gravity along steep slopes, and climatic features that keep the contributive zone around the stream wet all year long.
Highlights
Mountainous headwater catchments are widely used for water supply and bring important services to the downstream part of rivers through the export of water and associated biogeochemical and sedimentary fluxes (e.g., [1,2])
Understanding streamflow generation processes and delineating the main flow pathways in mountainous catchments are critical for addressing issues related to sustainable water resources and ecosystem management (e.g., [3,4])
Mountainous subsurface structures are in general characterized by shallow soils on hillslopes that are connected to riparian areas close to streams [7]
Summary
Mountainous headwater catchments are widely used for water supply and bring important services to the downstream part of rivers through the export of water and associated biogeochemical and sedimentary fluxes (e.g., [1,2]). Understanding streamflow generation processes and delineating the main flow pathways in mountainous catchments are critical for addressing issues related to sustainable water resources and ecosystem management (e.g., [3,4]). The geometry and the variability of the subsurface structures are often poorly described, even though these characteristics strongly impact the evolution over time and space of the connectivity between the riparian areas and the hillslopes. This connectivity (which partly determines the water storage within an active riparian zone) has been proven a key parameter for both
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