Surface Drainage System Research Articles

Surface and subsurface hydrology of debris-covered Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, revealed by dye tracing

While the supraglacial hydrology of debris-covered glaciers is relatively well studied, almost nothing is known about how water is transported beneath the glacier surface. Here, we report the results of sixteen fluorescent dye tracing experiments conducted in April–May 2018 over the lowermost 7 km of the high-elevation, debris-covered Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, to characterise the glacier's surface and subsurface drainage system. Dye breakthroughs indicated a likely highly sinuous and channelised subsurface hydrological system draining water from the upper part of the ablation area. This flowpath was distinct from the linked chain of supraglacial ponds present along much of the glacier's lower ablation area, through which water flow was extremely slow (∼0.003 ms−1), likely reflecting the study's timing during the pre-monsoon period. Subsurface drainage pathways emerged at the glacier surface close to the terminus, and flowed into small near-surface englacial reservoirs that typically delayed meltwater transit by several hours. We observed rapid pathway changes resulting from surface collapse, indicating a further distinctive aspect of the drainage of debris-covered glaciers. We conclude that the surface and subsurface drainage of Khumbu Glacier is both distinctive and dynamic, and argue that further investigation is needed to refine the characterisation and test its regional applicability to better understand future Himalayan debris-covered glacier meltwater delivery to downstream areas.

Reconstruction and characterization of the surface drainage system functioning during extreme rainfall: the analysis with use of the ALS-LIDAR data\u2014the case study in two small flysch catchments (Outer Carpathian, Poland)

A surface drainage system (SDS) controls catchment hydrology and acts as an indicator of geomorphologic processes. In this study, a field-based and GIS-integrated approach enabling reconstruction of a surface drainage system, which operates during heavy rainfall in small flysch catchments, has been proposed. The reconstruction is based on the ALS-LIDAR data. The reconstruction of the SDS gave the opportunity for analysis of the changes between the river system and the SDS operating during heavy rainfalls. Results have revealed that the SDS operating during heavy rainfalls is several times better developed than the river system. The density has increased from c.a. 1.5 to 13.7 km·km− 2. Moreover, the structure of the SDS has changed, what was confirmed by the parameters of the Hortonian type of the analyses. The most significant changes were related to the first- and second-order streams. These streams were, the most frequently, the man-origin incisions and natural-origin incisions/concavities on the hillslopes conditioned by micro-relief. The man-origin sub-system reached up to 35% of the SDS functioning during heavy rainfalls, whereas the sub-system composed of incisions/concavities conditioned by micro-relief reached up to 24% of this SDS. Smaller lateral valleys included to the SDS during heavy rainfalls constitute up to 37% of the SDS. The permanent streams constitute the remaining part of the SDS. Changes in the SDS have the influence on the drainage pattern, hydrological response of a catchment, and intensity of geomorphological processes; therefore, the changes in the SDS and their consequences have been discussed.

System of urban flood control: A Comparative Study between Kanagawa Prefecture and Makassar City

Flooding is a water event inundation the land area due to the overflow of water from rivers or rainwater runoffs with high intensity. Kanagawa Prefecture is a country of Japan that has overcome flood events with a simple and high-tech flood control system. The conservation of watersheds and green open spaces as water catchments and the use of naturally occurring and artificial rivers and ponds show the simplicity of the flood control technology adopted by the Kanagawa Prefecture government. Subsurface drainage is a high-tech flood control system that is connected to surface drainage and guttering system in resident’s housing. Based on the Kanagawa experiences, this study is an effort to apply the concept for the Makassar City of Indonesia, which the flood still occurs. Data collection methods were conducted with direct observation in the field and were described qualitatively based on the facts and literature approaches. The results of the analysis indicate that the type of flood control such as Miyagase dam in Kanagawa prefecture is the same as the Bili-Bili dam on Jeneberang River as flood control in Makassar City. The high-tech flood control type in Kanagawa Prefecture is sub-surface drainage that has not been applied in Makassar. This research is expected to be a reference for the Government of Indonesia, especially the City of Makassar in formulating policy concerning solving the problem of flooding.

Evaluation of drainage problems in Antalya Konyaalti parks in the context of landscape engineering.

In this study, factors that cause drainage problems in 23 Nisan Park and Mevlana Park have been investigated in the scope of landscape design and landscape engineering. To propose regulations to protect the natural topography and natural drainage lines, evaluations and observations were conducted, and these data were digitized. Water accumulation analyses were performed using field observations, which were used to create a water accumulation analysis map that was compared with water collection area maps created using Arc Hydro extension in ArcGIS. The results show that surface waters accumulate in areas such as pedestrian ways and playgrounds due to deficiencies in landscape design. Surface water quantities were calculated using the rational method. To prevent structural damage and excessive water entry, deep drainage and concrete or grass-covered parabolic surface drainage systems are recommended. Additional suggestions are provided for other studies to be conducted in this regard.

Poor-drainage-induced salinization of agricultural lands: Management through structural measures

Convenient and sufficient water supply to crops is a necessity for sustainable food production to the rising total populace. Albeit adequate water supply is important for crop production, the surplus water in the rootzone is hurtful to plant development and yield. Poor drainage and associated salinization represent severe threats to the long-term sustainability of irrigated agriculture in several dry areas. Reducing soil submergence, salinity control, and making new land accessible for agriculture are the three main goals of agricultural drainage. Thus, an effective drainage system not only improves the existing agricultural lands but also brings new areas under cultivation. This paper provides an investigation of different structural and engineering measures adopted for the management of drainage and salinization problems of irrigated lands. The overview of drainage and salinization problems and the requirement of a drainage system are presented. Application and limitations of surface drainage system in agricultural areas and the processes involved in the removal of surplus water through subsurface drainage system are provided. The adaptability and limitations of tile drainage, mole drainage, and vertical drainage in managing the drainage and salinization problems of agricultural lands are also detailed in the paper. Finally, policy issues are discussed and some conclusions are provided.

Assessment of morphometric parameters for the development of Relative Active Tectonic Index and its significant for seismic hazard study: an integrated geoinformatic approach

Earthquake is a geological natural hazard which is shaking of earth’s surface due to seismic activity. The Himalayan region and quaternary geological surface of Indian sub-continent had experienced several earthquakes in the recent geological period due to reactivation of existing faults. Surface drainage system and its morphometric characteristics are controlled by subsurface geo-structural features and active tectonic process which have greater impact on seismic activity. Thus, the present study focuses on the analysis of morphometric parameters for the development of Relative Active Tectonic Index (RATI) and its significant for seismic hazard assessment using geoinformatics. The different morphometric parameters have been analyzed and geospatial databases have been generated. The RATI has been estimated by considering higher priority tectonic influencing parameters based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) methods and the output has also been integrated with thematic and seismological databases to understand its significance for seismotectonic activity. The result shows that the very high and high Relative Active Tectonic Index are observed in greater and lesser Himalayan sequence, where frequency of earthquake and its magnitudes are also high. The anomalous nature of drainage network, compressed meander in youthful stage, presence of high resistance rocks, structural control on drainage network, relief steepness, and v-shaped narrow valley are the indicator of active tectonics and seismic activity in this region. Even though the foothills micro-basin shows moderate or low Relative Active Tectonic Index, morphometric analysis depicts that it is highly elongated in nature with significant surface tilt and have a greater influence of tectonic deformation. In addition, the continuous stress from Main Frontal Thrust has a significant role for the landscape upliftment and seismic activity in this region. The micro-basin which is located in the quaternary alluvial surface, has not produced any major earthquake in the past, but has greater influence on tectonic activity and may produce earthquake in the future.

Investigation of distress of a reinforced earth wall in Hong Kong

During an intense rainstorm on 22 May 2013, severe distress occurred at a reinforced earth wall in Hong Kong. The wall was under construction and nearing completion at the time of the incident. The distress involved the dislodgement of 78 facing panels, a total soil loss of about 1300 m3 and a disturbed groundmass of some 5500 m3. The distress occurred at three localised areas along the wall, with the formation of a sinkhole within the backfilled soil mass, referred to as the backyard of the wall. The incident resulted in significant soil deposition within the surface drainage system, flooding and debris overspill onto the road carriageway below, and it caused havoc to the local community. Subsequent to the incident, a detailed investigation was conducted to establish the probable causes and mechanism of the incident. This paper highlights some salient points of the investigation, the key findings and the lessons learnt from the incident.

Practice of Sponge City Construction in a residential area of Tianjin

Taking a residential area as example, this paper introduced the designing strategies for the Sponge City Design Project in Tianjin. The geographical conditions, rainfall characteristics, the underlying surface conditions, vertical conditions, and drainage systems were analyzed to select the suitable low-impact development measures. It was found that the green lands, permeable pavements, and rainwater buckets had met the requirements for the control of total annual runoff, surface-source pollution control, and rainwater reuse required by the eco-city. The construction of the Sponge City Rainwater System will not only allow the building community to meet the evaluation criteria for green buildings and green communities, but also gain government support, increase the social awareness of construction developers, and increase social benefits. In addition, the Sponge City Rainwater System also brings good ecological benefits to real estate projects.

Hyper-resolution 1D-2D urban flood modelling using LiDAR data and hybrid parallelization

Coupled 1D-2D modelling is a widely used approach to predict water movement in complicated surface and subsurface drainage systems in urban or peri-urban areas. In this study, a hybrid parallel code, H12, is developed for 1D-2D coupled urban flood modelling. Hybrid-1D-2D, or H12, enables street-resolving hyper-resolution simulation over a large area by combining Open Multi-Processing (OpenMP) and Message Passing Interface (MPI) parallelization. Variable grid sizing is adopted for detailed geometric representation of urban surfaces as well as efficient computation. To assess the capability of H12, simulation experiments were carried for the Johnson Creek Catchment (∼40 km2) in Arlington, Texas. The LiDAR-derived digital elevation model (DEM) and detailed land cover map at 1-m resolution are used to represent the terrain and urban features in flood modelling. Hybrid parallelization achieves up to a 79-fold reduction in simulation time compared to the serial run and is more efficient than either OpenMP or MPI alone especially in hyper-resolution simulations.

Water table management to save water and reduce nutrient losses from agricultural fields: 6 years of experience in North-Eastern Italy

To evaluate the performances of a controlled drainage system in optimizing water use and reducing nutrient losses from agricultural fields, an experimental facility was set up in north-eastern Italy in 1996. Water table management was tested in combination with surface (open ditches) and subsurface (pipe) drainage systems. Data were collected from 2007 to 2013 on: water table depth, drained volumes, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in groundwater and in drainage water.Nitrogen in groundwater showed higher concentrations when controlled drainage was combined with open ditches system, with a median of 13.43 mg L−1 for NO3-N and 18.68 mg L−1 for total N. Drainage water showed an opposite trend: subsurface pipes with free drainage provided highest concentrations due to extensive leaching (a median of 20.7 mg L−1 for NO3-N and 24.0 mg L−1 for total N). Phosphorus concentrations showed notable differences in drainage water, with higher values in the controlled drainage – open ditches system due to surface runoff (a median of 0.190 mg L−1 for PO4-P and 0.536 mg L−1 for total P).In general, the most hazardous period for surface water pollution was autumn-winter, due to rainy weather and fertilizer application on bare soil.Overall, water table management reduced total water discharge by 81% compared to free drainage. On average, with controlled drainage annual nitrogen losses were lowered by 92% (from 29 to 2 kg NO3-N ha−1) and annual phosphorus losses by 65% (from 0.14 to 0.05 kg PO-4P ha−1). Free drainage with subsurface pipe was the worst combination from the environmental point of view: annual nitrogen and phosphorus losses were 46 kg NO3-N ha−1 and 0.10 kg PO4-P ha−1 respectively.Water table management clearly proved to be a reliable tool to improve both water usage and quality.

Simulation of Rainfall-Runoff Response in Ecological Swale with On-Line Subsurface Detention Using Infoworks SD.

The Bio-Ecological Drainage System (BIOECODS) is a sustainable drainage (SUDS) to demonstrate the 'control at source' approaches for urban stormwater management in Malaysia. It is an environmentally friendly drainage system that was designed to increase infiltration, reduce peak flow at outlet, improve water quality, through different BMPs, such as grass swale, retention pond, etc. A special feature of BIOECODS is ecological swale with on-line subsurface detention. This study attempted to create a model of ecological swale with on-line subsurface conveyance system with InfoWorks SD. The new technique has been used Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) model to describe overland flow routing and Soil Conservation Service Method (SCS) used to model infiltration or subsurface flow. The modeling technique has been proven successful, as the predicted and observed closely match each other, with a mean error of 4.58 to 7.32%. The calibrated model then used to determine the ratio of the flow exchange between the surface and subsurface drainage system. Results from the model showed that the runoff ratio exchange between the surface and subsurface is 60 to 90%.

Widespread movement of meltwater onto and across Antarctic ice shelves.

Surface meltwater drains across ice sheets, forming melt ponds that can trigger ice-shelf collapse, acceleration of grounded ice flow and increased sea-level rise. Numerical models of the Antarctic Ice Sheet that incorporate meltwater's impact on ice shelves, but ignore the movement of water across the ice surface, predict a metre of global sea-level rise this century in response to atmospheric warming. To understand the impact of water moving across the ice surface a broad quantification of surface meltwater and its drainage is needed. Yet, despite extensive research in Greenland and observations of individual drainage systems in Antarctica, we have little understanding of Antarctic-wide surface hydrology or how it will evolve. Here we show widespread drainage of meltwater across the surface of the ice sheet through surface streams and ponds (hereafter 'surface drainage') as far south as 85° S and as high as 1,300 metres above sea level. Our findings are based on satellite imagery from 1973 onwards and aerial photography from 1947 onwards. Surface drainage has persisted for decades, transporting water up to 120 kilometres from grounded ice onto and across ice shelves, feeding vast melt ponds up to 80 kilometres long. Large-scale surface drainage could deliver water to areas of ice shelves vulnerable to collapse, as melt rates increase this century. While Antarctic surface melt ponds are relatively well documented on some ice shelves, we have discovered that ponds often form part of widespread, large-scale surface drainage systems. In a warming climate, enhanced surface drainage could accelerate future ice-mass loss from Antarctic, potentially via positive feedbacks between the extent of exposed rock, melting and thinning of the ice sheet.

Late quaternary speleogenesis and landscape evolution in the northern Apennine evaporite areas

AbstractGypsum beds host the majority of the caves in the north‐eastern flank of the Apennines, in the Emilia Romagna region (Italy). More than six hundred of these caves have been surveyed, including the longest known epigenic gypsum cave systems in the world (Spipola‐Acquafredda, ~11 km). Although this area has been intensively studied from a geological point of view, the age of the caves has never been investigated in detail. The rapid dissolution of gypsum and uplift history of the area have led to the long‐held view that speleogenesis commenced only during the last 130 000 years.Epigenic caves only form when the surface drainage system efficiently conveys water into the underground. In the study area, this was achieved after the dismantling of most of the impervious sediments covering the gypsum and the development of protovalleys and sinkholes. The time necessary for these processes can by constrained by understanding when caves were first formed.The minimum age of karst voids can be indirectly estimated by dating the infilling sediments. U–Th dating of carbonate speleothems growing in gypsum caves has been applied to 20 samples from 14 different caves from the Spipola‐Acquafredda, Monte Tondo‐Re Tiberio, Stella‐Rio Basino, Monte Mauro, and Castelnuovo systems. The results show that: (i) caves have been forming since at least ~600 kyr ago; (ii) the peak of speleogenesis was reached during relatively cold climate stages, when rivers formed terraces at the surface and aggradation caused paragenesis in the stable cave levels; (iii) ~200 000 years were necessary for the dismantling of most of the sediments covering the karstifiable gypsum and the development of a surface mature drainage network.Besides providing a significant contribution to the understanding of evaporite karst evolution in the Apennines, this study refines our knowledge on the timescale of geomorphological processes in a region affected by rapid uplifting. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Wykorzystanie numerycznych modeli terenu do generowania systemu drenażu powierzchniowego, funkcjonującego podczas opadów nawalnych. Podstawy metodyczne na podstawie studium przypadku zlewni Zalasówki (Pogórze Ciężkowickie) = Use of digital terrain models to generate the surface drainage network functioning during heavy rainfall. Methodological aspects based on the Zalasówka catchment (Ciężkowickie foothills)

In considering the process by which flash floods form, core information concerns the parameters of an area’s surface drainage system. That system is composed of elements of natural origin (rivers and valleys), as well as those of an anthropogenic nature (roads, ditches and rills), which together operate as a single drainage system at times of heavy rainfall. In line with this understanding, the work underpinning this article has focused on: 1) a characterisation of different types of DTM in the context of their application to detailed surface drainage system generation in small Carpathian catchments, 2) methodological aspects of DTM modification allowing elements of anthropogenic origin, such as roads, ditches and rills to be included within the surface drainage system, 3) a characterisation of the differences between the river system operating year-round and the surface drainage system functioning at times of heavy rainfall. The results reveal that the most popular DTMs, such as the SRTM, ASTER, TBD and SMOK, do not allow detailed surface drainage systems (including anthropogenic origin elements such as roads, ditches, etc.) to be generated. Such a goal may be achieved by analysis of a DTM generated on the basis of LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) data. However, such a DTM includes certain “obstacles” (bridges, culverts, etc.) that modify real concentrated flow paths. A methodology for LIDAR-type DTM modification was therefore proposed, with this including: 1) selection and digitisation (as line-type vector data) of the said “obstacles” (on the basis of field data and analyses of aerial photographs), 2) characterisation of the vectors (“obstacles”) by reference to the four attributes of buffer, incision, channel and resolution) – Fig. 2, and 3) modification of the DTM through burning of the “obstacles” using the attributes mentioned above. Such an approach allows for the generation of a surface drainage system similar to that observed in the terrain. The surface drainage system in question was generated using the D8 algorithm, with the threshold values required for first-order stream generation being calculated on the basis of field studies following on from a rainfall event (26/27-06-2009). The methodology proposed in this study seems to be correct. The surface drainage system generated on the basis of the DTM in the Zalasowka catchment was composed of elements of anthropogenic and natural origin, and was comparable with the system operating at the time of the rainfall event examined. The results for the period of heavy rainfall revealed a surface drainage system 9 times more developed (at 13.7 km·km–2) than the river system (1.5 km·km–2). There were significant changes in the stream pattern reflected in the Horton and Schumm ratios. There was also increases in the maximum stream order, the bifurcation ratio RB, the length ratio RL and the area ratio RA; as well as a decrease in the mean length and mean area of the first-order stream.

Surface drainage system for dry docks in shipyards - Case study of Estaleiro Rio Grande (Technical Note)

This study aims to present a methodology for the design of a surface drainage system for dry docks in shipyards, taking into account the rainfall intensity at the site, the damping capacity of the hydraulic structures (drainage channels) and the pumping capacity of the pumping system. A case study of a dry dock owned by Estaleiro Rio Grande, located at the state of Rio Grande do Sul, is presented. The results obtained indicate alternatives for channel and submersible pump sizing. These pumps would be used to control the dry dock flooding after an intense rainfall event.

Phosphorus balance and risk assessment in the rice–canola cropping system under different drainage strategies

ABSTRACTThis research was conducted to quantify total phosphorus (TP) losses in poorly drained-consolidated paddy fields equipped with different surface and shallow subsurface drainage systems including drain depth of 0.9 m and drain spacing of 30 m (D0.9L30), drain depth of 0.65 m and drain spacing of 30 m (D0.65L30), drain depth of 0.65 m and drain spacing of 15 m (D0.65L15), drain spacing of 15 m and drain depths of 0.65 and 0.9 m as alternate depths (Bilevel). Typical surface drainage system of consolidated paddy fields was also considered as conventional practice of the study area (control). The subsurface drained fields were under year-round crop production of rice-canola, while the surface drained fields experienced only rice cropping once a year. During three rice-canola-rice growing seasons, TP losses through drainage and leaching in the D0.9L30, Bilevel, D0.65L30, D0.65L15 and control treatments were respectively, 1.12, 0.98, 1.44, 1.53 and 24.48 kg ha−1, equivalent to about 3.9%, 3.4%, 5.1%, 5.3% and 85.7% of applied triple superphosphate fertilizer. In the rice growing seasons, TP losses through surface runoff were higher than those through subsurface drainage effluents. Shallow subsurface drainage systems were promising for the study area compared surface drainage as phosphorus risks were reduced by 79%, 77%, 64% and 57% through D0.9L30, Bilevel, D0.65L30 and D0.65L15, respectively. These results demonstrated that, by providing suitable condition for winter cropping, subsurface drainage systems can diminish concerns related to phosphorus losses from poorly drained paddy fields in the north of Iran.

Scenario Modelling of Climate Change's Impact on Salinization of Coastal Water Resources in Reclaimed Lands

A numerical model accounting for variable density flow and transport was built up to quantify the actual and future (2050) salinization trends of a coastal aquifer in the Po delta (Northern Italy). SEAWAT 4.0 was employed to model the interaction between the surface drainage system and the underlying aquifer. PEST was employed for inverse parameter calibration using hydraulic heads and groundwater salinities as constraints. The calibrated model was used to predict the behavior of the coastal aquifer using a multiple scenario approach: increase in evapotranspiration induced by temperature increase; increase in the frequency of extreme high rainfall events; extreme drought conditions; and irrigation canals dewatering due to salinization of the Po River branches. For each scenario, two sub-scenarios were established to account for the projected local sea level rise. The first three scenarios have only minimal effects on the aquifer salinization, while the fourth forecasts a severe aquifer salinization due to enhanced upward fluxes of saline and hypersaline groundwater. The scenarios quantified the possible future salinization trends of groundwater and could be useful to identify adaptation strategies which allow to better manage water resources of this and similar areas. Results show that the Po delta will experience a significant salinization by 2050 and that the major cause is autonomous salinization via seepage of saline groundwater rather than enhanced salt-water intrusion due to sea level rise. The enhanced autonomous salinization will increase the salt export into the drainage canals that are also employed for irrigation, posing serious treats to the local flourishing agricultural economy.

Basin-scale spatial soil erosion variability: Pingshuo opencast mine site in Shanxi Province, Loess Plateau of China

Opencast mining and relevant land reclamation measurements can have a large impact on the surrounding landscape by altering vegetation, topography, and subsurface. Mining processes will induce changes in runoff, erosion, surface drainage system, and ecological functions. In this present study, Sanggan River (SGR) watershed with a surface area of about 1480 km2, which contains Pingshuo mine lying in the central part of this basin, was chosen for applying RUSLE model. RUSLE was applied in conjunction with geographic information systems and remote sensing to estimate erosion risks and assess impacts of mining on the channels and hydrologic system, in order to implement better water and soil conservation and reclamation practices. The RUSLE factors (R, K, LS, C, P) in 3 years, 1986, 2000, and 2013, were computed. Erosion in the study area for each of those years was classified into six grades: slight, light, moderate, intense, severe, and aggressive rates. Topographic factor (LS) and conservation practice factor (P) influenced the erosion to a greater extent and had higher correlation with soil erosion. High soil erosion rate was observed in areas with high terrain alteration, high slopes, and land with sparse vegetation. Hilly areas, grasslands, and the newly constructed mine dumps were more degraded with higher erosion.

Optimal Water Resource Planning for Waterlogged Cropped Land

Development plan of water resources in a surface waterlogged area in coastal district of Odisha, India was attempted. Vulnerability extent of dry spell was to the tune of 17-55 % during monsoon season using Markov chain procedure, which emphasized the requirement of micro-level water resources plan in the study area. Through field survey procedure, four farm pond locations were suggested for farm ponds in 41 ha command area. Further, the CAD&WM, DOWR, Govt. of Odisha executed field drain and helped in modulating water congestion in the crop fields and enhanced paddy yield ranging between 2.3-3.1 t.ha-1 as against 1.2 t.ha-1 under pre-drainage condition. Due to successful functioning of the surface drainage system, reduction of ponding up to 49 cm in paddy field took place in a peak rainfall event of 152 mm, when field drain observed 109 cm inundation. Renovation of minors helped in regaining their carrying capacity, which ranged between 0.9-1.63 m3 .s-1. Applying multi-objective programming technique with water availability at 75% and 85% scenarios, the optimal crop allocation was found at 75 % level, which suggested growing of kharif paddy in 20 ha, rabi tomato in 24.1 ha and rabi brinjal in 5.9 ha with maximum profit and production. Thus, due to execution of field drain and rejuvenation of farm ponds and minors in the command area, rabi crops were successfully introduced with varying successes.

The change of nature and the nature of change in agricultural landscapes: Hydrologic regime shifts modulate ecological transitions

AbstractHydrology in many agricultural landscapes around the world is changing in unprecedented ways due to the development of extensive surface and subsurface drainage systems that optimize productivity. This plumbing of the landscape alters water pathways, timings, and storage, creating new regimes of hydrologic response and driving a chain of environmental changes in sediment dynamics, nutrient cycling, and river ecology. In this work, we nonparametrically quantify the nature of hydrologic change in the Minnesota River Basin, an intensively managed agricultural landscape, and study how this change might modulate ecological transitions. During the growing season when climate effects are shown to be minimal, daily streamflow hydrographs exhibit sharper rising limbs and stronger dependence on the previous‐day precipitation. We also find a changed storage‐discharge relationship and show that the artificial landscape connectivity has most drastically affected the rainfall‐runoff relationship at intermediate quantiles. Considering the whole year, we show that the combined climate and land use change effects reduce the inherent nonlinearity in the dynamics of daily streamflow, perhaps reflecting a more linearized engineered hydrologic system. Using a simplified dynamic interaction model that couples hydrology to river ecology, we demonstrate how the observed hydrologic change and/or the discharge‐driven sediment generation dynamics may have modulated a regime shift in river ecology, namely extirpation of native mussel populations. We posit that such nonparametric analyses and reduced complexity modeling can provide more insight than highly parameterized models and can guide development of vulnerability assessments and integrated watershed management frameworks.