Modeling runoff dynamics from zero-order basins: implications for hydrological pathways
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Abstract:
Although zero-order basins (geomorphic hollows) are important components of headwater catchments, their hydrologic regime has not been thoroughly investigated. A multi-tank model approach is used to simulate flow from zero-order basins in Hitachi Ohta Experimental Watershed, Japan, and simulations are compared with six months of wet season flows. A three-tank model accurately simulated runoff for the 6-month period from basin (FA) with two zero-order basins and deep soils, whereas a two-tank model performed satisfactorily in a zero-order basin with shallower soils (ZB). Characteristics of flow paths were evaluated and the concept of "threshold response" was assessed in simulations. In FA, preferential flow from the upper outlet of Tank 1 only occurred during the two largest storms; no overland flow was simulated. Less rapid subsurface flow emitted from the side outlet of Tank 2 during large and several moderate-size storms. During small storms, no overland, preferential, or subsurface flows occurred. Water depth in Tank 3, which indicates shallow groundwater storage in FA, is highly correlated with 30-day antecedent rainfall. The concept of "threshold response" is evidenced by intermittent quick and moderate flows from Tanks 1 and 2, respectively.Keywords:
Antecedent moisture
An investigation of runoff from a 4.64‐acre agricultural watershed included the use of subplots, observation wells, and piezometers to determine the extent of source areas of storm runoff within the catchment. Studies of data collected showed that most of the storm runoff usually originates from a small portion of the total drainage area and that the location and extent of the source area is dependent upon rainfall intensity, antecedent moisture, and the depth of the A horizon soil.
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A procedure to isolate and investigate the watershed influence on storm runoff is presented. It offers an opportunity to study also the change in influence of particular watershed characteristics by changing the input or soil moisture state of each catchment. Weighted lake area, area of bare rocks, main stream gradient, drainage density and basin area are found to be the most significant characteristics in affecting peak runoff and time of rise on storm hydrographs in small Norwegian rivers. The intercorrelation structure of the watershed properties is examined.
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Traditional hydrological analysis used maps and ground survey as tools to obtain the basic parameters of the watershed. However, for large catchment area the above criteria are both costly and time consuming. In this research, a hydrological model modified natural resources conservation service curve number (NRCS-CN) and geographical information system GIS technique are used together to obtain the runoff depth for Sulak catchment area that located in the northern western part of Iraq. The basin divided into three sub-basins, runoff has been estimate for each sub-basin by three approaches. The research detect that the slope parameter affects runoff estimation significantly also its found that for each sub-watershed runoff varies drastically from sub-watershed to sub-watershed of Sulak basin. The analysis of variance test showed that there was significant difference between each curve number value for each sub-watershed, accordingly runoff calculated by Williams method gives valves above the average comparing with other methods. Total runoff estimated by three approaches for entire catchment area which shows that around 51% of total runoff is generated in months January and February, That because of heavy rainfall and high soil moisture content (antecedent moisture content AMC-III) during that period.
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The watershed runoff simulation,was concerned with the topograph soil type,and land use of the basin as usual.The unified parameters can be assumed to the whole area of the small scale basin,but it can not reflect the geographic identity by that way for the variety of the real situation of the big scale basin.In this paper,the Weihe River Basin in Shaanxi Province as a case,using the GIS to analyze the geographical parameters,the runoff discharge in river basin have been calculated.
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Predicting areas within catchments responsible for the majority of contaminant transport to surface waters requires a good estimate of flow, especially storm flow. Many process-based models require much data and are often complex to apply. Hence, we used the empirically-based curve number (CN) model to predict storm flows for rainfalls with 5-year return periods in summer (Jan-Mar), autumn (Apr-Jun) and spring (Oct-Dec) for eighteen, largely rural catchments (size, 39 to 713 km2) in Otago. Spatially-distributed, published rainfall maps were used as input data. The winter (Jul-Sep) season was not considered, as snowfall data were not available. A frequency analysis was conducted on storm flow volumes measured at the catchment outlets to identify the 5-year return period observed during summer, autumn and spring. Curve numbers, derived from individual land cover and soil data, were area-weighted for the entire catchment (CNLS). To describe the catchment conditions at the time of runoff and to predict flows comparable to those observed, CNLS were altered based on three discrete antecedent moisture conditions - dry, moderate and wet. For the 5-year return period rainfalls, the predicted flows varied between 1 and 653% of observed flows. CNLS corresponding to dry conditions did not predict any runoff, indicating that all rainfall was absorbed within the catchment. Generally, moderate antecedent moisture condition CNLS resulted in the under-prediction of flows in all eighteen catchments, with maximum differences between observed and predicted flows in autumn and minimum differences in summer. Catchment-scale best-fit curve numbers (CNRF) calculated from 5-year return period flow and rainfall data indicated that for thirteen catchments out of 18, during summer, CNLS values between moderate and wet antecedent moisture conditions would have predicted flows comparable to those observed. However, under spring and autumn conditions, for nine and thirteen catchments, respectively, CNRF values were greater than CNLS values for wet antecedent moisture conditions, always leading to under-prediction of flows. This implied a need to revisit the curve number selection procedure for these two seasons. These results also indicated that curve number selection, and hence, its performance and suitability, is strongly related to season, and the traditional method of holding curve numbers constant for all seasons for flow prediction can poorly represent seasonal variations in flows. Evaluation of the curve number for flow prediction in Otago catchments demonstrates the need to include representation of seasonal variations in rainfall and flow conditions.
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<p>This study investigates potential effects of wetland restoration on storm flow dynamics in a mainly waterlogged low mountain range catchment located in SW-Germany. Here, wetland drainage networks are being sealed, aiming to achieve rising soil water tables and reestablished peat vegetation. With the help of hydrograph separation, multiple linear regression (MLR) and covariance analysis (ANCOVA), runoff-governing storm properties and sealing influences were analyzed. Results show, that not only natural storm parameters (precipitation sum, rainfall intensity, antecedent precipitation and temperature) exert influence on storm-runoff, but sealings also led to significantly altered processes: On the one hand, storm-runoff coefficients increased in sealed catchments, resulting most likely from more saturated soils, providing a smaller infiltration capacity. This is a desired effect of rewetting but coincidently a downside regarding storm flood prevention. On the other hand, lag times, meaning the timespan between rainfall occurrence and the hydrograph starting to rise, were noticeably prolonged. This effect can be potentially beneficial when it comes to storm flood prevention. Overall, statistical models including sealings showed more satisfactory results describing stormflow variance compared to models without sealings. Therefore, sealings do exert &#8211; statistically proven &#8211; an effect on storm runoff. The heterogeneity of the results, representing a dense gauge network spread over an investigation area of roughly 7.5 km&#178; shows, that a high-resolution sampling, both spatially and temporally, is vital. That is since runoff processes in waterlogged low mountain range catchments are still poorly understood.</p>
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Infiltration (HVAC)
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ABSTRACT An approach to simulate space and time distributed storm runoff and sediment discharge with seasonal variations of watershed characteristics is investigated. Model RUNOFF was applied to a small rural watershed in Mississippi to simulate runoff and sediment generated by storms occurring in different seasons of the year. The sensitive model parameters, which are the SCS runoff curve number and the flow detachment coefficient, were adjusted to match the predicted water and sediment discharges with the observed data. Variations of the parameters, with respect to the seasons, follow clear patterns. These patterns may be used to select parameter values, as well as simulate storm runoff and sediment, throughout a year.
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A method is presented by which the proportions of a watershed that contribute surface runoff in different storms and at different times during the same storm can be determined by analysis of rainfall and runoff records. The method is a modification of a method described in an earlier paper, which eliminates the need for subjective selection of particular runoff events for analysis. The method is illustrated using data from a 16.8‐ha watershed in Queensland, Australia, and the estimates of runoff from the different source areas are compared with actual records of runoff from the whole watershed. Runoff occurred from the entire watershed area on only three occasions in the 15‐yr study period, about 10% of runoff events. In about two‐thirds of runoff events, runoff came only from the 15% of the watershed that has the smallest surface storage capacity.
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This study reported the efficiency of a free water surface flow constructed wetland (CW) system that receives runoff impacted stream water from a forested and agricultural watershed. Investigations were conducted to examine the potential effect of hydraulic fluctuations on the CW as a result of storm events and the changes in water quality along the flow path of the CW. Based on the results, the incoming pollutant concentrations were increased during storm events and greater at the near end of the storm than at the initial time of storm. A similar trend was observed to the concentrations exiting the CW due to the wetland being a relatively small percentage of the watershed (<0.1%) that allowed delays in runoff time during storm events. The concentrations of most pollutants were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) except for nitrate (p = 0.5). Overall, this study suggests that the design of the system could feasibly function for the retention of most pollutants during storm events as the actual water quality of the outflow was significantly better by 21–71% than the inflow and the levels of pollutants were reduced to appreciable levels.
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ABSTRACT: Storm‐runoff quantity and quality were studied in three watersheds located near St. Paul in Ramsey County, Minnesota, from April 15 through September 15 of 1984, 1985, and 1986 to qualitatively determine the effects of precipitation and selected land uses on storm runoff. In respect to precipitation effects, differences in stormrunoff quantity between years in an urban watershed that lacks wetlands appear to be related to the average storm size (amount of precipitation) during the study period of each year. In contrast, the differences in storm‐runoff quantity from watersheds that contain wetlands appear to be related to total precipitation during study period of each year. In respect to land use, the differences in storm‐runoff quantity appear to be related to the amounts of impervious and wetland area. The watershed that contains the largest amount of impervious area and smallest amount of wetland area has the largest amount of storm runoff. Differences in storm‐runoff quality appear to be related to the amounts of wetland and lake area. The watershed that contains the largest amounts of wetland and lake area has the smallest storm‐runoff loading of suspended solids, phosphorus, and nitrogen. The wetland and lake areas likely retain the loading and, subsequently, lower the amount of storm‐runoff loading exported from a watershed.
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