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- Title
The importance and challenge of hyporheic mixing.
- Authors
Hester, Erich T.; Cardenas, M. Bayani; Haggerty, Roy; Apte, Sourabh V.
- Abstract
The hyporheic zone is the interface beneath and adjacent to streams and rivers where surface water and groundwater interact. The hyporheic zone presents unique conditions for reaction of solutes from both surface water and groundwater, including reactions which depend upon mixing of source waters. Some models assume that hyporheic zones are well-mixed and conceptualize the hyporheic zone as a surface water-groundwater mixing zone. But what are the controls on and effects of hyporheic mixing? What specific mechanisms cause the relatively large (>∼1 m) mixing zones suggested by subsurface solute measurements? In this commentary, we explore the various processes that might enhance mixing in the hyporheic zone relative to deeper groundwater, and pose the question whether the substantial mixing suggested by field studies may be due to the combination of fluctuating boundary conditions and multiscale physical and chemical spatial heterogeneity. We encourage investigation of hyporheic mixing using numerical modeling and laboratory experiments to ultimately inform field investigations.
- Subjects
GROUNDWATER mixing; RIVER sediments; STREAMFLOW
- Publication
Water Resources Research, 2017, Vol 53, Issue 5, p3565
- ISSN
0043-1397
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/2016WR020005