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- Title
Quantifying spatial and temporal discharge dynamics of an event in a first order stream, using Distributed Temperature Sensing.
- Authors
Westhoff, M. C.; Bogaard, T. A.; Savenije, H. H. G.
- Abstract
Understanding spatial distribution of discharge can be important for water quality and quantity modeling. Non-steady flood waves can influence small headwater streams significantly, particularly as a result of short high intensity summer rainstorms. The aim of this paper is to quantify the spatial and temporal dynamics of stream flow in a headwater catchment during a summer rainstorm. These dynamics include gains and losses of stream water, the effect of bypasses that become active and hyporheic exchange fluxes that may vary over time as a function of discharge. We use an advection-dispersion model coupled with an energy balance model to simulate in-stream water temperature, which we confront with high resolution temperature observations obtained with Distributed Temperature Sensing. This model was used as a learning tool to stepwise unravel the complex puzzle of in-stream processes subject to varying discharge. Hypotheses were tested and rejected, which led to more insight in spatial and temporal dynamics in discharge and hyporheic exchange processes. We showed that infiltration losses increase during a rain event, while gains of water remained constant over time. We conclude that, eventually, part of the stream water bypassed the main channel during peak discharge. It also seems that hyporheic exchange varies with varying discharge in the first 250 of the stream; while further downstream it remains constant. Because we relied on solar radiation as the main energy input, we were only able to apply this method during a small event and low flow. However, when additional (artificial) energy is available, the presented method is also applicable in larger streams, or during higher flow conditions.
- Subjects
WATER quality; RAINSTORMS; ATMOSPHERIC temperature; FLOODS; SUMMER; WATERSHEDS; MATHEMATICAL models
- Publication
Hydrology & Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2011, Vol 8, Issue 2, p2175
- ISSN
1812-2108
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5194/hessd-8-2175-2011